Canadian Wheat Board - The Bulletin

Newsroom

April 13, 2009

Candidate and third-party financial disclosure information from the 2008 CWB director election, held in five districts across Western Canada last fall, has been posted at http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/hot/election/ . Regulations under the CWB Act require candidates and registered third parties to report the names of campaign donors who contributed more than $100, along with an accounting of their own election or advertising expenses. The information is made public after each election in the interests of fairness and transparency.
Are you new to grain farming? If you've just started doing business with the CWB, there's a lot to know. For a New Farmer package, phone 1-800-275-4292, check out the New Farmer tab at cwb.ca or contact your local Farm Business Representative. FBR contact information can be found on the CWB Web site under About Us and Our People.
The CWB has posted the 2009 wheat midge forecast on its Web site at http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/farmers/weather/midge/ . Detailed CWB models estimating 2009 wheat midge emergence in Western Canada will be posted starting in late June.
Actual producers and landlords currently listed on delivery permit as a joint operation, trade name or partnership must complete and submit a Continuing Personal Guarantee form by May 1, 2009 to be eligible to sign up a Producer Payment Option (PPO). New producers must complete the form to receive their first permit. For more information, go to http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/farmers/permit/cpg .

The CWB is making it easier for farmers to keep an eye on the weather. A new package of WeatherBug® equipment and services, designed specifically for agricultural use in Western Canada, has been introduced for spring 2009. It includes features that are more convenient for busy producers and improve network data collection at the same time. For more information, go to http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/farmers/weather/stations/ .
The presidents of the three major farm groups across the Prairies will meet in Winnipeg on Apr. 17 to talk about the top priorities in agriculture. Keystone Agricultural Producers president Ian Wishart, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Greg Marshall and Wild Rose Agricultural Producers president Humphrey Banack will endeavour to reach consensus on important issues such as grains, the environment, inputs, and transportation. The leaders will be available for media interviews after 1:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Kristen Lucyshyn (204) 697-1140.

"Major indexes of commodity prices scored advances that paralleled the enthusiasm of equity markets in reaction to the London conference of the leaders of the major developed nations. It was crude oil and wheat that led the way, purportedly in response to a belief that such mammoth spending will spur worldwide consumer demand for these and other commodities... . Starkly apparent from last week's price swings is the way commodities are being bullishly impacted by the mounting perception that the worst of the economic crisis may have passed. Whether that happy assessment is right or wrong is less important for the moment than realizing that wheat market volatility is intensifying in response even to that possibility." --- Milling and Baking News, April 7, 2009

During Week 37, there were three bids submitted under the tendering process. The CWB awarded two contracts to one grain company for the movement of 200 cars of wheat to Prince Rupert.
Rail car unloads for all grains for Week 37 were 3,901 at Vancouver, compared to 3,941 the previous week; 1,524 at Prince Rupert, compared to 1,382 the previous week; and 1,396 at Thunder Bay, up from 670 the previous week.
Primary elevator space for the week ending Apr. 11 was 24 per cent. By province: Manitoba - 25 per cent, Saskatchewan -24 per cent and Alberta/BC - 25 per cent.