News Release
November 24, 2005

Government responds to pressure from Official Opposition Wheat Board Critic

OTTAWA – The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) announced an increase in the 2005-2006 initial grain price payments this week, effective November 28th, 2005. Opposition Critic for the CWB David L. Anderson is expressing satisfaction with this announcement which he believes came in response to pressure from the Conservative party.

“Week after week, my Conservative colleagues and I have been pressuring this government to increase the initial grain prices received by Western farmers,” said Anderson. “It took too long, but farmers will finally get their hard-earned money. These farmers were not asking for much, just to receive the money they were already owed. We knew that if we kept up the pressure, the government would eventually be forced to do the right thing.”

Farmers who delivered wheat, durum, barley and designated barley to the CWB between August 1st, 2005 and November 28th, 2005 will receive an adjustment payment, according to yesterday’s announcement. The government has promised that said payments will be mailed out no later than December 9th, 2005 or delivered via direct deposit by December 6th, 2005.

“Now we need to focus on getting last year’s final payments out,” continued Anderson. “Farmers can’t afford for them to be used as Liberal election goodies, hinging on the re-election of this ineffective and farm-unfriendly party. They need to give farmers the money that is rightfully theirs because it’s the right thing to do.”

-30-