New winter cereals commission provides a voice to farmers

Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food

Saskatchewan’s new Winter Cereals Development Commission provides an instrument to develop new market opportunities, research, technologies and products for winter cereal grain producers. “This way, the producer has the power over how their money is spent,” said Rod Fedoruk, interim chairperson of the new commission. “We are investing in our own industry to catalyze more support and investment by governments and researchers in winter cereals.”

The Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Development Commission was announced by Agriculture and Food Minister Mark Wartman on August 23. He described its work as “an effort to increase the profitability of producers through the development of improved agronomic practices, new varieties and new market opportunities.”

Funding for the commission will come from a mandatory but refundable producer check-off of 50 cents per net tonne of winter wheat, fall rye and winter triticale. The check-off, to begin on October 1, will be deducted by buyers at the first point of sale and is expected to generate approximately $131,000 per year in revenue. The 2006 fiscal year funding is expected to be less, as most stocks of winter cereals have already been sold.

There are approximately 2,200 winter cereals producers in Saskatchewan with an estimated acreage of 500,000 acres per year, the majority of which are planted to winter wheat. The crop is estimated to be generating about $75 million per year in revenue to Saskatchewan producers.

Fedoruk is a seed grower in the Kamsack area. He is also a board member of Winter Cereals Canada Inc., the company founded by producers across the West to promote winter cereal grain production and consumer uptake. The company’s CEO, Jake Davidson, said the Saskatchewan move to establish a commission is a big step forward for the industry.

“We also expect Manitoba to set up a winter cereals commission shortly. Then we will be able to co-ordinate their efforts through Winter Cereals Canada,” he stated. According to Davidson, the money collected from producers from the winter cereals check-off will mainly be used to invest in further research on new varieties.

Demand for winter wheat is actually outstripping supply in the world market. “The Canadian Wheat Board says they can sell every bit of winter wheat we can produce,” Fedoruk said.

Winter wheat is not only a high-yield crop, returning up to 70 bushels per acre, but an important form of soil conservation and also a habitat for wildfowl. Ducks Unlimited is an important player in working with producers to expand winter cereals production.

The upcoming season is expected to show the highest acreage ever seeded to winter wheat in Saskatchewan, due to the early harvest of spring grains providing more opportunity for fall seeding.

For more information, contact:

Rod Fedoruk, Interim Chairperson
Saskatchewan Winter Cereals Commission
Phone: (306) 542-4235

Jake Davidson, CEO
Winter Cereals Canada Inc.
Phone: (204) 874-2257