CWB Objects To Federal Round Table

WINNIPEG - Jul 13/06 - SNS -- The federal government's decision to hold a roundtable on the future of grain marketing in western Canada, which deliberately excludes marketing board supporters has drawn the ire of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB).

The July 27 meeting in Saskatoon is limited to those who "support the advancement of marketing choice for farmers," Agriculture Canada said in announcing the time and date for the meeting called by Chuck Strahl, minister responsible for both the agriculture and CWB portfolios.

CWB chairman Ken Ritter argues, "This meeting is inappropriate in virtually every respect. For a start, the agenda is skewed. To be laying out a course for a fundamental change in the way western Canadian farmers market their grain without farmers having decided that they actually want such a change is wrong.

"According to the Canadian Wheat Board Act," he continued, "decisions regarding the future of the CWB belong with western Canadian farmers and no-one else."

The act calls for a plebiscite of farmers directly affected by any significant change to CWB's marketing mandate before such a change is made.

Ritter said the CWB was not invited to the meeting, nor were representatives of farm organizations which support the board.

"Meeting with a handful of like-minded groups who represent a minority of farmers to discuss a pre-determined outcome can't possibly constitute the widespread consultation the minister has always promised. As a farmer-controlled organization, we look forward to constructive dialogue involving the minister and the representatives of all affected farmers."