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CWB begins 'new era in a position of strength and a climate of optimism'

By: Staff Writer

Tuesday, Jul. 31, 2012 at 3:18 PM | Comments: 0

WINNIPEG — The Canadian Wheat Board marked the beginning of a new era in grain marketing with the unveiling today of a redesigned logo and a new grain-handling partner.

CWB president and CEO Ian White said during a late morning news conference at the board’s Main Street headquarters that one of the world’s largest grain companies — Louis Dreyfus — has agreed to handle grain on behalf of CWB customers.

White said Louis Dreyfus is the third major grain company to sign a grain-handling agreement with the board — Cargill and Vitera are the others. And board officials are confident they’ll also soon have agreements with the other three major players — Richardson International Ltd., Parrish and Hembecker and Paterson Global Foods.

White and board chairman Bruce Johnson also showed off the new green, blue and gold CWB logo, saying the board wanted to have a new look as it enters a new marketing era in which it will compete with other grain companies for the right to market Canadian wheat, durum and barley.

The federal government passed legislation last December ending the CWB’s 75-year monopoly over the handling of those grains. The change takes effect with the start of the new crop year on Wednesday.

Although the board initially fought against the change, White and Johnson said board officials are now looking forward to the new challenge.

"We begin the new era in a position of strength and a climate of optimism," White said. "We have a brand new look, a solid business model and the support of thousands of farmers who have told us they intend to market grain with the CWB. That makes the future bright."

He also reiterated that the board expects to soon begin marketing canola, as well.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca

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Updated on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 1:53 PM CDT:
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Updated on Tuesday, July 31, 2012 at 2:55 PM CDT:
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