Alberta Adds Support to Voluntary Barley Pools

EDMONTON - Jul 15/02 - SNS -- The Alberta government reiterated its support for ending the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly control of export what and barley markets, adding its support to the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange call for a voluntary Canadian barley market.

This is "creating momentum for marketing choice," says Shirley McClellan, Alberta's Deputy Premier and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development.

"Last month a federal House of Commons Standing Committee recommended a trial free market program for the sale of wheat and barley. This month the Winnipeg Commodity Exchange threw its support behind a voluntary market for Canadian barley," said McClellan. "Obviously, the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) can no longer ignore the momentum that is building."

Calgary-Mountain View MLA Mark Hlady, who earlier this year introduced the Alberta Wheat and Barley Test Market Act, agreed, saying farmers deserve choice in selling their wheat and barley to the CWB or to other buyers.

The subscriber version of the article is available by Clicking here