Evidence of meeting #14 for Agriculture and Agri-Food in the 41st Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was farm.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Virginia Labbie  Senior Policy Analyst, Saskatchewan and Agri-business, Canadian Federation of Independent Business
James Mann  President and Chief Executive Officer, Farmers of North America Inc.
Richard Phillips  Executive Director, Grain Growers of Canada
Trevor Petersen  Member, Alberta Barley Commission, Grain Growers of Canada
Gord Surgeoner  President, Ontario Agri-Food Technologies

5:30 p.m.

Senior Policy Analyst, Saskatchewan and Agri-business, Canadian Federation of Independent Business

Virginia Labbie

Yes, that's a fair statement, and the classic example is the Canadian Wheat Board issue.

We've surveyed our members extensively on the Canadian Wheat Board. We've asked them about marketing their own wheat and barley outside of the Canadian Wheat Board. They're ready to do it. They do it already with their canola, their pulse crops, and their oats. They welcome the opportunity to market their products on their own, just as they already do with their other crops.

There are some members who will certainly continue to use the Wheat Board. Close to 60% of our members want the Wheat Board to remain as a viable marketing option, so we're not saying to dismantle it. But I think our members are ready to make a lot of their own marketing decisions. They are excited to do that and are looking forward to August 1, 2012.

Thank you.

5:30 p.m.

Conservative

The Chair Conservative Larry Miller

Thanks to all of our witnesses for being here today.

Ms. Labbie, thank you for joining us by video conference.

We appreciate it very much, and it will go a long way toward helping us complete our report.

The meeting is adjourned. See you next Tuesday.