La fin annoncée du monopole de la CCB provoque des réactions
« Laurent Denis, un producteur de blé de Saint-Denis, y voit une atteinte à la démocratie par le gouvernement Harper. « Pour moi, c'est le commencement d'une démocratie qui dégringole », affirme-t-il » SRC a rapporté le 19 mai 2011
« La Loi sur la Commission canadienne du blé stipule que le gouvernement doit tenir un référendum sur tout changement majeur, mais selon le ministre, une consultation de ce genre sera inutile puisque c'est la loi qui sera amendée » SRC a rapporté.
La Commission canadienne du blé en sursis
« Est-ce que le monopole sera retiré pour l'orge, le blé ou les deux? » s'interroge Ramzy Yelda, responsable de la commercialisation pour l'agence de vente québécoise du blé, qui a travaillé 14 ans pour la CCB. Même si une nouvelle législation est prévisible pour l'automne, il faudra surveiller quels seront les « outils » qui demeureront à la disposition de la Commission pour stocker et expédier le grain. » Thierry Larivière a écrit pour la Terre de chez nous le 19 mai.
"It's just another nail in the coffin of agriculture in Western Canada," said Bill Gehl, chair of the Canadian Wheat Board Alliance. "We're talking about the end of the Canadian Wheat Board, let's not kid ourselves." ... But Kevin Bender, president of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers, welcomed the announcement made by Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz on Wednesday." Neil Scott reported for The Leader-Post on May 20
Gestion de l'offre et CCB sur la sellette à l'OMC
« Est-ce que le sort de la Commission canadienne du blé (CCB) et la gestion de l'offre sont liés d'une certaine façon? Selon le discours du gouvernement conservateur, la gestion de l'offre sera défendue sur toutes les tribunes. Le NPD avait cependant évoqué publiquement, avant l'élection, que le gouvernement conservateur pourrait se servir d'un accord à l'Organisation mondiale du commerce (OMC) pour imposer la fin du monopole de la CCB et la fin de la gestion de l'offre. l'orge » Thierry Larivière a écrit pour la Terre de chez nous le 19 mai.
National Farmers Union: Let farmers decide
The Conservative government needs to respect the director elections, the process through which farmers decide the future of the CWB. The Conservatives are showing contempt towards the farmers who have expressed their views on the board through the director elections, and whose livelihoods are at stake. This is totally unacceptable,” said Joe Dama NFU Region 3 Coordinator on May 19.
Let people in on Wheat Board decision
The Prime Ministers wants to "keep the trust of the population." Is that going to be the case in respect to the Canadian Wheat Board? Ellen Turbett wrote the Selkirk Journal on May 19.
Assure farmers no loss of service when CWB done
"But in spite of the Conservative government's democratic legitimacy, the record of the wheat board elections imposes on it some moral responsibility to make sure that, however it chooses to change the status of the wheat board, it's done in a way that minimizes the harm to producers and maximizes their input," a StarPhoenix May 20 editorial said.
Alimentation : peu de place pour les produits locaux dans les supermarchés
« Les grandes chaînes offrent par exemple des primes aux supermarchés qui s'approvisionnent auprès de leurs centres de distribution plutôt que chez les producteurs locaux. nSelon François Décary-Gilardeau, analyse agro-alimentaire chez Option consommateurs, cet incitatif se traduit souvent par une baisse des achats de produits locaux: « Ce que cela envoie comme signal c'est si vous achetez localement, il y a moins de chance que vous ayez vos primes à la fin de l'année. » SRC a rapporté le 17 mai 2011
Elimination of CWB means 50¢ to 75¢ of per share value to Viterra
“Admittedly, many farmers still prefer the single-desk system, so the elimination of the CWB is far from certain, but if momentum builds to end the monopoly, effectively giving farmers choice, large-scale processors like Viterra stand to benefit,” Wellington West Capital Markets analyst Robert Winslow said in a research note," Jonathan Ratner wrote for the National Post on May 19.
"Rather than allocating a large majority of grain handling rail cars based on historic market share as the CWB currently does, he expects farmers would look to pure economic considerations when allocating their grains. This would likely mean larger processors providing farmers with better pricing terms and services, as small handlers suffer and more efficient players like Viterra reap the rewards of higher volumes. Mr. Winslow estimates that the elimination of the CWB could be worth roughly 50¢ to 75¢ of per share value to Viterra," the National Post reported.
CWB may be gone by 2012 crop year
"We want to assure the farmers there will be clarity and certainty at the end of the day and we want to make sure that it strengthens the farm gate, doesn't detract from it,"(Minister Ritz) added. "I can assure farmers that sooner is on our agenda, not later," Kim Guttormson wrote for the Calgary Herald on May 19.
"Allen Oberg, a Forestburg farmer and chairman of the CWB, said what happens to the farmer-run organization should be decided by farmers. "I don't care how well orchestrated consultation is, in the end that's shifting that decision from the farmers in Western Canada, where it should be, to Minister Ritz's office," the Calgary Herald reported.
"Any major change to the board must be put before farmers, the elected director added. "A vote should be taken and farmers should be asked directly whether they support the organization or what is its future, what role and structure would it have," Oberg said. "If there's a change to wheat or barley, section 47.1 of the Act requires that a plebiscite be taken and that farmers wishes be respected," the Herald reported.
Neutering the CWB: The Australian model
"The Australian government did a study on the marketing of wheat after the Australian Wheat Board was dismantled. The report shows how the grain companies are doing quite well - while farmers are not. From the Australian report, we see that transnational grain companies, not Canadian farmers, will be the clear winners when the Canadian Wheat Board is neutered," Lorne Jackson wrote to the editor of The Leader-Post on May 19 2011
"It should be safe to assume this is the way the prime minister' party is paying back grain companies for their political contributions before the election," the Leader-Post letter said.
Fate of CWB in the federal government’s hands
"The Canadian Wheat Board Alliance (CWBA) represents farmers across Canada, and is a non-partisan group of farmers which feel there’s a definite need for the the CWB in its present form. ... “Mr. Harper has made his position well known, but what’s a little bit troubling is the fact that the wheat board has a democratic structure in place that farmers vote on, and it’s a very singular issue and very focused, farmers have constantly and continuously put in eight out of 10 directors,” said Bill Gehl, CWBA chair, and Regina area grain farmer," John R. Statton wrote for the Prairie Post on Mon 12.
NFU On Future Of CWB
"By making it voluntary it just becomes another brokerage firm, and the international grain companies certainly are going to purchase grain for the lowest price they can, so they can generate their highest possible profit," he says. "What this is all about is turning the clock backwards 100 years, and really it's about destruction. Farmers struggled long and hard to build institutions like the Canadian Wheat Board...and what we're talking about is not progress, but actually steps back in time where farmers have no position of strength and are left to fend against players that have more economic power than many countries," reported Glenda Lee Allen and Kelvin Heppner for Portage online May 10,
Un gouvernement conservateur majoritaire
« Grande surprise, le ministre d’État à l’Agriculture, Jean-Pierre Blackburn a été battu dans Jonquière-Alma. Le syndicaliste Claude Patry réalise un gain pour le Nouveau parti démocratique devant le ministre Blackburn, qui avait mérité une majorité de 7600 voix en 2008. ... Le lieutenant de Stephen Harper au Québec a eu plus de chance, étant facilement réélu dans Mégantic-l’Érable. Christian Paradis a remporté la victoire devant la néodémocrate » par Céline Normandin et Pierre-Yvon Bégin le 03 mai 2011
« La Commission canadienne du blé (CCB) réitère son désir de voir les fermiers décider, de façon démocratique, de l'avenir de son monopole à la suite de l'élection d'un gouvernement conservateur majoritaire » SRC a rapporté.
Deupté Manon Perreault s'engage à défendre les agriculteurs
"La candidate du NPD, Manon Perreault a annoncé cette semaine la Stratégie alimentaire canadienne. ... La stratégie du NPD aide les agriculteurs à faire face à l’augmentation des prix, et met de l’avant des mesures visant à rendre les programmes de gestion de risque plus accessibles et à lutter contre les coûts injustes liés au transport. Notre plan inclut aussi de l’aide pour les jeunes agriculteurs grâce à des programmes de formation et de mentorat, met fin à l’interférence à la Commission canadienne du blé, et fait la promotion de la production locale et de la sécurité alimentaire," Manon Perreault, Publié le 27 Avril 2011