Updated Thu. Aug. 2 2007 7:59 PM ET
Canadian Press
CHARLOTTETOWN -- Prime Minister Stephen Harper is ready for a renewed battle with the Canadian Wheat Board, saying his government's plan to take away the board's monopoly on barley sales will come about "one way or another.''
"Whether it takes a little bit of time or a lot of time, it's going to happen,'' Harper told reporters Thursday at a caucus meeting in Charlottetown.
A Federal Court judge quashed the government's attempt to end the monopoly this week, saying the change made by the Tory cabinet in the spring was beyond cabinet's authority. Judge Dolores Hansen sided with wheat board supporters and said the change would have to be approved by Parliament.
"(The ruling) does not change the determination of the government of Canada to see a dual market for Canadian farmers," Harper said.
"I hope the wheat board will start working with the government to make sure this is going to happen, 'cause it's going to happen one way or another."
Harper did not say whether he might appeal the ruling, try to get the change through the House of Commons, or try some other method.
Wheat board chairman Ken Ritter said he understands the Tories campaigned on a promise to end the wheat board monopoly and allow farmers to sell independently.
But he said most farmers support the current system, and Harper's minority government would be hard-pressed to get support from the opposition parties to get changes approved in the House of Commons.
"That will be up to parliamentarians to sort out, but certainly the signals we get is that that is not likely,'' Ritter said.
Wheat board supporters say the agency's monopoly, which requires producers to sell through the board for all barley exports and some domestic sales, guarantees high prices for farmers. But opponents say farmers should have the right to sell independently, and can get better deals on their own.
The federal government held a plebiscite last winter in which a majority of barley producers voted to open up the barley market to independent sales. But critics say the plebiscite was flawed, and point out that most wheat board directors elected by farmers support the status quo.
Harper is not swayed.
"Canadian farmers have spoken very clearly that they want to see this barley market open,'' he said.
Wheat board officials were focused primarily Thursday on issuing their summer crop outlook, which showed a July-long heat wave has hurt crop production across the Prairies.
The board is predicting western wheat and durum production of 20 million tonnes -- down five per cent from the board's original forecast in June.
The expectation for barley production has dropped 10 per cent to 11.3 million tonnes.
"In weather terms, a deviation of more than three degrees for an entire month is very significant, and we see large portions of the West where it was four to six degrees above normal,'' said board president Greg Arason.
June's wheat forecast was already a reduction from last year, because heavy spring rain had left some parts of the Prairies too wet to seed. Low early price indications also played a role, giving some producers second thoughts.
Wheat prices are being helped by production problems in other parts of the world, the board said, but the high Canadian dollar will keep rising values in check.
Showing posts with label CWB Victory. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CWB Victory. Show all posts
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
CWB Official NewsRoom
Newsroom
2007
Farmer control affirmed, CWB to provide maximum value for barley farmers
July 31, 2007
Winnipeg - The CWB will continue to evolve and adapt to provide maximum value for western Canadian barley farmers, after a court ruled today that the federal government cannot change the way barley is marketed without Parliamentary approval.
“The farmer-controlled board of directors has gone a long way to provide flexibility in terms of pricing, payment and delivery -- and we've got plans to go even further,” said Ken Ritter, chair of the CWB’s farmer-controlled board of directors. “We will work hard to find new ways to create marketing choices for farmers without stripping away the marketing power of their single desk”.
While today’s ruling means the single desk remains intact for barley, Ritter says it will not be “business as usual”. The CWB will accelerate the evolution begun several years ago to transform the corporation into an entity that effectively responds to farmers’ business needs without sacrificing market premiums generated through the power of the single desk.
“Now that the court has brought clarity to the process, our path is clear to continue with renewed vigour to make improvements that producers want for their marketing organization,” Ritter said.
Today’s ruling affirms farmer control of this organization and is good news for all farmer-controlled marketing agencies,” said Ritter. “Ten of the 15 members of the board of directors are democratically elected farmers and we, together with our government-appointed colleagues and our CEO, are responsible for charting a course to take the CWB into the future.”
The CWB had argued that it was beyond the federal government’s jurisdiction under the Canadian Wheat Board Act for the government to push through regulatory change and that the 1998 amendments to the CWB Act gave control of the CWB to farmers, not the government. The reasons for Madam Justice Dolores Hansen’s decision can be found on the CWB Web site at www.cwb.ca.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada’s biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry
Media Relations Manager
Tel: (204) 983-3101
Cell: (204) 227-6927
2007
Farmer control affirmed, CWB to provide maximum value for barley farmers
July 31, 2007
Winnipeg - The CWB will continue to evolve and adapt to provide maximum value for western Canadian barley farmers, after a court ruled today that the federal government cannot change the way barley is marketed without Parliamentary approval.
“The farmer-controlled board of directors has gone a long way to provide flexibility in terms of pricing, payment and delivery -- and we've got plans to go even further,” said Ken Ritter, chair of the CWB’s farmer-controlled board of directors. “We will work hard to find new ways to create marketing choices for farmers without stripping away the marketing power of their single desk”.
While today’s ruling means the single desk remains intact for barley, Ritter says it will not be “business as usual”. The CWB will accelerate the evolution begun several years ago to transform the corporation into an entity that effectively responds to farmers’ business needs without sacrificing market premiums generated through the power of the single desk.
“Now that the court has brought clarity to the process, our path is clear to continue with renewed vigour to make improvements that producers want for their marketing organization,” Ritter said.
Today’s ruling affirms farmer control of this organization and is good news for all farmer-controlled marketing agencies,” said Ritter. “Ten of the 15 members of the board of directors are democratically elected farmers and we, together with our government-appointed colleagues and our CEO, are responsible for charting a course to take the CWB into the future.”
The CWB had argued that it was beyond the federal government’s jurisdiction under the Canadian Wheat Board Act for the government to push through regulatory change and that the 1998 amendments to the CWB Act gave control of the CWB to farmers, not the government. The reasons for Madam Justice Dolores Hansen’s decision can be found on the CWB Web site at www.cwb.ca.
Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada’s biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers.
-30-
For more information, contact:
Maureen Fitzhenry
Media Relations Manager
Tel: (204) 983-3101
Cell: (204) 227-6927
Wheat Board can keep barley monopoly, court rules
Last Updated: Tuesday, July 31, 2007 | 6:52 PM CT
The Canadian Press
A judge has struck down the federal government's move to strip the Canadian Wheat Board of its monopoly on western barley sales.
In a ruling issued Tuesday, Federal Court Judge Dolores Hansen said the government overstepped its authority in trying to end the monopoly through a simple cabinet order.
The decision is a victory for supporters of the wheat board, who argue that having all barley sales handled through the board gives farmers better prices.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government announced earlier this year it would end the board's monopoly on barley as of Aug. 1, and give farmers the option of selling independently.
The government changed the board's barley-handling through regulations approved by the Conservative cabinet.
Critics successfully argued the change can only be made by passing a law in Parliament — something that could be blocked by the opposition.
The Canadian Press
A judge has struck down the federal government's move to strip the Canadian Wheat Board of its monopoly on western barley sales.
In a ruling issued Tuesday, Federal Court Judge Dolores Hansen said the government overstepped its authority in trying to end the monopoly through a simple cabinet order.
The decision is a victory for supporters of the wheat board, who argue that having all barley sales handled through the board gives farmers better prices.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper's Conservative government announced earlier this year it would end the board's monopoly on barley as of Aug. 1, and give farmers the option of selling independently.
The government changed the board's barley-handling through regulations approved by the Conservative cabinet.
Critics successfully argued the change can only be made by passing a law in Parliament — something that could be blocked by the opposition.
'We won': union applauds upheld barley monopoly
'We won': union applauds upheld barley monopoly
Agriculture minister to examine 'what else is possible'
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 | 9:07 AM CT
CBC News
The National Farmers' Union and officials with the Canadian Wheat Board are applauding a federal court decision that derailed the federal government's plan to end the board's monopoly on western barley sales.
Chuck Strahl, minister of agriculture and agri-food and minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, said he was 'most disappointed' by the ruling.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
In a ruling issued Tuesday, Federal Court Judge Dolores Hansen said the government overstepped its authority earlier this year when it passed a new regulation that would have allowed farmers to sell their barley independently starting Aug. 1.
The decision is a victory for supporters of the wheat board, who argue that having all barley sales handled through the board gives farmers better prices.
"Farmers went to court to protect our right to collectively, democratically, and properly determine how we market grain. We won," said NFU president Stewart Wells, one of the 12 applicants that brought the case to the Federal Court.
"Farmers hope the federal government will now use some common sense and not appeal this decision. It is also our hope that the government will now stop interfering in CWB business and let the CWB maximize the returns from grain marketing and get that money back to farmers."
'Most disappointed': agriculture minister
Bill Toews, director for the wheat board's district 10 in southern Manitoba, said he's happy with the decision, but added that the matter should not have gone to court in the first place.
"My view is, it could have had a constructive dialogue quite some time ago and not ended up in this situation," he said.
"It caused us significant chaos in the barley industry and was really unnecessary. So I'm really hopeful that we do have a more positive relationship with the federal government and I hope they see it the same way."
The federal government had argued Ottawa did have the authority to make the change, noting that barley was added to the wheat board's jurisdiction by regulation, so it can be changed by regulation.
Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl said he is "most disappointed" with the decision and the government is examining its options, including parliamentary change.
"It'll be on the options table for sure. Whether we do it or not is too early to say, but … I've always understood that that is one of the options," he told CBC Wednesday morning.
"Our hope and our understanding, frankly, was that … we could make these changes by regulation," he added. "The court has said now at this level that that's not an option, so we'll have to look at what else is possible."
In a mail-in plebiscite earlier this year, about 62 per cent of the 29,000 barley farmers in western Canada said they wanted the choice of where to sell their barley — or they wanted the board out of barley marketing altogether.
Agriculture minister to examine 'what else is possible'
Last Updated: Wednesday, August 1, 2007 | 9:07 AM CT
CBC News
The National Farmers' Union and officials with the Canadian Wheat Board are applauding a federal court decision that derailed the federal government's plan to end the board's monopoly on western barley sales.
Chuck Strahl, minister of agriculture and agri-food and minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, said he was 'most disappointed' by the ruling.
(Tom Hanson/Canadian Press)
In a ruling issued Tuesday, Federal Court Judge Dolores Hansen said the government overstepped its authority earlier this year when it passed a new regulation that would have allowed farmers to sell their barley independently starting Aug. 1.
The decision is a victory for supporters of the wheat board, who argue that having all barley sales handled through the board gives farmers better prices.
"Farmers went to court to protect our right to collectively, democratically, and properly determine how we market grain. We won," said NFU president Stewart Wells, one of the 12 applicants that brought the case to the Federal Court.
"Farmers hope the federal government will now use some common sense and not appeal this decision. It is also our hope that the government will now stop interfering in CWB business and let the CWB maximize the returns from grain marketing and get that money back to farmers."
'Most disappointed': agriculture minister
Bill Toews, director for the wheat board's district 10 in southern Manitoba, said he's happy with the decision, but added that the matter should not have gone to court in the first place.
"My view is, it could have had a constructive dialogue quite some time ago and not ended up in this situation," he said.
"It caused us significant chaos in the barley industry and was really unnecessary. So I'm really hopeful that we do have a more positive relationship with the federal government and I hope they see it the same way."
The federal government had argued Ottawa did have the authority to make the change, noting that barley was added to the wheat board's jurisdiction by regulation, so it can be changed by regulation.
Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl said he is "most disappointed" with the decision and the government is examining its options, including parliamentary change.
"It'll be on the options table for sure. Whether we do it or not is too early to say, but … I've always understood that that is one of the options," he told CBC Wednesday morning.
"Our hope and our understanding, frankly, was that … we could make these changes by regulation," he added. "The court has said now at this level that that's not an option, so we'll have to look at what else is possible."
In a mail-in plebiscite earlier this year, about 62 per cent of the 29,000 barley farmers in western Canada said they wanted the choice of where to sell their barley — or they wanted the board out of barley marketing altogether.
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