Farmers Say More Input Needed For Informed Decisions On Canadian Wheat Board Future

Winnipeg, MB - The Cereal Trends Watch, prepared by Ipsos Reid's Agribusiness, Food and Animal Health Division, shows that almost six-in-ten (58%) cereal growers in Western Canada believe governments and farm organizations do not have sufficient input from farmers in order to make an informed decision about the role of the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB). And when all things are considered, more than seven-in-ten growers (72%) say they support the CWB.

These results are part of the findings of the Cereal Trends Watch study conducted by Ipsos Reid Agribusiness, Food and Animal Health between October 10th and 17th, 2006. Telephone interviews were completed with a representative randomly selected sample of 600 cereal growers with at least 160 acres seeded to wheat and/or barley in 2006. With a sample of 600, the results are considered accurate to within 1774 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire Western Canadian wheat and/or barley grower population been polled. The margin of error will be larger within regions and for other sub-groupings of the survey population. These data were weighted to ensure the sample's regional and farm size compositions reflect the actual distribution of Western Canadian cereal growers reporting at least 160 acres seeded to wheat and/or barley on the 2001 Census of Agriculture.

58% of cereal growers feel governments and other organizations do not have enough information from farmers to make an informed decision about the role of the Canadian Wheat Board

As changes to the CWB are being proposed, many cereal growers say more input from farmers is needed. Almost six-in-ten growers (58%) feel the current federal and provincial governments and other organizations do not have enough information and feedback from farmers to make an informed decision about the role of the CWB. In contrast, almost four-in-ten (39%) say governments and other organizations do have enough information and feedback from farmers.

• Growers in Manitoba (62%) and Saskatchewan (64%) are more likely than their counterparts in Alberta (45%) to say that more farmer consultation is needed.
• Cereal growers with farm sales below $250k (61%) are more likely than those with higher farm sales (51%) to say that governments and other organizations do not have enough information.

And most growers (72%) express support for the CWB

Since last measured in the 2004 Cereal Trends Watch study, general support for the CWB remains unchanged. Most growers (72%) agree that, all things considered, they support the Canadian Wheat Board. About half (52%) "strongly support" the CWB while one-in-five (20%) "somewhat support" it. On the other hand, one quarter of growers (25%) generally oppose the CWB (11% "somewhat oppose", 14% "strongly oppose").

• Compared with 2004, attitudes toward the CWB have become further entrenched with an increase in those who either "strongly support" (52% versus 45% in 2004) or "strongly oppose" (14% versus 9% in 2004) the CWB.
• Support for the CWB appears to be strongest in Manitoba (79% overall support).
• Despite general support in Alberta, almost one-in-four cereal growers (23%) strongly oppose the CWB.
• Opposition to the CWB is also highest among those reporting farm sales of $250 thousand or more (21% strongly oppose).

CWB supporters (69%) are much more likely than opponents (28%) to say that governments and other organizations do not have enough information from farmers to make an informed decision about the role of the Canadian Wheat Board.

For more information on this news release, please contact:
Curtis Johnson
SVP, Agribusiness, Food and Animal Health
Ipsos Reid
(204) 949-3110
[email protected]

or

Sandra Carpenter
Senior Research Manager, Agribusiness, Food and Animal Health
Ipsos Reid
(204) 949-3173
[email protected]

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