Grain Growers of Canada welcome new marketing opportunities

Response comes after the sale of the Canadian Wheat Board

By Diego Flammini, Farms.com

While there are mixed reactions throughout Canada about the federal government’s recent majority sale of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) to Saudi and American companies for $250 million, Grain Growers of Canada are excited about the new opportunities it brings to them.

“Grain Growers have long supported the return to marketing freedom for Canadian grain,” said Gary Stanford, GGC President. “We welcome the CWB's role in the Canadian commercial grain trade and believe that this next stage in the life of the organization will help enhance competition and choice for farmers.”

G3 Global Grain Group, who made the purchase, will operate 50.1% of the Canadian Wheat Board and the leftover 49.9% will be kept in trust for the other farmers who supply the board with their grains.

The fact that some grain will still be supplied to the Canadian Wheat Board is good news according to the Grain Growers because it will give grain farmers across the country more choice when marketing their products.

“Grain farmers across western Canada can look forward to working with CWB in an open market environment”, Stanford said.

The sale of the Canadian Wheat Board was a long journey.

On October 28, 2011, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act was introduced and passed on December 11, 2011 before the sale was made official on April 15, 2015.

Join the conversation and tell us your thoughts about the sale of the Canadian Wheat Board. Do you think its good news for wheat farmers going forward?

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