News - CWB

The crop year will end tomorrow showing the largest Canadian wheat exports in nine years and the second-highest grain revenues in history for western Canadian farmers.

Western Canadian farmers loaded a record number of producer cars with CWB grain in 2008-09, continuing a decade-long trend in increased producer-car use.

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is disappointed the Canadian Wheat Board has decided to fight a court ruling that upheld a government order directing the CWB to not spend money to promote its monopoly over prairie farmers.

Farmers can track the emergence of wheat midge daily in their area by using an innovative online map provided by the CWB.

The Canadian Wheat Board annual survey of farmers has the Western Barley Growers Association (WBGA) concerned.

The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is pleased the Federal Court of Appeal has overturned a court ruling last June that had given the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) a free hand to promote the continuation of its monopoly over prairie farmers.

Ongoing optimism among Prairie farmers, buoyed by strong grain prices, is being challenged by serious concerns about the effect of this year’s weather on crops.

The CWB released its preliminary crop forecasts, projecting a western Canadian wheat, durum and barley crop of 29.7 million tonnes in the 2009 crop year, down almost 20 per cent from last year’s 36.7 million tonnes and significantly below the five-year average of 33.9 million tonnes.

An innovative network of Prairie farm-based weather stations is now monitoring grain-loading conditions for vessels at ports.

Western Canadian durum growers are facing comparatively low returns and limited delivery opportunities this year under the Canadian Wheat Board’s restrictive monopoly.