VICTORIA - Today, Agriculture Ministers from British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan expressed their support for marketing freedom in anticipation of the third reading of Bill C-18, The Marketing Freedom for Grain Farmers Act.

The ministers also encouraged all federal MPs to vote in favour of the act.

Today's historic House of Commons vote is a major step toward providing western Canadian grain farmers with the freedom to market their own wheat and barley. Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia together produce more than 80 per cent of the wheat and 90 per cent of the barley grown in Western Canada.

"The federal government should be commended for fulfilling a commitment that provides fairness, equity and opportunity for Western Canadian farmers," British Columbia's Agriculture Minister Don McRae said. "This change provides farmers with an incentive to be more innovative in response to new and changing markets. As a result, farm families and rural communities will have more control of their economic future."

"Marketing freedom will enable individual producers to participate in a competitive marketplace and maximize returns," Minister of Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Evan Berger said. "The ability to sell to niche markets and establish relationships with customers is important to the future success of the grain industry in Alberta and Western Canada."

"We applaud the federal government for bringing this legislation forward to deliver on its long-standing promise," Saskatchewan Agriculture Minister Bob Bjornerud said. "Farmers spend their own hard-earned money on land, machinery and inputs to grow their own crops, they know how to successfully market their crops, and they deserve the right to decide how, when, and to whom they sell these crops."

The federal government has stated their intention is to pass this legislation by the end of the year. Farmers in Western Canada will then have the freedom to market their wheat and barley as they already do with other crops, and may immediately begin to forward contract these crops for delivery beginning Aug. 1, 2012.

Contacts:

Niki Pandachuck
B.C. Ministry of Agriculture
Victoria
250 387-1693
Niki.Pandachuck@gov.bc.ca

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development
Media Line
780 422-1005

Tyler Hopson
Saskatchewan Agriculture
Regina
306 787-4031
Tyler.Hopson@gov.sk.ca