Scrapping the Canadian Wheat Board is a crime
Walldeck
Thursday, January 19, 2012
by: Joyce Neufeld
Farmers who were expecting something substantial in their Christmas stocking were sorely disappointed at the end of 2011. Not only was there nothing left in their stocking, but what they had was stolen by Harper and his henchmen Ritz and Anderson and given to Viterra, ADM, Louis Dreyfus, Cargill and Parrish & Heimbecker.
The lies these three spread to accomplish this are unbelievable. Eg. Western farmers now have the same opportunity as other farmers (referring to the former Ontario Wheat Producers Marketing Board which was started by farmers in 1958).
What they haven’t told farmers is:
Ontario wheat farmers –
- Ended their single desk through a farmer-led democratic process
- Produce wheat that is used for pastries, cookies and cakes
- Produce less that one-tenth the volume of wheat that prairie farmers produce
- Sell about 90% of their product within Canada and northern USA
- Have low transportation distances and costs
- Now pay grain companies more to handle their crops
Prairie wheat farmers –
- voted in favour of keeping the CWB and face having it taken away against their will
- Produce hard red spring wheat used for bread and durum used for pasta
- Produce 80% of Canada’s wheat
- Must pay freight costs to transport grain long distances to inland terminals and to port
- Rely on the CWB to ensure fair market access for all, including users of producer cars
Ritz and his supporters such as Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association (WCWGA) Barley Growers etc. continue to promote Marketing Freedom – ‘the right to sell to whomever, wherever & whenever I want’. Yet a supposedly intelligent WCWGA past president signed a contract (through her Broker? At what cost?) to deliver 1000 Tonnes of #1 CWAD 13% to the delivery location (Assiniboia Grain) or any alternative location as may be notified by the company (so much for wherever ) . This must be delivered between October 1, 2012 and October 31, 2012 (so much for whenever) at $8.35 per bushel.
What about the 70+ countries that the CWB can sell to at handling cost of about 9 cents per bushel? Why and from whom, is Viterra expecting to make eight-figure gains from CWB deregulation?
Another lie is about the farmers ‘jailed for selling their own wheat into the U.S.’ These farmers went to jail because they contravened the Customs Act. In fact, one of them stole his tractor unit from the compound where it was impounded!
The stupid thing is that those wanting ‘marketing freedom’ can sell to whoever they want. They just can’t sell for a price lower than what the CWB is getting.
In truth, Harper, Ritz and Anderson with all their lies, illegal acts and breaking of Canada’s laws, should be among the first to be charged under their own “Tough on Crime Bill” (Bill C10)!