Newsroom
2003
CWB president says U.S. trade harassment must end
September 18, 2003
Winnipeg – CWB President and CEO Adrian Measner called on the U.S. to end its harassment of western Canadian wheat farmers, in a speech delivered today to the American-based National Grain Trade Council (NGTC). Speaking in Quebec City, Measner described the incessant trade actions brought by U.S. special interest groups against the CWB as "futile, expensive and time-consuming."
"I am calling for an end to what can only be called the harassment of western Canadian wheat farmers," he told the crowd of representatives from grain exchanges, boards of trade and U.S. grain marketing organizations.
"I believe the United States should instead focus on leveling the uneven playing field that currently exists in global agricultural trade – creating an open and competitive marketplace that responds to the buyer's need, rather than government policies."
Since the 1989 Free Trade Agreement, the CWB has defended itself against groundless charges of unfair trade a total of 12 times. The nine completed cases have found no evidence of wrongdoing or unfair trading practices on the part of the CWB.
In August, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) imposed combined tariffs of 13.55 per cent on Canadian durum and 14.16 per cent on spring wheat as part of the anti-dumping and countervailing duty cases (trade challenge number 10 and 11).
"The CWB rejects the Department of Commerce's findings," Measner said, pointing out that the DOC used flawed methodology and ignored its own regulations in order to justify the tariffs. He expressed confidence that the tariffs will be removed when the International Trade Commission rules on injury in early October.
In addition to trade, Measner also discussed an issue of serious concern to both Canadian and American grain farmers: the harmful impact the introduction of Roundup Ready wheat would have on the North American grain industry. "If the basis of an open and competitive market is the buyers' ability to choose the product they want – then the unconfined release of Roundup Ready wheat could very well spell disaster for the Canadian and American wheat industries when buyers around the world have said they don't want it."
The complete text of Measner's presentation to the NGTC is available on the CWB Web site, www.cwb.ca.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.
For more information, please contact:
Rhéal Cenerini
Communications consultant
Winnipeg, MB
tel: (204) 983-4497