Canada: Direct deliveries of western Canadian barley in 2005-06 increased by 42% year-on-year

Direct deliveries of western Canadian barley rose to 365 842 tonnes in 2005-06, up 42 per cent from 2004-05 and up nine per cent from 2003-04, CWB posted in its Bulletin on October 2nd. The VIP (Value-added Incentive Program) provides premiums to farmers who deliver wheat and barley directly to mills and malting plants in Western Canada.

The CWB will not serve on the federal government task force on dismantling the single desk, but it will respond to technical questions that arise during task force deliberations, according to CWB board chair Ken Ritter. The federal government has no business proceeding with plans to dismantle the CWB unless farmers have first indicated in a plebiscite that this is their choice, Ritter said. He added that the idea of a �strong and viable CWB� operating in a so-called �dual market� is an illusion.