What is the Canadian Wheat Board?
The most divisive issue facing Western Canadian grain producers is the Canadian Wheat Board debate. Before taking sides, a question every producer must ask themselves is: “What is the Canadian Wheat Board?” When asked for a definition of the CWB, every farmer questioned provided a different answer. Even the major stakeholders in this debate differ in their definition of the CWB. Adrian Measner, President and CEO of the CWB, defines the CWB: “As the marketing agent for Western Canadian grain farmers, the CWB is the world’s leading marketer of quality wheat, durum and barley.” But to Doug McBain, president of the Western Barley Growers Association, the CWB is: “Repressive 60 year old legislated control over the sale and transportation of prairie wheat and barley.” Brenda Brindle, General Manager of the Alberta Grain Commission, says: “The CWB is a federally mandated western Canadian wheat and barley marketing agency that controls wheat and barley marketing to the human consumption market
