Newsroom
2002
February 15, 2002
Fair-trading CWB will continue to serve U.S. customers
Winnipeg – Prairie farmers’
grain, which commands premium prices in export markets, will
continue to move into the American market following
today’s ruling by the United States Trade
Representative Robert Zoellick.
Ambassador Zoellick ruled on a petition by the North Dakota Wheat
Commission that sought the imposition of tariffs and quotas on
Canadian wheat shipments to the United States. However, the
Ambassador determined that no tariffs would be applied and
recommended instead that a variety of trade-related alternatives
be explored.
“Since the U.S. did not impose tariffs, we have
successfully come through our ninth trade challenge,”
stated Greg Arason, President and CEO of the CWB. “The
facts show that the CWB is a fair trader and we will continue to
trade fairly in the American and the international
marketplace.”
Arason also noted his disappointment that the U.S. plans to
continue its harassment of Western Canadian farmers.
“Given the intense political pressure exerted on the
Ambassador, it is not surprising that he would keep the
possibility of future action alive. However, we’re
confident that we will be found to be fair traders in all future
investigations.”
-more-
The North Dakota Wheat Commission’s petition is the
ninth such trade action brought against the CWB and Prairie
farmers in the past eleven years. The previous eight challenges
have upheld the CWB as a fair trader by all international
standards.
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 the costs of marketing, to Prairie
farmers.