I see this press release was sent on the 10th, but I thought Agr-villers would be interested.
PRESS RELEASE October 10, 2002 PRESS RELEASE
Canadian Wheat Board’s DISTRICT #2's ELECTED DIRECTOR
JIM CHATENAY’s MESSAGE TO CWB DIRECTORS
My name is Jim Chatenay and I am District #2's elected CWB Director. This open letter provides information and facts to CWB Chairman Ritter and to my fellow Directors. It represents the views of CWB District #2, and includes the growing number of other producers who share this same view, relying upon me to bring their views forward.
First of all, a large and growing number of Canadians have great difficulty in accepting that Alberta farmers will be going to jail for selling grain; yet, farmers in Ontario will not. Both are governed by the same legislation.
All movement of grain requires CWB licensing, yet Ontario has even gone so far as issuing their own export license when crossing the border, and were not charged by Customs for lacking an authentic CWB export license. Some Albertans, such as myself, will be sentenced to 62 days in jail, under the Customs Act, which clouds my exporting a mere 55 lb. bag of wheat (donated to a Montana 4-H Club). We, the Directors of the CWB, are directly responsible for this situation because it is within our power to order the Licensing Department to issue or deny an export license to each applicant. We consistently deny licenses to Prairie farmers.
The CWB is solely responsible for granting or denying CWB licenses which are required for interprovincial and export movement of grain. Our policy is to grant licenses based upon where farmers live, but as a farmer controlled organization, do we not have a duty to act in the best interests of all Canadian farmers and issue licenses fairly and equitably? At the present time, our licensing policy supports only single-desk licensing in the Designated Area, yet the licensing legislation applies equally to all Canadians. My constituents call this discrimination. They ask if the CWB could be liable for discriminatory licensing practices against Designated Area farmers. I don’t know what the answers are.
The second comment I want to make is that the voters in District #2 have taken exception to the CWB spending millions of dollars on self-image advertising that mainly promotes how the CWB “maximizes returns” to producers. Looking at the 4 grain pools, District #2 farmers say prices can be “maximized” in the following ways:
1. CWB Feed Barley Account
District #2 farmers bypass selling into the CWB feed barley pool because of meager Board returns. Farmers maximize their own returns by selling to feedlots, etc.
2. CWB Malt Barley Account
Malt barley is totally controlled by the single desk. District #2 farmers often sell their malt barley to the open feed market because they receive more than the CWB malt barley market price offering.
3. CWB Wheat Pool Account
Many farmers from District #2 have switched from growing hard red spring wheat for the CWB to growing CPS wheat for themselves. They are now enjoying much higher yields and are putting more dollars in their pockets by marketing their own wheat through the attractive domestic feed venues.
4. CWB Durum Pool Account
Few in District #2 grow durum, but those who do are close to the border, and claim they could easily access lucrative US markets more effectively and efficiently without the CWB .
Lastly, I presented the farmers' questions to each of my fellow Directors on April 9, 2002, on behalf of District #2, along with a formal request for written answers that I can hand out to farmers. They remain unanswered. Additionally, the “21 Questions” farmers asked, remain unanswered. Farmers deserve answers and I urge my fellow Board Members to support my requests for recorded answers to these questions. In the interest of all farmers, my efforts at being responsible to them, as well as being open and transparent to them, will continue.
Yours truly,
Jim Chatenay, Canadian Wheat Board Director Phone (403) 886-4632
Hope we elect a Director like Chatenay!
Parsley
PRESS RELEASE October 10, 2002 PRESS RELEASE
Canadian Wheat Board’s DISTRICT #2's ELECTED DIRECTOR
JIM CHATENAY’s MESSAGE TO CWB DIRECTORS
My name is Jim Chatenay and I am District #2's elected CWB Director. This open letter provides information and facts to CWB Chairman Ritter and to my fellow Directors. It represents the views of CWB District #2, and includes the growing number of other producers who share this same view, relying upon me to bring their views forward.
First of all, a large and growing number of Canadians have great difficulty in accepting that Alberta farmers will be going to jail for selling grain; yet, farmers in Ontario will not. Both are governed by the same legislation.
All movement of grain requires CWB licensing, yet Ontario has even gone so far as issuing their own export license when crossing the border, and were not charged by Customs for lacking an authentic CWB export license. Some Albertans, such as myself, will be sentenced to 62 days in jail, under the Customs Act, which clouds my exporting a mere 55 lb. bag of wheat (donated to a Montana 4-H Club). We, the Directors of the CWB, are directly responsible for this situation because it is within our power to order the Licensing Department to issue or deny an export license to each applicant. We consistently deny licenses to Prairie farmers.
The CWB is solely responsible for granting or denying CWB licenses which are required for interprovincial and export movement of grain. Our policy is to grant licenses based upon where farmers live, but as a farmer controlled organization, do we not have a duty to act in the best interests of all Canadian farmers and issue licenses fairly and equitably? At the present time, our licensing policy supports only single-desk licensing in the Designated Area, yet the licensing legislation applies equally to all Canadians. My constituents call this discrimination. They ask if the CWB could be liable for discriminatory licensing practices against Designated Area farmers. I don’t know what the answers are.
The second comment I want to make is that the voters in District #2 have taken exception to the CWB spending millions of dollars on self-image advertising that mainly promotes how the CWB “maximizes returns” to producers. Looking at the 4 grain pools, District #2 farmers say prices can be “maximized” in the following ways:
1. CWB Feed Barley Account
District #2 farmers bypass selling into the CWB feed barley pool because of meager Board returns. Farmers maximize their own returns by selling to feedlots, etc.
2. CWB Malt Barley Account
Malt barley is totally controlled by the single desk. District #2 farmers often sell their malt barley to the open feed market because they receive more than the CWB malt barley market price offering.
3. CWB Wheat Pool Account
Many farmers from District #2 have switched from growing hard red spring wheat for the CWB to growing CPS wheat for themselves. They are now enjoying much higher yields and are putting more dollars in their pockets by marketing their own wheat through the attractive domestic feed venues.
4. CWB Durum Pool Account
Few in District #2 grow durum, but those who do are close to the border, and claim they could easily access lucrative US markets more effectively and efficiently without the CWB .
Lastly, I presented the farmers' questions to each of my fellow Directors on April 9, 2002, on behalf of District #2, along with a formal request for written answers that I can hand out to farmers. They remain unanswered. Additionally, the “21 Questions” farmers asked, remain unanswered. Farmers deserve answers and I urge my fellow Board Members to support my requests for recorded answers to these questions. In the interest of all farmers, my efforts at being responsible to them, as well as being open and transparent to them, will continue.
Yours truly,
Jim Chatenay, Canadian Wheat Board Director Phone (403) 886-4632
Hope we elect a Director like Chatenay!
Parsley