No more single channel wheat marketing for Canada

The Canadian government is deregulating the wheat industry, ignoring the strident opposition of most grain growers and the Canadian Wheat Board.

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The Canadian government is deregulating the wheat industry, ignoring the strident opposition of most grain growers and the Canadian Wheat Board. The board, which is controlled, directed and funded by farmers, has an annual turnover of C billion to C billion) (R31 billion to R62 billion).

Agriculture minister Gerry Ritz told a legislative committee, which examined the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, that Canadian farmers must have the freedom to market wheat and barley in the best interests of their individual farms.

The Canadian Wheat Board disagreed, saying that abolishing its single desk, or export monopoly, will leave thousands of farmers on their own to negotiate against giant US multinational grain companies. “This is a recipe for failed farms, lower prices for farmers and, ultimately, American control of a Canadian industry,” the board stated. It said 62% of farmers voted in a plebiscite to keep the board. The board may take the decision to court. – Alan Harman

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