Canada's Agriculture Minister, Gerry Ritz, says he'll bring in legislation to end the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly on barley sales and allow western farmers to sell their crops privately. 

The idea of so-called optional marketing was endorsed at a meeting of farm and agribusiness groups on Tuesday in Ottawa. Ritz said he hopes the wheat board will embrace the idea at its own meetings in Winnipeg this week.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz, seen in December, says the government will have an easier time ending the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly with the board's help.
(Jacques Boissinot/Canadian Press)

Ritz said having the board onside will make it easier for the federal government to pass the necessary legislation, but adds he's ready to go ahead even without the board.

It's time for change and the status quo isn't an option, Ritz said.

The question of barley marketing has split the ranks of Prairie farmers in the last year, with some embracing it and others seeing it as an attempt to dismantle the wheat board.

The National Farmers NFU's Glenn Tait said the meeting included representatives of Cargill, Archer Daniels Midland, Rahr Malting and Viterra but excluded those opposed to Ottawa's plans.

"I think it's more of a bully session," he said. "Everybody intent on destroying the Canadian Wheat Board lined up on one side and two or three brave souls from the wheat board take their spears and their jabs on the other side."

However, Saskatchewan agriculture minister Bob Bjornerud said he's proud to stand with Ritz — a Saskatchewan MP — in his fight for barley marketing choice and noted that most farmers supported change when a plebiscite was held.

"When the vote was on, there was 62 per cent (who) asked for change," Bjornerud said.

The wheat board said it responded to farmers' desire for change by coming up with a new program for barley called CashPlus that allows more farmers to sell directly.

"We have consulted with hundreds and hundreds of farmers in developing this program," said Larry Hill, a wheat board director from Swift Current. "Most of them are pretty interested in seeing how it will work, so I don't see why we wouldn't give it a try."

with files from Canadian Press