GP wheat varieties

[Raven]

There is a new CANADA WESTERN GENERAL PURPOSE "GP" class of wheat varieties. The CWB does not market any GP wheat so growers of GP varieties can only sell into the domestic feed and fuel (ethanol) markets. Producers can't export GP varieties nor sell for human consumption in Canada because the CWB doesn't allow milling companies to buy GP wheat from the designated area growers.

On the other hand, the CWB allows exports of GP pedigreed seed. The American growers of GP varieties then have free access to all markets including human consumption both in the US and also here in Canada.

This outragreous situation can easily be changed by CWB Minister Ritz ordering the CWB to grant export licences to western producers of GP wheat just as the CWB already does now for eastern producers.

[Fransisco]

This should be a no brainer, which means the Conservatives are probably too afraid to try it.

[stubblejumper]

the CWB has nothing to do with licensing varieties.

[Raven]

Others will know better about the CWB involvement with registering varieties. But the Western Producer reported how the CWB tried their damndest, for a second year, to cripple the GP varieties by requiring new registrations to be 10% higher yielding than the standards. This would severly limit new registrations and particularily keep the protein levels low, as I am told that high yields tend to lower protein. I give the CWB full points for being clever schemers on this strategy, but it is certainly only in the interests of the CWB and not us farmers.

Having said that, the issue is not about who registers varieties - it is about the fact that it is the CWB who has a policy that gives advantages to our competitor farmers outside the designated area.

[charliep]

Will let the overall discussion go but I would suggest lower proteins on the general purpose class. If I have a look at the needs of the ethanol and livestock industries, the need is for a starchy, plump, low protein wheat. It will be easy to top up the protein side with distillers grains, canola meal, peas, other grains, etc for livestock feed.

Perhaps what is important for this wheat is to ensure accurate price signals (read competition) from outside export markets (including the US) and the ability to access them when appropriate (won't be every day).