Task Force Report is out.

[TOM4CWB]

News release
MINISTER STRAHL RELEASES TASK FORCE FINDINGS
OTTAWA, Ontario, October 30, 2006 - The Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today released the findings and recommendations of the task force on implementing marketing choice.

"Canada's New Government thanks the members of the task force for putting together such a complete report on how to implement marketing choice so that it benefits all grain farmers in Western Canada," said Minister Strahl. "We will examine its recommendations over the weeks and months ahead, and during that time I look forward to receiving the views of farmers and stakeholder groups."

The task force recommends a four-stage transition from a Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) with monopoly powers to a marketing choice environment: preparing for change, forming the new CWB, launching the transformed CWB with transition measures and post transition.

The task force concluded that a new CWB, owned by farmers, could thrive and create value without monopoly selling powers.

"This is a comprehensive model of how the CWB could thrive in a marketing choice environment," said Minister Strahl. "I will be examining it carefully and I look forward to hearing what Western Canadian grain producers have to say about the ideas put forward by the task force."

For more information on marketing choice or a copy of this report, please visit www.agr.gc.ca/cwb.

-30-

For more information, media may contact:

Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa
613-759-7972
1-866-759-7972

Jeff Howard
Press Secretary
Minister Strahl's office
613-759-1059

[TOM4CWB]

I found it @

http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/ip/pdf/final_251006_e.pdf

[Incognito]

impressive Tom, Reuters only beat you by 5 minutes

[TOM4CWB]

Incognito;

I will try to do better next time!

[wilagro]

Yes...I found it too.

The report should read "The Beginning of the End of the CWB"...yipee we have finally done it.

I just finished reading the report and find some positively revolutionary things in it. The new CWB II could very well go the way that the POOLS went i.e. sold off to non-farmers in the future.

"The management of CWB II should establish the mechanics of a share offering. As an example
for illustration, it could offer about 100 million shares at a value of $1 each to prairie farmers.
The capital value of CWB II that they would be buying into would be considerably greater than
the cost of these shares, as some existing CWB assets would be transferred to CWB II, so
farmers would have an incentive to buy shares. Those farmers who bought shares would have
ownership and voting rights for the CWB II Board of Directors proportional to their shares. The
Board could consist of, for example, 7 elected producers and 3 non-elected Directors. With the
completion of the transition to marketing choice, the Board of Directors would be free to decide
whether shares could be offered to non-farmers, and what mechanism they would establish for
trading of shares." -- quotation

So if and when CWB II gets into trouble, the Board of Directors could SELL-OUT to non-farmers who are no-doubt "waiting in the wings".

=============================================

However, the whole kit and kaboodle may NEVER get passed by Parliament...aftr all this 'New Government" is in a MINORITY position.

[agstar77]

No mention of Churchill. No mention of how grain would be procurred when the CWBII would not have grain handling facilities. There are a lot of unanswered questions, but then what would you expect from a group which function is to fade the CWB out of the picture. Interesting that no order in council is mentioned.

[agstar77]

Agstar why do you feel it's so important for the task force to have mentioned churchill.If the port is cost effective then the market place will utilize it.If it is'nt then why were the farmers subsidizing it.Are you in charge of tourism for the town.I'm really disapointed with this task force because I can't wait till 2008.Just for clarity purposes my user name NFUer doesn't mean I actually belong to the cause.It's just a joke,I'm sorry for being a capitalist wolf in sheeps clothing.

[Incognito]

Wow - pretty quiet after the report. Is the foreplay better than the sex?

LOL...

[agstar77]

The report is pretty well meaningless. You will note everything hinges on changes passed in Parliament. Until we have an election and old Steve gets a majority, not much will happen. Who will fight trade challenges? The government has never paid the costs on trade challenges and I doubt these guys would be any different. As soon as the first semi rolls , there will be challenges.

[northfarmer]

meaningless to you, the promise of some contructive changes for me and others.......

the fact of the matter is that the status quo will not be....the longer those opposing changes remain polarized to their position the more they jeopardize any constructive involvement in affecting the changes that will come....

as for the govt...do you really think that the Bloc and Liberals will take down the govt on this one......Ontario voters and Que, do they really give a #$%^ about the designated area, they do not live under the rule of the board, Que has its own special deal on ag policy and support, and Ontario has market choice for their wheat production, they will save their ammo for a more meaningful battle for their own support base.....

my only dissapointment is that the timeline for change will not give me marketing choice on wheat for the next crop year......