Western Canadian grain farmers will soon see the formal end of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and be able to sell their products in an open market for the first time in nearly 70 years.
Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, passed third and final reading in the House of Commons on Nov. 28 and the legislation has now moved forward for consideration by the Senate.
It is expected to pass the Senate and be enacted into law prior to 2012. At that time, farmers will be able to sell their food-quality wheat and barley directly to any buyer for the first time since 1943.
“It will be great to see this legislation clear the House,” said Kevin Bender president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA). “Western farmers can no longer afford to be shackled to the CWB,” Bender said. “Creating an open market for wheat and barley will give us the opportunity to capture higher returns and generate greater prosperity throughout the prairies. We can’t wait to have the freedom to sell our own grain.”
“This legislation can’t pass soon enough,” said Cherilyn Nagel, past president of the CWCGA. “We urge the Senate to pass this legislation quickly so we can start reaping the benefits of an open market.”
The CWB’s said its survey showed 75 per cent of permit book holders under age 45 do not support the current monopoly, showing the future of the industry wants change.
Agriculture ministers from Alberta, Saskatchewan and B.C. have all expressed their support for marketing freedom and encouraged all federal MPs to vote in favour of the Act. The three provinces together produce more than 80 per cent of the wheat and 90 per cent of the barley grown in Western Canada.
“Marketing freedom will enable individual producers to participate in a competitive marketplace and maximize returns,” said Evan Berger, minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “The ability to sell to niche markets and establish relationships with customers is important to the future success of the grain industry in Alberta and Western Canada.”
