Edmonton, Alberta, January 24, 2012 - Parliamentary Secretary David Anderson (Canadian Wheat Board) toured FarmTech 2012 today and addressed agriculture industry leaders about the ongoing work being done in partnership with the Canadian Wheat Board, farmers and the entire value chain to ensure a smooth transition to marketing freedom. Tomorrow, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz will attend FarmTech 2012 and speak about the Government's continuing work to expand international export opportunities for producers and processors.
"Our Government has delivered on its promise to give Western wheat and barley farmers marketing freedom and grain farmers are now signing forward contracts for August 1, 2012," said PS Anderson. "Western Canadian farmers are embracing the new marketing opportunities created by the Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act and 2012 is showing great promise for increased innovation, investment and jobs."
The Government of Canada is working with the Canadian Wheat Board, farmers, the grain value chain, and provincial partners to implement an orderly transition to marketing freedom.
"Looking ahead, our Government's top priority will continue to be the economy, in which the grain industry plays an important role," said Minister Ritz. "Farmers want to earn their living from the marketplace and our Government will continue to focus on expanding export opportunities so that Canadian grain farmers can sell more grain to more customers around the world."
FarmTech is one of Western Canada's leading agricultural conferences and is hosted by the Alberta Canola Producers Commission, the Alberta Pulse Growers, the Alberta Conservation Tillage Society II, the Alberta Barley Commission, the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission, and the Alberta Seed Growers Association.
Additional information can be found at agriculture.canada.ca/freedom.
For more information, media may contact:
Media Relations
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
613-773-7972
1-866-345-7972
Meagan Murdoch
Director of Communications
The Office of the Honourable Gerry Ritz
613-773-1059
