A new era is upon us. The wheat board monopoly has ended.
As of Aug. 1, wheat and barley producers in Western Canada can begin marketing their own grain.
The decision has not come without controversy. Dismantling the wheat board was one of the Conservative government's first acts after winning a majority. The long-standing version of the wheat board that saw all Western Canadian wheat and barley growers bring their product to the board rather than risk the open market place.
Conservatives had heavily campaigned on the promise of removing the wheat board's monopoly during the election and, according to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada website, “Marketing freedom will unleash the true economic potential and entrepreneurial energy of the Western Canadian grain sector.”
Some wheat and barley producers applauded the motion, while others were hesitant, uncertain as to what the results on their earnings would be. The wheat board itself called for the government to poll the farmers and, when the government failed, they did it themselves. Results came back in favour of not dismantling the wheat board but the federal government dismissed the plebiscite and moved forward with their plans.
After the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act comes into affect on Aug. 1, the wheat board will still exist, though in a different form. The interim wheat board will be in effect for five years to help producers deal with the changes as the industry moves to an open market.
It's tough to say whether dismantling the wheat board was a good idea. The risks of an open market, of supply-and-demand, of prices that can be up or down depending on the growing season and conditions around the globe are all things which should have been carefully considered, and hopefully they were.
Other concerns, like arranging for product transportation, of producers needing to suddenly market their own product on top of growing it, are also worrisome.
But for the province as a whole, it's nice that, for a little while at least, the focus is back on agriculture. After all, long after the energy sector has dried up or the world has moved on to renewable and responsible energy sources, we'll still have to eat.
As we move forward, though agriculture's global prospects may be outshone by the oil and gas sector, they're still bright. With an ever-expanding population and rumours that only a few countries will be capable of exporting food in the future, agriculture may someday be the oil and gas industry of the future.
And that's not even taken the possibility of agricultural-related fuel sources being developed. Perhaps one day, cars will run on canola oil instead of bitumen.
Either way, with the ability to search for the best prices for their grain, Albertan farmers now have unlimited opportunity in front of them.
Hopefully getting rid of the wheat board will be one of Stephen Harper's success stories. Only time will tell.
