The creation of an Export Sales Reporting Program would help to improve market transparency for farmers.
A coalition of Saskatchewan producer groups is calling for action.
The idea of improving market transparency is a key issue for farmers, during producer commission AGM's in January resolutions were passed at five of the meetings calling for an Export Sales Reporting Program.
The Saskatchewan Pulse Growers is part of the producer group coalition.
Shaun Dryland is Chair of SPG and say's with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada currently reviewing the Canada Grain Act, there's an opportunity to expand the Canadian Grain Commission's responsibilities to collect and disseminate data to improve market transparency.
"This is a key issue for farmers. It's been a long-standing focus of Saskatchewan producer groups. Currently, we are at a disadvantage to other regions that have this export data."
American farmers have had access to sales and export data since 1973 through the USDA’s Export Sales Reporting Program.
The producer groups note that the competitive disadvantage that results from this information asymmetry is harmful to farmers and represents a missed opportunity to put Canadian farmers on a level playing field.
Dryland notes that without timely available data on export sales, farmers are unable to accurately understand market dynamics and time their sales to improve profitability.
"Currently the CGC does report on exports from licensed facilities, but this is historic data, and it doesn't represent current sales that are being made. So really, farmers aren't able to use the data as a gauge for demand that's happening currently."
He adds that export sales reporting would also be valuable for commodities like pulses that don't have a futures market or price discovery mechanism available.
The producer groups have written to Minister Bibeau, highlighting the opportunity to improve profitability for farmers and grow the Canadian economy through the creation of a mandatory Export Sales Reporting Program.
Members of the producer group coalition include APAS, SaskBarley, SaskCanola, SaskFlax, SaskOats, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers, and Sask Wheat.
Click here to see more...