01/29/07 A vote on CWB barley monopoly

Farm and Ranch January 29, 2007 U.S. grain producers have long complained about the monopoly marketing power of the Canadian Wheat Board. This week barley producers in Western Canada will begin receiving ballots in the mail in a plebiscite that will determine if the Canadian Wheat Board will maintain its monopoly on the marketing of barley. Canada's new government campaigned openly during the last election on providing marketing choice for Western grain producers and Minister of Agriculture Chuck Strahl says they are now delivering on that commitment. Strahl says producers will have three options on the ballot. Strahl: "First, the Canadian Wheat Board should retain the single desk marketing of barley into domestic human consumption and export markets. Second, I would like the option to market my barley to the Canadian Wheat Board or any other domestic or foreign buyer. Or third, the Canadian Wheat Board should not have a role in marketing barley. These three questions are clear, simple and to the point. Now much has been said about the questions on the vote held in Manitoba recently. Frankly we felt that was the wrong question because it doesn't offer the choice to retain a voluntary Wheat Board. It was all or nothing. Either stick with the monopoly or you are on your own. That is not what we want for Western Canadian grain farmers." That symbolic vote in Manitoba had 62 percent of barley growers supporting continuing the Wheat Board's monopoly on barley. The government's official plebiscite is being conducted January 31st to March 6th. Minister Strahl says a similar plebiscite is planned for the future on the monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board over wheat sales. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network