Voluntary CWB not an option for grain marketing
The Conservative Party's agriculture policy released today contains an option for western Canadian grain marketing that does not exist, says the chair of the CWB's farmer-controlled board of directors.
"By backing voluntary participation in the CWB, a scenario has been put forward that cannot occur," said Ken Ritter. "You either have a single-desk marketing system or you have an open market system. Those are the actual choices -- and they are choices that should be made by farmers themselves."
Ritter said the current democractic structure of the CWB allows farmers to decide how they want their grain to be marketed. In eight of 10 districts, farmers have elected CWB directors who explicitly support the single desk.
"This should not be an issue decided by either foreign powers at the World Trade Organization or by party politics in Canada," he said. "This is clearly an issue for Prairie farmers, who have a right to choose the marketing system that suits them best."
The CWB has carried the same message to Canadian trade negotiators who are participating in efforts to forge a world trade agreement. In that forum, the United States and Europeans are attempting to dictate how the farmers of Western Canada can market their wheat and barley.
The Conservative Party's agriculture policy states that "western grain farmers should be able to participate voluntarily in the Canadian Wheat Board."
"It is important to understand that this scenario could simply not occur," Ritter said. "Canadians need to make decisions based on realistic outcomes."
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world.
What would be wrong with this? Why can't we make it the farmer's choice, but once you decide in the fall if you are going to go board or non-board, then you are locked into that decision for the rest of the year? I am not for or against the board, I just believe in smart marketing. People want the choice to market their own wheat, durum, and barley; let them see if they can do a better job than the CWB.
I also believe that if, and it is a pretty big if most days, the CWB is doing the best job of marketing the board grains, then the farmers that choose to go their own way will not do as well as the board supporters. Like the last line states, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world, so they should have the best markets cornered. If they have the best traders in the business, then let them prove to all of western Canada that we are better off with the single desk.
Like I said before, I am not for or against the CWB, I would just like them to prove themselves, and I would also like to see whether or not these anti board guys could actually make a go of it on their own.
The Conservative Party's agriculture policy released today contains an option for western Canadian grain marketing that does not exist, says the chair of the CWB's farmer-controlled board of directors.
"By backing voluntary participation in the CWB, a scenario has been put forward that cannot occur," said Ken Ritter. "You either have a single-desk marketing system or you have an open market system. Those are the actual choices -- and they are choices that should be made by farmers themselves."
Ritter said the current democractic structure of the CWB allows farmers to decide how they want their grain to be marketed. In eight of 10 districts, farmers have elected CWB directors who explicitly support the single desk.
"This should not be an issue decided by either foreign powers at the World Trade Organization or by party politics in Canada," he said. "This is clearly an issue for Prairie farmers, who have a right to choose the marketing system that suits them best."
The CWB has carried the same message to Canadian trade negotiators who are participating in efforts to forge a world trade agreement. In that forum, the United States and Europeans are attempting to dictate how the farmers of Western Canada can market their wheat and barley.
The Conservative Party's agriculture policy states that "western grain farmers should be able to participate voluntarily in the Canadian Wheat Board."
"It is important to understand that this scenario could simply not occur," Ritter said. "Canadians need to make decisions based on realistic outcomes."
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world.
What would be wrong with this? Why can't we make it the farmer's choice, but once you decide in the fall if you are going to go board or non-board, then you are locked into that decision for the rest of the year? I am not for or against the board, I just believe in smart marketing. People want the choice to market their own wheat, durum, and barley; let them see if they can do a better job than the CWB.
I also believe that if, and it is a pretty big if most days, the CWB is doing the best job of marketing the board grains, then the farmers that choose to go their own way will not do as well as the board supporters. Like the last line states, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world, so they should have the best markets cornered. If they have the best traders in the business, then let them prove to all of western Canada that we are better off with the single desk.
Like I said before, I am not for or against the CWB, I would just like them to prove themselves, and I would also like to see whether or not these anti board guys could actually make a go of it on their own.
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