Message from Minister Gerry Ritz: Comments on Barley Marketing.

[joedales]

Minister's Column.

Message from the Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board



OTTAWA, Ontario, January 29, 2008 – This Government is committed to getting things done for farmers and today we took a step forward by getting leaders from throughout the barley value chain to sit down with the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and decide the best way forward for achieving barley marketing freedom.



Since becoming Agriculture Minister, I have given the CWB every opportunity to help deliver barley marketing freedom 62 per cent of Western Canadian producers have called for. This Government is committed to giving those farm families the freedom they deserve.



The entire barley value chain has clearly called for marketing freedom. They have publicly panned the CWB’s CashPlus program. Time and time again farmers and industry leaders have demanded a real, workable action plan to deliver barley marketing freedom. Too much time has elapsed with rhetoric and diversions. Western Canadian barley producers cannot afford to see tremendous marketing opportunities wasted.



This meeting gave producers and industry leaders the opportunity to make their views known directly to the CWB. Representatives of the CWB had a good frank discussion with producer groups, grain handlers and malting companies. Today the entire barley value chain gave the CWB a strong and decisive mandate to immediately implement tangible steps toward barley marketing freedom.



The CWB is holding board meetings over the coming days. By the conclusion of those meetings, Western Canadian barley producers made it clear they fully expect the CWB to publicly support the barley marketing freedom. The CWB must respond to this mandate from the entire barley value chain by supporting the Government of Canada as we follow through on our commitment to deliver barley marketing freedom.

[Fransisco]

Still sounds like he's still asking for the boards permission to me.

[stubblejumper]

will he wait till he loses another court battle to finally bring it to the house of commons.

[Jay-mo]

Don't get me wrong, I am 100% behind barley marketing freedom. However, isnt Ritz approach of rational discussion with the CWB similar to Jack Layton calling for "talks" with the Taliban in Afghanistan?

I dont think playing nice with the CWB is going to go anywhere. Even when the government played hardball last spring the CWB managed to weasel their way out.

[eatmorewheat]

Perhaps it is time to just start moving the grain. The markets of the world are calling for your grain like never before. Will you heed the call?

In Canada it is also illegal to make cheese on farm from your own raw [dangerous?] milk. In Europe they have a complete appellation system setup to support it.

Make farm cheese, sell your eggs direct to local restaurants and sell your own wheat and barley to the highest bidder the world can offer. Moronic behavoiur and unjust laws deserved to be ignored.

Hint: Form a grain company in Geneva to offer your 'pooled' wheat to Egypt and see if they bite.

Free wheat in the west

[agstar77]

Taliban was't elected! So soon you forget that for the most part CWB directors are elected by you to represent you. Some individuals may not agree with their position but they were elected to serve. The ones not elected are the appointed Directors . It seems some of them think the new Malt program is a step in the right direction. Ritz's demands will be put o all the directors at the regular meeting. Maybe it will be accepted.

[silverback]

Did my grandfather get to vote if he wanted the cwb started in the first place AS??

Was there a vote after the war to see if farmers wanted to keep it going?

Have farmers in Western Canada gone to jail for trying to sell their own grain to the person of their choice?

Did the Afgan people vote whether they wanted the Taliban to take over the rule of the country?

Do I sense a pattern here?

[per]

No...No...Yes...No...Yes.

[wedino]

Agstar, The only vote farmers were allowed was a vote to bring ****seed under the wing of the cwb back in the '70's. Farmers voted, at that time, to punt the cwb. A simple majority of 50% plus 1 vote is all that is required for cwb directors being elected. Like the **** vote, Ontario & Quebec farmers need a 75% majority before they can create a compulsory marketing board. The question then is, can the cwb win a 75% majority? I think not.

[wedino]

Of the meeting the CWB was told CashPlus is dead, don't even think of trying to resuscitate it.
ALberta and Saskatchewan did a great job of telling MB Wolchuk to respect farmers and the barley industry, as her province only contributes less than 8% to the total barley production.
The board took shots at the maltsters and the grain trade and farmers. Fortunately all were very level headed, and didn't drop to the level of spite that Ward W was trying to create.
To get a room full of progressive farmers, industry and government that all agree that we must move forward was incredible.
As to giving the CWB one more chance, it is just that. They are meeting today and tomorrow, if they wish to work with government and industry and farmers things will happen much more quicker.
Agstar, yes the directors were elected by farmers, yet there are thousands of barley farmers that do not have permit books, can you really justify your comments when you don't represent the full spectrum of producers?
Is it the mandate of the elected directors to destroy the Canadian malting industry by starving it? Canada Malt stated that they are building a new plant, YET NOT IN CANADA not where we have the barley, clean water and where we need to continue to build more value added. With out barley they are gone, and might be gone for good, is that the long term plan of the CWB?
Is it the mandate if the CWB to encourage producers to swap acres out of barley to crops that actually can make them money?
As directors of a major corporation it is your due diligence to manage it in a responsible manor respecting all of your shareholders and customers. Farmers of western Canada are your shareholders, and you have failed to listen to them time after time.
Is it worth the CWB to in its self self destruct over barley?
Erik

[Fransisco]

agstar said, "Taliban was't elected! So soon you forget that for the most part CWB directors are elected by you to represent you. Some individuals may not agree with their position but they were elected to serve."

Hmm, wonder how that argument works with a few other 'elected' folks. lets see...

<blockquote>Hitler was elected by you to represent you. Some individuals may not agree with his position but he was elected to serve.

Yasser Arafat was elected by you to represent you. Some individuals may not agree with his position but he was elected to serve.</blockquote>

Oh yeah that argument hangs together real well.