The Canadian Wheat Board (known at times as the Canada Wheat Board or by the acronym CWB) was established by the Parliament of Canada in 1935 as a producer marketing system for wheat and barley. It is headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Regions Political culture Foreign relations Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      The Senate Chamber of Parliament Hill in Ottawa. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up marketing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... Binomial name L. Barley (Hordeum vulgare) is an annual cereal grain, which serves as a major animal feed crop, with smaller amounts used for malting and in health food. ... Nickname: Motto: Unum Cum Virtute Multorum (One With the Strength of Many) Location of Winnipeg in Manitoba Coordinates: , Country Canada Province Manitoba Region Winnipeg Capital Region Established, 1738 (Fort Rouge) Renamed 1822 (Fort Garry) Incorporated 1873 (City of Winnipeg) Government  - City Mayor Sam Katz  - Governing Body Winnipeg City Council  - MPs... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation...

Governance

It is governed by a 15-person Board of Directors. Ten of the directors are elected by grain farmers in the western Canadian provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Four of the directors are appointed by the federal Minister of Agriculture. The President of the Board is appointed by the Governor in Council, which, in its practical effect, means by the Prime Minister of Canada. Motto: Fortis et liber(Latin) Strong and free Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Official languages English (see below) Government - Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong - Premier Ed Stelmach (PC) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 28 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (split from Northwest Territories) (8th [Province]) Area Ranked... Motto: Multis E Gentibus Vires (Latin: The Strength of Many Peoples) Capital Regina Largest city Saskatoon Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Gordon Barnhart - Premier Lorne Calvert (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation September 1, 1905 (Split from NWT) (9th (province)) Area  Ranked... Motto: Gloriosus et Liber (Latin: Glorious and free) BC AB SK MB ON QC NB PE NS NL YT NT NU Capital Winnipeg Largest city Winnipeg Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor John Harvard - Premier Gary Doer (NDP) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 14 - Senate seats 6 Confederation... In the Cabinet of Canada, The Minister of Agriculture is responsible for overseeing the federal governments agriculture department, currently known as Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. ... Regions Political culture Foreign relations Other countries Atlas  Politics Portal      The Prime Minister of Canada (French: Premier ministre du Canada), is the Minister of the Crown who is head of the Government of Canada. ...

Purpose

The purpose of the Wheat Board is to create a level playing field for all producers. The farmers deliver their grain in accordance with regulated schedules. The Board acts as a marketing agent on behalf of all farmers. Farmers receive an interim payment and a final payment depending on the overall sales and prices. This is in effect a pooled selling system that benefits farmers by ensuring a predictable cash flow, a pooled price and, if necessary, a government guarantee if the Board's market forecasts do not meet expectations. Wikibooks has more about this subject: Marketing Look up marketing in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For other uses, see Farmer (disambiguation). ...

American complaints

Although the Board was reformed to meet free market conditions under the North American Free Trade Agreement and the World Trade Organization Treaty, American producers continually complain. Despite numerous challenges and much posturing by the United States, the World Trade Organization ruled in 2003 that the Wheat Board was a producer marketing body and not a system for government subsidy although the decision has since been overturned. In fact, Canadian producers have almost no government subsidy while their American and European Union counterparts are heavily subsidized.^[1][2][3][4] The attacks on the Wheat Board are one of the major irritants in bilateral relations between Canada and the United States. Secretariats Mexico City, Ottawa and Washington, D.C. Official languages English, French and Spanish Membership Canada, Mexico and the United States Establishment  -  Formation 1 January 1994  Website http://www. ... The World Trade Organization (WTO), (OMC - Spanish: , French: ), is an international organization designed to supervise and liberalize international trade. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Canada-United States relations were famously described by Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau as being like sleeping with an elephant. ...

Western alienation

The fact that the Wheat Board primarily markets crops produced in Western Canada has become a source of Western alienation and even Alberta separatism for some Western Canadian farmers. This is despite the fact that farmers in Quebec and Ontario have their own marketing boards and associations. Nonetheless, in response, the Wheat Board has attempted to offer producers more options in recent years - for example, farmers can now purchase binding futures contracts from the Wheat Board that pay them the same price that they would get for their grain in the U.S. Although the new options created by the CWB allow farmers more ability to play the market, this does not go far enough in many farmers' eyes when it comes to the ability to get the best possible price for their commodities. Western Canada, defined politically Political map of Canada Western Alienation refers to the concept in Canadian politics of the Western provinces, namely British Columbia (B.C.), Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, being alienated, and in extreme cases excluded, from mainstream political affairs within the greater Canadian system, in favour of especially... Alberta separatism is a fringe movement that advocates the secession of the province of Alberta from Canada either by forming an independent nation or by creating a new federation with one or more of Canadas other four westernmost provinces. ... In finance, a futures contract is a standardized contract, traded on a futures exchange, to buy or sell a certain underlying instrument at a certain date in the future, at a specified price. ...

Abolition

In recent years, there have been calls by many groups to abolish the Wheat Board. Many of these groups have taken their fight to the internet to spread their message and gain support for their cause. While many are focused on the Canadian Wheat Board, the movement has taken a turn towards international Wheat Board abolition, with the other primary target being the Australian Wheat Board. At the moment the movement is in a grassroots stage, and it is uncertain as to whether or not it will gain widespread support. The Australian Wheat Board (AWB) is the Australian company which oversees the exports of grain, paticularly wheat. ...

The Debate over the Canadian Wheat Board's Monopoly

One of the aims of the Conservative government since coming to power in January, 2006 was to end the CWB Monopoly on the selling of Western Canadian Wheat and Barley. (See Stand Up For Canada, 2006, Conservative Party of Canada Federal Election Platform, page 18, [1])

Proponents From the standpoint of supporters of the board, the board gives individual farmers increased marketing power in a world market which gets them a higher price than they would otherwise get. A study conducted in the mid 1990s suggested that farmers gained on average a premium of 13.35 a tonne on wheat as a result of the board's monopoly. ([2]) Supporters of the board's monopoly fear that an end to the board's monopoly would put farmers in a situation not unlike that in the early part of the 20th century where farmers effectively competed with each other to sell their grain, a situation that effectively put them at the mercy of big agribusiness and the railroad monopolies and reduced farm incomes.

Opponents Some farmers, as well as big agribusiness in Western Canada support the government's plan to dismantle the wheat board monopoly. In some cases, this is on principle, as regardless of the benefits gained, they believe that farmers should be allowed to opt out of the board. While the board does have options for farmers who wish to sell their own grain, this is through a 'buyback' system which allows the board to maintain a pooled equal price for all farmers, and some farmers would like to opt out of board entirely. Others believe that they could get a better price for their grain than the board itself and would like to market their own grain. For big agribusiness and larger farms the board prevents their participation in a potentially profitable sector of the agricultural economy.

Also, farmers already have the ability to market all the crops save wheat and malt barley independently, showing that it is possible to succeed marketing grain without board oversight. For example, the total acres seeded to Canola in western provinces has often exceeded that of wheat. Thus, the wheat board's control of wheat and malt barley is seen as a redundancy.

Another concern is that many organic farmers are forced to sell and buyback their grain from the Canadian Wheat Board which lacks the resources to market organic wheat and barley. Being forced to sell and buyback wheat and malt barley also prevents the advantage that Canadian Farmers would have in adding value to those crops by developing businesses for milling and processing those crops. As rail lines shrink, gas prices skyrocket, and with a predicted shift in consumer desire for locally grown and organic food, many see the Canadian Wheat Board as standing in the way of necessary innovation.

A Dual Market?

Some opponents of the board's monopoly have suggested that the board's monopoly be replaced by a 'dual market' system. This is presented as a compromise where board supporters could continue to sell their wheat and barley through the board and board opponents could have the option to sell outside the board. From the standpoint of supporters of the board, however, this is not a real alternative as a dual market would effectively end the board's monopoly and any benefits that that monopoly may give to farmers.

Shaky Ground?

Because farmers capitalize program benefits into the cost of land, ([3]), elimination of the CWB monopoly will result in lower land prices.([4]) Lower land prices would make Canadian farmers more competitive but could also leave many owing more than the value of their reduced land. Retiring farmers, selling their land could be faced with a much reduced retirement fund but new entrants into farming would be able to purchase land at lower cost.

Some recent news involving the CWB

Since the Conservatives took power in Canada, Chuck Strahl, the minister of Agriculture has actively worked towards the end the Wheat Board's monopoly. This has included the replacement of government appointees to the board of directors in favor of individuals who oppose the board's monopoly, a gag order on wheat board staff, the firing of the pro-board President of the Board, and intervention in the election of farmer elected members of the board of directors.^[5][6]

• December 2006 CWB board of directors election. Only one of five farmer elected seats go to opponents of the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on the selling of Canadian wheat and barley internationally. Since there is only one incumbent farmer elected board member opposed to the monopoly, only 2 out of 10 farmer elected directors are opposed to the monopoly. Nonetheless, the government appoints 5 members to the board meaning that supporters of the board's monopoly only have an eight to seven majority. Doubts have also been cast on the results because Strahl, the minister of Agriculture removed upwards of 20,000 farmers from the voters list in the midst of the election. These farmers were disqualified for such reasons as not having delivered any grain to the Wheat Board in the past two years, or having produced enough wheat or malt barley to have generated a significant enough income to live off of.^[7]
• December 19, 2006: Chuck Strahl dismisses CWB president Adrian Measner, an outspoken supporter of the monopoly. This was done by Strahl with the statement "It's a position that [he] serves at [the] pleasure [of the Minister/Government]. And that position was no longer his".^[5] It was made clear to Measner that he might save his job if he opted to support the government's plan to dismantle the CWB monopoly, something he refused to do. ^[8] The majority of the CWB's board of directors opposed the firing of Measner.^[9]
• Conservative government loses court battle over unilaterally dismantling the CWB because it was contrary to the Canadian Wheat Board Act. ^[10] In the aftermath. Harper and Strahl stated their intent to continue removing the traditional role of the CWB particularly in regards to barley (which is generally a more corporate crop^[11]), perhaps through Parliament.^[12]

Charles Strahl, PC, MP (born February 25, 1957 in New Westminster, British Columbia) is a politician in British Columbia, Canada. ...

See also

Species T. aestivum T. boeoticum T. compactum T. dicoccoides T. dicoccon T. durum T. monococcum T. spelta T. sphaerococcum T. timopheevii References:   ITIS 42236 2002-09-22 For the indie rock group see: Wheat (band). ... Dogs and sheep were among the first animals to be domesticated. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... Tell Abu Hureyra (tell is arabic for mount) was a site of an ancient settlement in the northern Levant or western Mesopotamia. ... Aaron Aaronsohn (1876—1919) was a renowned scientist, traveller, entrepreneur, and politician. ... Genera See text. ... Miracle wheat (Triticum turgidum var. ... Binomial name Triticum aestivum L. Common wheat (also known as bread wheat) is by far the most important wheat species in cultivation today. ... Durum wheat (Triticum turgidum durum) is the only tetraploid species of wheat widely cultivated today. ... Binomial name Triticum boeoticum Boss. ... Binomial name Triticum dicoccon Schrank Emmer wheat is a low yielding, awned wheat. ... Originally classified as Triticum turgidum var. ... Wheat Norin 10 is a semi-dwarf variety of wheat, with very large ears, which grew in the experimental station of Norin, Japan. ... Look up Spelt in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Winter wheat is a cereal. ... // Cereals are at risk from numerous diseases due to the level of intensification necessary for profitable production since the 1970s. ... Much of the following text is taken from the Household Cyclopedia of 1881: Wheat mildew may be ranked as a wheat disease which affects the ear, and is brought on by causes somewhat similar to those which occasion blight, though at a more advanced period of the season. ... Plant breeding is the purposeful manipulation of plant species in order to create desired genotypes and phenotypes for specific purposes. ... The Australian Wheat Board (AWB) is the Australian company which oversees the exports of grain, paticularly wheat. ... The International Wheat Council (IWC) is an international organization established on March 23, 1949 at the initiative of the US government for the purpose of egalitarian distribution of wheat to countries in a state of emergency. ... The following statistics for the production of wheat come from International Grains Council figures from the report Grain Market Report. ... It has been suggested that Kristall Weissbier be merged into this article or section. ... Wheat Thins are a popular baked snack cracker found in North America and distributed by Nabisco, a subsidiary of Kraft Foods Global Inc. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived by grinding or mashing the whole wheat grain. ... Farina cereal with shelf price at Shaws Supermarket in Watertown, MA, October 2004. ... // wheat bran Bran is the hard outer layer of and consists of combined aleurone and pericarp. ... For other uses, see Flour (disambiguation). ... Wheat - a prime source of gluten Gluten is an amorphous mixture of ergastic (i. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Machine-made shmura matzo Matzo (also Matzoh, Matzah, Matza, Hebrew מַצָּה maā) is a Jewish food item made of plain flour and water, which is not allowed to ferment or rise before it is baked. ... A piece of seitan Wheat gluten - also called seitan (pronounced SAY-tahn), wheat meat, wheat-meat, wheatmeat, gluten meat, or simply gluten - is a foodstuff made from the gluten of wheat. ... Kelloggs Complete Wheat Bran Flakes is a breakfast cereal containg 100% of the United States Recommended Dietary Allowance of eleven vitamins and minerals, including vitamins B1, B3, B5, B6, B12, C, E, and Iron, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, and Zinc. ... Post Cereals shredded wheat Shredded Wheat is a breakfast cereal made from whole wheat. ... Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. ... Penne, a very common kind of maccheroni in Italy. ... Couscous with vegetables and chickpeas Couscous (IPA - Berber Seksu - Arabic: [1]) is a food of the Maghreb of Berber origin. ... Boiling wheat grains to make bulgur in Turkey, 1990. ... Wheat pasting is a general term for the distribution of art, concert, and political posters by adhering them to public spaces such as downtown building walls, light poles, and utility boxes. ... Coeliac disease or celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder of the small bowel that occurs in genetically predisposed individuals in all age groups after early infancy. ... Exercise-induced anaphylaxis is a syndrome in which the symptoms of anaphylaxis occur related to exercise. ...

References

External links

• Canadian Wheat Board
• Maple Leaf Web: Examining the Canadian Wheat Board