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Government of Canada News Release PRIME MINISTER HARPER CELEBRATES MARKETING FREEDOM FOR GRAIN FARMERS IN WESTERN CANADA KINDERSLEY, SASKATCHEWAN – Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that, as a result of the coming into force of Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, Western farmers now have the freedom to sell their wheat and barley on the open market. He was accompanied by Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board. The Prime Minister also announced pardons for a group of farmers convicted under the old, unjust Canada Wheat Board monopoly. “Our Government is committed to creating open markets that will attract investment, encourage innovation, create value-added jobs and build a stronger economy for all Canadians,” said the Prime Minister. “The legislation coming into force today enables Canadian grain farmers to choose how they market their crops and allows the grain sector to evolve, grow and reach its full potential.” The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act is an important part of the Harper Government’s comprehensive plan to strengthen and modernize Canada’s grain industry. In conjunction with initiatives to increase investments in grain research and expand international markets, as well as the Rail Freight Service Review, the Government is doing everything possible to ensure the agriculture sector can reap the rewards of a dynamic and growing global marketplace. The Harper Government continues to work with its provincial counterparts, producer groups and the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) to ensure an orderly transition to an open and competitive Canadian grain market. The voluntary CWB remains a viable marketing option for Canadian farmers and is poised to compete for farmers’ business in this new era of marketing freedom. The Government’s top priority continues to be the economy, and the agriculture industry plays an important role in creating jobs and keeping the economy strong. Canada is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of agriculture and food products, with exports hitting an all-time high of more than $40 billion in 2011.
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Backgrounder The Government of Canada is committed to creating open markets that will attract investment, encourage innovation, create value-added jobs and build a stronger economy for all Canadians. To this end, on August 1, 2012, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the coming into force of Bill C-18, the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act, which gives Western Canadian grain farmers the freedom to choose the timing, the buyer and the price that suits their bottom line for their wheat and barley sales. The Act fulfils commitments made in Budget 2011 and the 2011 Speech from the Throne. The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act was tabled by the Harper Government on October 18, 2011, and received Royal Assent on December 15, 2011. With the coming into force of the Act, Western Canadian farmers may now choose how they market their crops for the first time in 70 years and may contract their wheat and barley to the buyer of their choice, like farmers in other parts of the country. The voluntary Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) remains a viable marketing option for Canadian farmers and is poised to compete for farmers’ business in this new era of marketing freedom. Western grain producers grow world-class food in a global marketplace that is ripe with opportunity. With global population increasing every year and demand for high quality food and agriculture products on the rise, the Act puts wheat and barley farmers back in the driver's seat so they can seize these opportunities. The Harper Government continues to work with its provincial counterparts, producer groups and the CWB to ensure an orderly transition to an open and competitive Canadian grain market. Canada is the world’s fifth-largest exporter of agriculture and food products, with exports hitting an all-time high of more than $40 billion in 2011.
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