Finally
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gbmHJmQCeLpOGva1NCnY1DFzhE5Q
Federal government set to table bill to "crack the nut" of wheat board
58 minutes ago
WINNIPEG - The federal government plans to table a bill in about 10 days to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on western barley sales, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Wednesday.
Ritz accused the wheat board of ducking farmers' demands for marketing choice - the latest salvo in the battle for the hearts and minds of producers.
"Because of the wheat board's internal focus on survival, they refuse to even discuss change," Ritz told reporters on a conference call from Ottawa.
"The government will bring forward strong legislation to give Western Canadian producers the marketing freedom they demand."
Ritz made his comments a few hours after the wheat board announced it was breaking off talks with the agriculture minister on the future of barley marketing, citing a lack of progress.
"At this point in time, we just feel that there's not enough common ground to continue," said wheat board chairman Ken Ritter.
The federal cabinet tried last year to order an end to the board's monopoly and allow farmers to sell barley independently, but a Federal Court judge quashed the move. The judge ruled the change would have to be approved in Parliament - a tall order for the minority Conservatives.
The opposition parties have already criticized the government's plan, and Ritz called on them Wednesday to "stop blocking farmers' rights".
Barring a sudden election call, legislation to "crack the nut called the Canadian Wheat Board" will be tabled when the House of Commons resumes near the end of February, Ritz said.
Ritz's decision quickly ran into opposition.
"It's obvious he's not prepared to negotiate with the board to try to work in the best interest of producers, he's more concerned about delivering on his own ideology," said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk.
Farmers are divided on the push to open up the barley market.
The wheat board, supported by some farm groups, says it fetches farmers higher prices by marketing for all of them, instead of having producers compete with each other for sales.
Many other producer groups, however, have demanded for years they be given the right to try to get higher prices by selling barley without going through the board.
Sixty-two per cent of producers who cast ballots in a federal plebiscite on the issue last year supported either a partial or full open market over the status quo. But critics, including the Manitoba government, said the three-option plebiscite question was misleading.
Manitoba held its own, symbolic plebiscite in 2006 in which most farmers within the province supported the status quo.
The Western Barley Growers Association, which represents growers across the Prairies, said it is time for the wheat board to accept that farmers want the right to choose how to sell their grain.
"We're very disappointed with the Canadian Wheat Board, extremely frustrated with them," said association president Jeff Nielsen said.
"And the frustration level has reached its maximum. Producers need to move forward on this."
SCREW THE CWB
http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5gbmHJmQCeLpOGva1NCnY1DFzhE5Q
Federal government set to table bill to "crack the nut" of wheat board
58 minutes ago
WINNIPEG - The federal government plans to table a bill in about 10 days to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on western barley sales, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said Wednesday.
Ritz accused the wheat board of ducking farmers' demands for marketing choice - the latest salvo in the battle for the hearts and minds of producers.
"Because of the wheat board's internal focus on survival, they refuse to even discuss change," Ritz told reporters on a conference call from Ottawa.
"The government will bring forward strong legislation to give Western Canadian producers the marketing freedom they demand."
Ritz made his comments a few hours after the wheat board announced it was breaking off talks with the agriculture minister on the future of barley marketing, citing a lack of progress.
"At this point in time, we just feel that there's not enough common ground to continue," said wheat board chairman Ken Ritter.
The federal cabinet tried last year to order an end to the board's monopoly and allow farmers to sell barley independently, but a Federal Court judge quashed the move. The judge ruled the change would have to be approved in Parliament - a tall order for the minority Conservatives.
The opposition parties have already criticized the government's plan, and Ritz called on them Wednesday to "stop blocking farmers' rights".
Barring a sudden election call, legislation to "crack the nut called the Canadian Wheat Board" will be tabled when the House of Commons resumes near the end of February, Ritz said.
Ritz's decision quickly ran into opposition.
"It's obvious he's not prepared to negotiate with the board to try to work in the best interest of producers, he's more concerned about delivering on his own ideology," said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Rosann Wowchuk.
Farmers are divided on the push to open up the barley market.
The wheat board, supported by some farm groups, says it fetches farmers higher prices by marketing for all of them, instead of having producers compete with each other for sales.
Many other producer groups, however, have demanded for years they be given the right to try to get higher prices by selling barley without going through the board.
Sixty-two per cent of producers who cast ballots in a federal plebiscite on the issue last year supported either a partial or full open market over the status quo. But critics, including the Manitoba government, said the three-option plebiscite question was misleading.
Manitoba held its own, symbolic plebiscite in 2006 in which most farmers within the province supported the status quo.
The Western Barley Growers Association, which represents growers across the Prairies, said it is time for the wheat board to accept that farmers want the right to choose how to sell their grain.
"We're very disappointed with the Canadian Wheat Board, extremely frustrated with them," said association president Jeff Nielsen said.
"And the frustration level has reached its maximum. Producers need to move forward on this."
SCREW THE CWB
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