Newsroom
2000
October 20, 2000
CWB asks government to appoint transportation Monitor
Winnipeg -- The CWB wants the federal government to follow through
on its stated intention to appoint a transportation monitor. As
part of its transportation reform package announced earlier this
spring the federal government indicated it would appoint a monitor
to evaluate the performance of the transportation system and ensure
savings are passed back to farmers.
"The federal government told farmers they could expect to save an
average of $5.92 per tonne in reduced freight rates, but many
farmers have told us they're not seeing it," said CWB director, Art
Macklin. "We think the monitor needs to be put in place as soon as
possible to ensure this saving is being passed along to farmers,
and if not, to find out where the money is going."
Although some farmers may be receiving trucking premiums or other
concessions, there is no mechanism in place to determine what
freight savings are flowing to farmers. The CWB suggests the
transportation monitor needs to determine how the changes are
affecting all parties, and specifically, whether farmers are
benefiting.
"We want assurances that the commitment made to farmers is followed
through on and that the grain handling and transportation system is
working better for all parties," said Macklin. "Until the monitor
shows us the evidence, we don't know if we've got a better
system."
The CWB is the world's largest farmer-controlled wheat and barley
marketer. Headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, it is one of
Canada's biggest exporters and the largest net earner of foreign
exchange. Marketing prairie grown wheat and barley to over 70
countries around the world, the CWB returns all sales revenue, less
the costs of marketing, to farmers in Western Canada.