January 21, 2009

Changes to the Canadian Wheat Board are off the federal government's radar for the time being, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said during a teleconference with reporters Monday (January 19).

Canada's minority Conservative government has promised in the past to end the CWB's current monopoly on barley and wheat marketing in western Canada, and has considered introducing legislation in the House of Commons to do just that. However, the government is in a minority situation, and the opposition parties all pledged their support for keeping the single desk.

The CWB also recently held elections for five of its ten farmer-elected board of directors positions. Four of the five farmer directors who won campaigned on promises of maintaining the single desk, keeping the balance of opinion on the board in favour of maintaining the monopoly.

"At this point, we're holding back on legislation" related to the CWB, said Ritz.

Ritz said that while the Conservatives were still committed to making changes to the CWB, getting a bill passed was not "on my radar screen in the next short time." He wouldn't specify how long it may be before a bill regarding the CWB is introduced, but noted that in the meantime his office would concentrate on trade issues and other fronts to help farmers in the country.

"We're still committed to doing that [making changes to the CWB], but it has to be in the best interest of producers," said Ritz.