Newsroom
2007
CWB asks Minister to produce plan on barley marketing
March 8, 2007
Winnipeg – The CWB today invited Minister Chuck Strahl to reveal his government’s plan detailing how a strong and viable CWB can exist within an open market.
The CWB was responding to a March 7th statement from the Minister where the Minister defended his government’s policy of dismantling single desk selling, stating that “there can be a strong CWB within a marketing choice system.”
“We’d really like to see a concrete and detailed plan from the government,” said Ken Ritter, Chair of the CWB’s farmer-controlled board of directors. “Independent analysis shows that the single desk provides farmers with a materially higher net benefit. In examining the repercussions of the potential loss of the single desk on barley, the board has concluded that in an open market, farmers would not receive a materially higher net benefit from the sale of their barley.”
Ritter also restated the board’s position on the options presented to farmers in the barley plebiscite. The board believes a clear question which provides only the two realistic options of a single desk or an open market system would give the government meaningful results.
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 to over 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.
For more information, please contact:
CWB Media Relations
Tel: (204) 983-8620