MP Leon Benoit on 'Marketing Freedom'

[TOM4CWB]

WESTERN CANADIAN WHEAT AND BARLEY FARMERS FINALLY GET MARKETING FREEDOM

OTTAWA (DECEMBER 16, 2011) – Western Canadian wheat and barley farmers finally have the freedom to market their wheat or barley to the buyer of their choice following the Royal Assent of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act yesterday.
"I know that farmers have waited decades for this historic day and they are now free to make their own marketing choices the same as farmers in the east have been able to do for years," said Leon Benoit, Member of Parliament for Vegreville-Wainwright. "I'm proud of our Government for delivering this basic, fundamental right to our farmers."
As of today, Western wheat and barley farmers now have the freedom to forward contract for the delivery of wheat and barley to the Canadian Wheat Board or the buyer of their choice for delivery after August 1, 2012.
With the passing into law of the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, the first steps are in place to remove the monopoly, unleashing the true economic potential of the prairie grain sector. The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) will be a voluntary marketing option for farmers, supported by the Government as it transitions to a privately owned entity.
Working with the CWB, farmers, the grain value chain and provincial partners, the Government of Canada is implementing an orderly transition to market freedom which includes a viable, voluntary CWB, as part of an open and competitive Canadian grain market.
“It has been a long time coming, but I am very glad to be part of restoring a basic democratic to Western Canadian farmers,” concluded Benoit. “We promised to end the CWB monopoly, and once again we have done what we said we would do.”
-30-
Additional information can be found at:
www.agr.gc.ca/freedom.

For more information: (613) 992-4171 or (780) 763-6130

[katoe]

Leon who??

[GALAXIE500]

Well Tom old boy , I guess you won't have to put your "sign" on that rusty old grain trailer of yours anymore. But the question I have is this one: What happens when our dear old friends south of the 49th close the border to our grain again for any other reason of their choosing? Do you actually think that wont' happen. I hope it doesn't either, as I have been down in Havre Mt. doing a little bit of shopping of my own,as have a lot of other people I know.As long as we are not clogging their system with our grain,there probably won't be too much of a hassle.Food for thought.

[bucket]

Really there is the problem.

The whole grain infrastructure could be improved if the industry would look to a North American solution instead of this Canada/US dividing line.

Some grain should move south for logistical purposes, some west, some north, and east.

If grain prices level out, which they will, there may be grain moving north when truckers are coming to get fertilizer out of belle plaine.

I understand people's arguments but I think its time to look for easier ways to move grain so there are no lineups.

[TOM4CWB]

Galaxie,

It is far less expensive to get our grain to port using Canadian infrastructure. CN and CP are now spending BILLIONS ramping up capacity to meet just in time delivery needs of our customers.

I wouldn't be surprised to see grain trains going both north and south as we step up and reach out to build better efficiencies just as we do with Potash shipping.

We need the northern US and they need western Canada to build a stable supply base for long term stability that our global customers require.

A win win for all... stable long term supply brings premium prices for our ag products.

With CHS and the CWB... a co-operative grain marketing system with better market power (than the former CWB 'single desk' could easily be built.