Canada's Supreme Court denies wheat board appeal

Thursday, January 17, 2013

by SUSAN MANN

Federal Agriculture Gerry Ritz is pleased with a Supreme Court of Canada decision denying the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board leave to appeal a lower court ruling.

In a prepared statement, Ritz says “the overwhelming majority of Prairie grain farmers are already taking advantage of the benefits of an open market.”

Ritz removed the Canadian Wheat Board’s marketing monopoly over western wheat and barley in 2011. The change enabled Prairie farmers to choose to sell their wheat and barley to the wheat board or other grain companies.

Wheat board supporters took the government to court, saying it broke the law governing the wheat board by not holding a producer vote before the change was implemented. The Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board won in Federal Court but the Federal Court of Appeal overturned that decision.

Ritz says “we are pleased with today’s decision that upheld the right of Western grain farmers to make their own business decisions.” BF