NFU CONGRATULATES WALL FOR SASK ELECTION VICTORY

Saskatoon, Sask. – The National Farmers Union (NFU) is offering its congratulations to Brad Wall and the Saskatchewan Party for their victory in the Saskatchewan provincial election yesterday. The Saskatchewan Party was credited with achieving an overwhelming victory, after it captured 64% of the popular vote.

“The NFU notes that 62% of prairie wheat farmers voted to maintain the single desk, in the recent Canadian Wheat Board plebiscite. That is a very similar number to the one achieved by the Saskatchewan Party last night. I expect that the Wall government will do the right thing and show its support for maintaining the CWB’s single desk. If 64% is an overwhelming victory for the Wall government, then 62% is an overwhelming victory for the single desk,” stated NFU President Terry Boehm.

The Wall government has so far thrown its support behind the Harper government’s plans to eliminate the CWB’s single desk. This is contrary to the position that the Wall government took on potash, when it successfully urged the Harper government to block the sale of Potash Corp to the BHP Billiton. At the time Wall championed the benefits of Canpotex, the single desk seller of Saskatchewan’s potash.

“If the Wall government recognizes the benefit of single desk selling for Saskatchewan potash, it certainly recognizes the benefit of single desk selling for prairie wheat and barley farmers. This really is a pretty simple policy issue for Wall. The single desk brings over $500 million in economic benefits to prairie farmers each year, and the majority of those farmers want to maintain it. We call on the Wall government to take a strong stand and defend the CWB,” said Boehm.