CWB Says "No" to Choice
(April 28, 2004 - FFJ) The Canadian Wheat Board Chairman, Ken Ritter
speaks about the Alberta Government PR campaign of spending thousands of
dollars, for "Choice" -- dual marketing for Alberta Grain
farmers.
Mr. Ritter speaks of democracy - that is what the Alberta Government is
campaigning for - Choice in a democratic country called Canada.
Democracy allows choice throughout the whole country. The Canadian
Wheat Board does not allow democracy for Western Canadian farmers.
The Alberta Government may have decided to spend the money on the
CHOICE campaign, but the Canadian Wheat Board spent $806,000 according to
their Annual Report (Page 53) in advertising and promotion in this last
crop year. Why?? The CWB spending such large dollars on
captive farmers, when we have no choice. Western farmers can't
send/sell their product to anyone else. The CWB spends our farmers'
dollars from the farmers' pool accounts for advertising. These
funds, from the pool accounts, that go towards payments for farmers, our
money that we have to wait for. Now Mr. Ritter says the CWB has to
start another ad campaign to counter the Alberta CHOICE campaign... which
does have the facts and the truth.
The CWB had a deficit in this past year's Spring Wheat Pool Account,
which the Canadian Government had to deal with, because the CWB asked them
to. Does the CWB TRY to cut expenses? They need the
Accountability meetings, but the CWB should not be spending farmers
dollars on meals. Why does the Canadian Wheat Board advertise in
Western Canada? Farmers can not choose what do do with their malt
barley and wheats.
WE MUST USE THE CWB.
Again this year the CWB has sent out invitation with the Canadian
International Grain Institute, to the Canadian Millers to the 7th Canadian
Milling Executive Seminar in June. These Millers must also use the
CWB to use or buy Western Canadian farmers grain. There's an
afternoon of golf, a banquet and paid air travel with hotel accommodations
paid, all for these invited 'captive buying' guests - this comes from the
producers. The CWB spends a large amount of money on advertising in
Western Canada, an area captive to them already.
THANK YOU, Mr. Ritter, for publicly telling us producers that you will
spend more of our hard earned dollars for us farmers. While farmers
try to figure out how to pay our farm expenses with the price we receive
from you for our barley and wheat in this democratic country that you
speak of.
For more information, please contact:
Colleen Bianchi
403-344-4473
Farmers for Justice
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