Podcasts about Canadian Wheat Board

Thanks for tuning in to RealAg on the Weekend! On this episode, host Shaun Haney is joined by Scott Kehler of Weatherlogics, to provide a spring weather forecast, Chip Flory of AgriTalk to discuss the wheat markets, and Haney will also take a look at the results from the March RealAgristudies Canadian Farmer Sentiment Index.... Read More

After decades of debate among farmers and politicians, it took less than 15 months for the machinery of the federal government to dismantle — some might describe it as steamroll — the Canadian Wheat Board’s single desk following the Conservative majority in the 2011 federal election. The behind-the-scenes of how former federal Agriculture Minister Gerry... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio, brought to you by PRIDE Seeds. On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), and Kelvin Heppner of RealAgriculture, to discuss Episode 5 of the Ag Policy Connection podcast focused on the dismantling of... Read More

Thanks for tuning in to this Wednesday edition of RealAg Radio, brought to you by PRIDE Seeds. On today's show, host Shaun Haney is joined by Tyler McCann of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI), and Kelvin Heppner of RealAgriculture, to discuss Episode 5 of the Ag Policy Connection podcast focused on the dismantling of... Read More

“The harder I work, the luckier I get.” Dayna Spiring might attribute that quote to her husband, but she certainly lives it. Every single day she wakes up with purpose and the realization that to be your very best, you can't escape the work. Dayna is currently the President and CEO of Economic Development Winnipeg which includes YES! Winnipeg and Tourism Winnipeg. As the former chief strategy officer and general counsel of the Canadian Wheat Board she did incredible things… she's a lawyer, a passionate Winnipegger, a tireless volunteer, a Queens' Platinum Jubilee medal recipient, the first woman to ever have her name engraved on the Grey Cup and so much more! So, who is she and what's the story behind all she's done? You'll know when you listen to this episode of “Heroes in our Midst” brought to you by Elite Sports Injury in Winnipeg. Take a listen and be inspired.

From starting out in a community hall in Carseland, Alberta, in 1977 to successfully achieving an original goal of ending the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly 35 years later, the history of the Western Barley Growers Association is documented in a new book entitled Western Barley’s Legacy. “We wanted to document the history of our association... Read More

This week we meet for a beer with Kyle Geeraert of Origin Malting & Brewing, one of the few breweries in the world that are truly farm to table. We discuss the century long history of the family business including their enormous contribution to soil conservation in Alberta and how they continue to innovate today.Origin Malting & Brewing's operations might be seen as the estate winery of the beer world. They grow their own barley on their fifth generation family farm which was settled in 1910, and have been malting their barley in a state of the art facility since November of 2017. The majority of their 12,500 acres stretching from the south-east of Calgary to nearly Drumheller is seeded primarily with canola, wheat, and of course barley. The wheat goes to Roger's Milling in BC every single stalk of barley is grown for malting and eventually beer. While some of the barley will end up in the Origin Malthouse much of it is also sold to Rahr and Red Shed who also provide world class Alberta malt barley for breweries here and around the world.Kyle's family has been growing barley on their farm since 1960, but only just recently begun malting their own barley and brewing their own beer. The malting operation was originally conceptualized as a form of vertical integration on the farm once they were no longer required to sell all their barley to the Canadian Wheat Board, and the brewery would allow them to showcase for brewers and consumers alike the great beer that comes from Alberta Barley. We also discuss his family's contribution to farming practices in Alberta, how science plays a role in the sustainability of their farm, and get a brief lesson clearing up the misconceptions of GMOs.Let's Meet For A Beer!Alberta Beer Festivals: website | twitter | instagramOrigin Malting & Brewing: website | twitter | instagram

This week we meet for a beer with Kyle Geeraert of Origin Malting & Brewing, one of the few breweries in the world that are truly farm to table. We discuss the century long history of the family business including their enormous contribution to soil conservation in Alberta and how they continue to innovate today. Origin Malting & Brewing’s operations might be seen as the estate winery of the beer world. They grow their own barley on their fifth generation family farm which was settled in 1910, and have been malting their barley in a state of the art facility since November of 2017. The majority of their 12,500 acres stretching from the south-east of Calgary to nearly Drumheller is seeded primarily with canola, wheat, and of course barley. The wheat goes to Roger’s Milling in BC every single stalk of barley is grown for malting and eventually beer. While some of the barley will end up in the Origin Malthouse much of it is also sold to Rahr and Red Shed who also provide world class Alberta malt barley for breweries here and around the world. Kyle’s family has been growing barley on their farm since 1960, but only just recently begun malting their own barley and brewing their own beer. The malting operation was originally conceptualized as a form of vertical integration on the farm once they were no longer required to sell all their barley to the Canadian Wheat Board, and the brewery would allow them to showcase for brewers and consumers alike the great beer that comes from Alberta Barley. We also discuss his family’s contribution to farming practices in Alberta, how science plays a role in the sustainability of their farm, and get a brief lesson clearing up the misconceptions of GMOs. Let’s Meet For A Beer! Alberta Beer Festivals: website | twitter | instagram Origin Malting & Brewing: website | twitter | instagram

This episode we sit down with Spencer Hilton of Hilton Family Farms to discuss the world class Alberta barley they produce. After the break we chat with Derek Skaggs, a member of the Calgary Fire Department and owner of Skaggs Design Co. For longtime listeners of This Pint Has 20 Ounces Hilton Farms may already be a familiar name. Spencer’s son in law Kyle Geeraert has previously appeared on the podcast to discuss Origin Malting & Brewing, which is the other half of their seed to glass beer operation. The Hilton farm was founded just outside of Strathmore in 1910 and has been growing barley for over 40 years. Growing barley before 2012 looked a lot different than it does today, when the Canadian Wheat Board was still a mandatory part of the sales process rather than the option it is today. When the Canadian government finally opened up the wheat market in 2012 Hilton Farms and 5 other Alberta farms became the first startup suppliers of barley to craft beer giant Lagunitas. Another 5 years later they decided to take their operation even more local and opened Origin Malting & Brewing. Origin supplies a good deal of the malt needed for brewing at Wild Rose, and makes Origin and Hilton Farms the only operation in Alberta that gets to own the entire process from a hand in the soil to a pint of beer in a glass. This episode when Mama T answers our questions we find out what T looks for in a friend, and have a heart to heart about our grandmothers and their places in our hearts. Later we sit down with a man of many hats, Derek Skaggs. Derek has worked with the Calgary Fire Department for 7 years, after previously working with the fire department in Fort McMurray and Calgary EMS prior to that. The boys have a lot of questions about just what life is like at the firehall, and as Derek tells it firehall life seems like a lot of cook-offs and floor mopping, with a few calls now and again to rescue cats from trees. Jonathan reveals a bit of his envy when he complains to Derek that there’s no “sexy podcast hosts of Calgary” calendar, but according to Josh this would just be the saddest 12 months possible. Derek also runs Skaggs Design Co, a local design company, and you may have seen his work on some of Wild Rose’s march! Join us at the Wild Rose Taproom for 20oz of your own Have a question for Mama T? A story from the bottom of a beer can? Send it in to canfessionals@wildrosebrewery.com Origin Malting, where Hilton Farm’s barley becomes world class malt Skaggs Design Co

This episode we're joined by Mitch Belot, local purveyor of good old fun Saturday night music, Mamma T returns to answer your questions, and our second guest is Kyle Geeraert from Origin Malting & Brewing, the source of Wild Rose Brewery's barley malt. Our first guest this week is Mitch Belot, joining us to plug the band's upcoming album. Josh confesses his fandom for the swampy blues-rock band, and gushes over their performance at a recent show here at the Wild Rose Taproom. Later, the guys try out some soon-to-be rejected catchphrases for the brewery, and each of their experiences having a couple too many pints and getting a little too before playing a show. When Mamma T makes her return to the show she helps Josh re-establish his confidence, and talks with Jonathan about dressing for the job you want, not the job you have. In this episode's second half we're joined by Kyle Geeraert of Origin Malting & Brewing. Origin is not only the suppier of malt barley for Wild Rose Brewing, but also for US-based Lagunitas, a journey that began way back on what Kyle refers to as "Barley Freedom Day," when the Canadian Wheat Board was abolished and opened up the market for barley farmers to sell directly to their clients. What originally began as a way to bring some vertical integration to the family farm, Origin grows and malts their own barley, and brews their own beer. This century old farm is the pinnacle of Alberta ingenuity and pioneering spirit. Join us at the Wild Rose Taproom for 20oz of your own Have a question for Mama T? A story from the bottom of a beer can? Send it in to canfessionals@wildrosebrewery.com Mitch Belot Band Origin Malting & Brewing

We're being told that wheat is legal now ... ? To celebrate the Greatest Grain, Team Advantage dives into Alberta's agrarian history, including the "clearing" of the plains, anti-capitalist ideas and agrarian radicalism, the history of the Canadian Wheat Board, Soviets stealing grain from America, the reorganization of rural life as Alberta discovers oil, and why the free market sucks.

This week, the Union of Canadian Transport Employees has called for the government to buy back the Canadian Wheat Board from the Saudi-U.S. joint venture, Global Grain Group. The Harper government sold 50.1% of the CWB to the joint venture, which is now known as G3 Canada Limited. UCTE President Dave Clark highlights that grain shipments through the Port of Churchill were vital to Churchill’s livelihood. He also notes that the port itself and the Hudson Bay Railway leading up to the port were both privatized in 1997 by the federal Liberal government and sold to Denver based company OmniTrax. The privatization of the port, railway and wheat board has lead to the perfect devastating storm for Churchill. ----------- Basia Sokal is a proud member of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 856 and a letter carrier in Downtown Winnipeg. She is a Former VP and acting President of her local, and current president of the Winnipeg Labour Council. She started activism early on, working at Superstore while in high school where she became steward and worked on organizing campaigns with the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 832. She was born in Poland and came to Winnipeg with her family in the late 80s as political refugees. In this episode, Sokal discusses the impact Unifor’s disaffiliation with the Canadian Labour Congress has had on local organizing in the province and on the Prairies. She also addresses the need to bridge the gap between unionized and non-unionized workers, and the challenges facing the Manitoba labour movement under the Brian Pallister’s austere, union-busting Conservative government.

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In When Wheat Was King: The Rise and Fall of the Canada-UK Grain Trade (University of British Columbia Press, 2016), André Magnan connects the cultivation of wheat on the Canadian prairies to the consumption of bread in Britain. Using the concept of a “food regime” as a theoretical frame, Magnan identifies three broad periods of stability in the relationship between Canadian wheat and British bread: a “UK-centered” food regime from about 1870 to 1914, a “mercantile-industrial” food regime from 1945 to 1972, and a “corporate” or “corporate-environmental” food regime from 1995 to the present. Separating these three periods are two periods of instability, the first including the two World Wars and the second beginning with the simultaneous oil crisis and entry of the Soviet Union into the global wheat trade in the 1970s. Through these phases of relative stability and instability, Magnan traces the institutions that linked the cold, dry Canadian prairies to the cities of Britain, including banks and food processing companies, with particular focus on the Canadian Wheat Board from 1935 until its dissolution in 2012. André Magnan is Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Social Studies at the University of Regina. His research and teaching interests include the sociology of agrifood systems, globalization and development, and sociological theory. Magnan has two principle areas of research. First, he has examined the history and politics of grain marketing on the Canadian prairies, with a focus on the rise and fall of the Canadian Wheat Board, one of Canada’s most important agricultural institutions. His second area of research focus is the financialization of agrifood systems. Here Dr. Magnan has examined changing patterns of farm structure and ownership in Canada and Australia, documenting how financial investors of different stripes are buying farmland on a large scale. Part of a multi-year study funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, this research aims to understand how new patterns of farmland ownership could affect family farmers, rural communities, and the agricultural industry. David Fouser is an adjunct faculty member at Santa Monica College, Laguna College of Art & Design, and Chapman University. He completed his Ph.D. in 2016 at the University of California, Irvine, and studies the cultural and environmental history of wheat, flour, and bread in Britain and the British Empire. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Canadian grain farmers typically battle a range of difficulties from weather related events to escalating input and equipment cost to fluctuations of returns. While the 2013 crop was generally one of the largest on record, concerns are now mounting because of the inability of railways to move grain to customers fast enough. Federal and provincial politicians have been pointing accusatory fingers at Canada's railways and suggesting the companies — CN and CP — have not done everything they can to meet the demand for rail cars. The speaker will address these issues and the long term opportunities & challenges for Canadian grain producers. He will also outline the role of the Grain Growers of Canada in marketing the crop and who the main grain exporters in Canada are now that the Canadian Wheat Board's marketing monopoly has ended. Where are the main export markets for Canadian grain? Are farmers benefitting from more competition among grain handling companies? What are some of the options Provincial and Federal Governments can use in assisting farmers generally, but more particularly, in marketing their grain? Speaker: Gary Stanford Gary Stanford is the President of Grain Growers of Canada. He is the also the Director Representative for the Alberta Wheat Commission and has enjoyed participating in agriculture policy development through farm associations since 1996. Gary is just back from the Global Grain Asia conference in Singapore where he presented the Canadian grain market outlook to delegates from numerous countries. Gary is a proponent of sustainability practices related to soil stewardship which are helpful on his farm, since he lives in the dry and windy climate of southern Alberta. Many of these sustainability practices have been followed traditionally on Gary's farm since the time of his grandfather who in 1903 was the first farmer to grow winter wheat in Alberta. Moderator: TBA Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)

Canadian grain farmers typically battle a range of difficulties from weather related events to escalating input and equipment cost to fluctuations of returns. While the 2013 crop was generally one of the largest on record, concerns are now mounting because of the inability of railways to move grain to customers fast enough. Federal and provincial politicians have been pointing accusatory fingers at Canada's railways and suggesting the companies — CN and CP — have not done everything they can to meet the demand for rail cars. The speaker will address these issues and the long term opportunities & challenges for Canadian grain producers. He will also outline the role of the Grain Growers of Canada in marketing the crop and who the main grain exporters in Canada are now that the Canadian Wheat Board's marketing monopoly has ended. Where are the main export markets for Canadian grain? Are farmers benefitting from more competition among grain handling companies? What are some of the options Provincial and Federal Governments can use in assisting farmers generally, but more particularly, in marketing their grain? Speaker: Gary Stanford Gary Stanford is the President of Grain Growers of Canada. He is the also the Director Representative for the Alberta Wheat Commission and has enjoyed participating in agriculture policy development through farm associations since 1996. Gary is just back from the Global Grain Asia conference in Singapore where he presented the Canadian grain market outlook to delegates from numerous countries. Gary is a proponent of sustainability practices related to soil stewardship which are helpful on his farm, since he lives in the dry and windy climate of southern Alberta. Many of these sustainability practices have been followed traditionally on Gary's farm since the time of his grandfather who in 1903 was the first farmer to grow winter wheat in Alberta. Moderator: TBA Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)

Canadian grain farmers typically battle a range of difficulties from weather related events to escalating input and equipment cost to fluctuations of returns. While the 2013 crop was generally one of the largest on record, concerns are now mounting because of the inability of railways to move grain to customers fast enough. Federal and provincial politicians have been pointing accusatory fingers at Canada's railways and suggesting the companies — CN and CP — have not done everything they can to meet the demand for rail cars. The speaker will address these issues and the long term opportunities & challenges for Canadian grain producers. He will also outline the role of the Grain Growers of Canada in marketing the crop and who the main grain exporters in Canada are now that the Canadian Wheat Board's marketing monopoly has ended. Where are the main export markets for Canadian grain? Are farmers benefitting from more competition among grain handling companies? What are some of the options Provincial and Federal Governments can use in assisting farmers generally, but more particularly, in marketing their grain? Speaker: Gary Stanford Gary Stanford is the President of Grain Growers of Canada. He is the also the Director Representative for the Alberta Wheat Commission and has enjoyed participating in agriculture policy development through farm associations since 1996. Gary is just back from the Global Grain Asia conference in Singapore where he presented the Canadian grain market outlook to delegates from numerous countries. Gary is a proponent of sustainability practices related to soil stewardship which are helpful on his farm, since he lives in the dry and windy climate of southern Alberta. Many of these sustainability practices have been followed traditionally on Gary's farm since the time of his grandfather who in 1903 was the first farmer to grow winter wheat in Alberta. Moderator: TBA Date: Thursday, April 10, 2014 Time: Noon - 1:30 PM Location: Country Kitchen Catering (Lower level of The Keg) 1715 Mayor Magrath Dr S Cost: $11.00 (includes lunch)

Radio Freethinker Episode 139 - World population reaches 7 billion, Catholic Church stealing babies in Spain, Canadian Wheat Board is scrapped, and the Golden Section meme.Check us out online at www.radiofreethinker.com and email us at info@radiofreethinker.com and follow us on twitter at @citrrft

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to over 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers. The CWB is single desk in its marketing structure and its whole premise is built upon the concept that farmers benefit from marketing their grain together, as one, big or small. The Wheat Board belongs to farmers. They pay for its operations from the sale of grain and run it through elected representatives on the CWB board of directors. However, the federal Government has announced its intention to remove the CWB's single desk for wheat and barley as of August 1, 2012, with legislation to be introduced this fall. Minister Gerry Ritz have said that farmers will not be allowed a vote, despite the majority of farmers voting for maintaining CWB single desk marketing in a recent plebiscite. The CWB is not a grain company; it has no grain-handling infrastructure and no capital base for borrowing money or financing its operations. It exists by virtue of legislation and the existence of Government financial guarantees. The speaker will argue that if the CWB were to function as a grain company in an open market, it would be at a disadvantage compared to established grain companies in carrying out its business. Speaker: Stewart Wells Stewart Wells was elected director for district 3 of the CWB last year. He was born and raised on a family farm near Swift Current, SK. where he and his partner Terry Toews co-own and operate the third generation farm, with the majority of acres seeded to organic red spring wheat, winter wheat, peas and lentils. He earned a Degree in Agricultural Engineering from University of Saskatchewan and later served as a farmer-delegate to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. Stewart was elected to the board of the National Farmers Union for 12 years, including eight years served as President. He has also been an advisor to the board of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute and has sat on numerous provincial and national committees related to marketing, trade and safety nets.

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to over 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers. The CWB is single desk in its marketing structure and its whole premise is built upon the concept that farmers benefit from marketing their grain together, as one, big or small. The Wheat Board belongs to farmers. They pay for its operations from the sale of grain and run it through elected representatives on the CWB board of directors. However, the federal Government has announced its intention to remove the CWB's single desk for wheat and barley as of August 1, 2012, with legislation to be introduced this fall. Minister Gerry Ritz have said that farmers will not be allowed a vote, despite the majority of farmers voting for maintaining CWB single desk marketing in a recent plebiscite. The CWB is not a grain company; it has no grain-handling infrastructure and no capital base for borrowing money or financing its operations. It exists by virtue of legislation and the existence of Government financial guarantees. The speaker will argue that if the CWB were to function as a grain company in an open market, it would be at a disadvantage compared to established grain companies in carrying out its business. Speaker: Stewart Wells Stewart Wells was elected director for district 3 of the CWB last year. He was born and raised on a family farm near Swift Current, SK. where he and his partner Terry Toews co-own and operate the third generation farm, with the majority of acres seeded to organic red spring wheat, winter wheat, peas and lentils. He earned a Degree in Agricultural Engineering from University of Saskatchewan and later served as a farmer-delegate to the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. Stewart was elected to the board of the National Farmers Union for 12 years, including eight years served as President. He has also been an advisor to the board of the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute and has sat on numerous provincial and national committees related to marketing, trade and safety nets.

James Petras discusses Greece, austerity and the European economic crisis. The Council of Canadian’s Trade Campaigner, Stuart Trew, updates us on Canada’s most recent rounds of trade talks with the European Union, and Winnipegger Ken Kalturnyk assesses Harper’s agenda for the Canadian Wheat Board.

Dr. Murray Fulton and Dr. Brady Deaton discuss the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB)

Arguments for supporting the family farm appear to be plentiful among both urban and rural folks. However, paying more for food is not one of them. This type of farming has in the past been the lifeblood of the rural society economy, but driven by many different factors, the landscape is changing. What was considered an “industrial farm” 30 years ago is now the norm and as technology expands, chances are, so will the size of family farms. The speaker will argue that despite variable government subsidy programs around the world, which often makes it difficult for Canadian farmers to compete, the family farm can survive. However, efforts to make it more attractive for the younger generation to replace the aging majority of present family farm owners are paramount. Related to that, farmers needs better marketing opportunities for their products, which often are handicapped by obstructive regulations, frequently involving the Canadian Wheat Board. The speaker will further relate how farm policies can affect food and environmental safety. Speakers: Brian Otto A third generation farmer, Brian Otto has been a grain, oilseeds and special crops grower for 38 years. He also holds a teaching degree (1971) from the University of Calgary. Brian, his wife Carolyn and family operate a 4,000-acre farm near Warner, AB. Otto has been a director and vice-chair of the Alberta Barley Commission where he helped develop the Commission's governance policy. In the 1980s, Brian helped start and was an executive on the board of directors serving the Alberta Winter Wheat Association (which later became the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission) and the Alberta Safflower Growers Association. Brian Otto served on the Western Grains Research Foundation for 12 years and is the current president of the Western Barley Growers Association. His community work includes coaching school sports and he volunteered on the Warner School Parent Advisory Council from 1984 to 1998. Brian was a founding director of the Warner Girls Hockey School.

Arguments for supporting the family farm appear to be plentiful among both urban and rural folks. However, paying more for food is not one of them. This type of farming has in the past been the lifeblood of the rural society economy, but driven by many different factors, the landscape is changing. What was considered an “industrial farm” 30 years ago is now the norm and as technology expands, chances are, so will the size of family farms. The speaker will argue that despite variable government subsidy programs around the world, which often makes it difficult for Canadian farmers to compete, the family farm can survive. However, efforts to make it more attractive for the younger generation to replace the aging majority of present family farm owners are paramount. Related to that, farmers needs better marketing opportunities for their products, which often are handicapped by obstructive regulations, frequently involving the Canadian Wheat Board. The speaker will further relate how farm policies can affect food and environmental safety. Speakers: Brian Otto A third generation farmer, Brian Otto has been a grain, oilseeds and special crops grower for 38 years. He also holds a teaching degree (1971) from the University of Calgary. Brian, his wife Carolyn and family operate a 4,000-acre farm near Warner, AB. Otto has been a director and vice-chair of the Alberta Barley Commission where he helped develop the Commission's governance policy. In the 1980s, Brian helped start and was an executive on the board of directors serving the Alberta Winter Wheat Association (which later became the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission) and the Alberta Safflower Growers Association. Brian Otto served on the Western Grains Research Foundation for 12 years and is the current president of the Western Barley Growers Association. His community work includes coaching school sports and he volunteered on the Warner School Parent Advisory Council from 1984 to 1998. Brian was a founding director of the Warner Girls Hockey School.

Arguments for supporting the family farm appear to be plentiful among both urban and rural folks. However, paying more for food is not one of them. This type of farming has in the past been the lifeblood of the rural society economy, but driven by many different factors, the landscape is changing. What was considered an “industrial farm” 30 years ago is now the norm and as technology expands, chances are, so will the size of family farms. The speaker will argue that despite variable government subsidy programs around the world, which often makes it difficult for Canadian farmers to compete, the family farm can survive. However, efforts to make it more attractive for the younger generation to replace the aging majority of present family farm owners are paramount. Related to that, farmers needs better marketing opportunities for their products, which often are handicapped by obstructive regulations, frequently involving the Canadian Wheat Board. The speaker will further relate how farm policies can affect food and environmental safety. Speakers: Brian Otto A third generation farmer, Brian Otto has been a grain, oilseeds and special crops grower for 38 years. He also holds a teaching degree (1971) from the University of Calgary. Brian, his wife Carolyn and family operate a 4,000-acre farm near Warner, AB. Otto has been a director and vice-chair of the Alberta Barley Commission where he helped develop the Commission's governance policy. In the 1980s, Brian helped start and was an executive on the board of directors serving the Alberta Winter Wheat Association (which later became the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission) and the Alberta Safflower Growers Association. Brian Otto served on the Western Grains Research Foundation for 12 years and is the current president of the Western Barley Growers Association. His community work includes coaching school sports and he volunteered on the Warner School Parent Advisory Council from 1984 to 1998. Brian was a founding director of the Warner Girls Hockey School.

Deconstructing Dinner has long been at the forefront of covering anything and everything to do with the presence of genetically engineered (GE) foods. The latest on the issue from Canada's capital is Bill C-474 - a bill introduced by Member of Paliament Alex Atamanenko. The bill was debated in the House of Commons for one-hour on March 17 and is calling for a change in the way GE seeds are approved in Canada. Back in 2009, Canada's primary market for flax - the European Union, blocked all shipments of Canadian flax after tests there discovered the presence of a GE flax that was once cultivated in Canada but de-registered in 2001. The proposed Bill C-474 was developed with the hope of preventing any future scenario like this unfolding again by requiring that all approvals of GE seeds go through an economic impact assessment in addition to the already-in-place health and environmental assessments. In other words, had such an assessment been in place in 1996 when the flax was first permitted, an economic impact assessment might have prevented the 2009 setback to Canada's flax industry from ever happening. Proponents of the bill hope it will prevent the future release of GE alfalfa and wheat into Canadian soil. On today's episode we'll listen to Members of Parliament debate the issue in the House of Commons. Deconstructing Dinner also followed up with Liberal MP Francis Valeriote who supports the bill being sent to committee, but nevertheless shared many critical remarks in the House that are requiring some... deconstructing. Guests/Voices Alex Atamanenko, member of parliament, BC Southern Interior, New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) (Castlegar, BC) - Atamanenko is the NDP's critic on Agriculture & Agri-Food and Food Security. He sits on the Standing Committee on Agriculture & Agri-Food. Francis Valeriote, member of parliament, Guelph, Liberal Party of Canada (Guelph, ON) - Valeriote sits on the Standing Committee on Agriculture & Agri-Food. David Anderson, member of parliament, Cypress-Hills Grassland, Conservative Party of Canada (Frontier, SK) - Anderson is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Natural Resources and to the Minister of Agriculture & Agri-Food for the Canadian Wheat Board. Pierre Lemieux, member of parliament, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, Conservative Party of Canada (Casselman, ON) - Lemieux is Canada's Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. He sits on the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food. Larry Miller, member of parliament, Bruce-Grey-Owen Sound, Conservative Party of Canada (Wiarton, ON) - Miller is the Chair of the Standing Committee on Agriculture & Agri-Food. Jim Maloway, member of parliament, Elmwood Transcona, New Democratic Party of Canada (NDP) (Winnipeg, MB)

Deconstructing Dinner features three segments produced by the National Radio Project's Making Contact and Vancouver Co-op Radio's (CFRO) Redeye. The segments include a lecture of Raj Patel - author of Stuffed and Starved, an interview with the University of Regina's Annette Desmarais on the topic of food sovereignty and an interview with freelance journalist Frances Russell on the current state of The Canadian Wheat Board and the Canadian government's efforts to strip the Board of its single-desk marketing of western Canadian wheat. Voices Raj Patel, author, Stuffed & Starved (Berekley, CA) - Raj Patel has worked for the World Bank, interned at the WTO, consulted for the UN and been involved in international campaigns against his former employers. Currently a researcher at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa and a visiting scholar at the Center for African Studies at the University of California at Berkeley, his education includes degrees from Oxford, the London School of Economics & Cornell University. He's also a researcher with the Land Research Action Network. His thoughts on food, hunger, and globalization have appeared in a number of US and international news sources, including the Los Angeles Times and The Guardian. Annette Desmarais, professor, justice studies, University of Regina (Regina, SK) - Justice Studies Prof Annette Desmarais's area of research includes food sovereignty, or, the right of peoples to define their own food systems and not have them be determined from the outside, by the forces of global capitalism. Her related research interests include globalization and agrarian change. She is currently involved in an ongoing research project with the Via Campesina, an international peasant and farm movement, to develop an international research framework for all future study of the group. She is a member of the advisory board of the Journal of Peasant Studies, as well as the Canadian Association of Food Studies, and has published the book La Via Campesina: Globalization and the Power of Peasants, which has been translated into French and Spanish. Frances Russell, freelance journalist (Winnipeg, MB) - Frances Russell is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist and author. She is a regular contributor to the Winnipeg Free Press and is the author of two books. Her career as a journalist and columnist spans nearly 40 years. From 1981 to 1999, she wrote a tri-weekly column on national and provincial politics for the Winnipeg Free Press. Prior to this, she worked as a reporter and political columnist with The Winnipeg Tribune, The Vancouver Sun, The Globe and Mail and United Press International in Ottawa. During this time she also provided occasional columns and commentary for CBC-TV, CBC Radio, CBC Newsworld, The Ottawa Journal, The Edmonton Journal, The Toronto Star, Canadian Forum Magazine and Time Canada Magazine.  

This broadcast explores the english print media coverage in Canada throughout 2007 on the controversies surrounding genetically engineered foods. Why has Canada become such a willing host to GE foods whereas throughout most of the world, bans, moratoriums and watchful eyes keep genetically modified organisms off grocery store shelves? Host Jon Steinman looks to provide one answer by deconstructing some of the confusing language that the Canadian public is receiving from some of the most vocal and published proponents of GE foods. The Kootenay region of BC for one has become a hotbed of media debates on the topic as it's NDP Agriculture Critic Alex Atamanenko who represents the riding in Ottawa. Atamanenko is at the forefront of politically challenging the presence of genetically engineered foods in Canada. The broadcast also launches a segment on the creation of regions free of genetically-engineered crops. In November 2007, Deconstructing Dinner recorded the first meeting of residents and politicians who began strategizing around the launch of a campaign to create a GE-Free Kootenays. This segment continues into next week's broadcast. Voices Marc Loiselle, Communications and Research Director - Saskatchewan Organic Directorate's OAPF (Vonda, SK) - Marc farms on a century old family farm. The Loiselle Organic Family Farm grows cereal, oilseed, pulse, clover and hay crops. They raise chickens, goats and cattle. Marc has worked with certified organic and biodynamic practices for 22 years. Marc is one of a few farmers in Canada growing Red Fife Wheat. Mischa Popoff, isitorganic.ca (Osoyoos, BC) - Mischa was an organic inspector until 2003. In an interview with The Western Producer, Popoff questioned the integrity of the organic sector, following which, he had trouble finding work in the industry. Popoff was a nominee in the 2007 federal Conservative Party candidacy for the BC Southern Interior riding. Alex Atamanenko, MP BC Southern Interior / NDP Agriculture Critic, "New Democratic Party of Canada" (Ottawa, ON / Castlegar, BC) - Elected the Member of Parliament for British Columbia Southern Interior in 2006. Alex is the critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Wheat Board. Atamanenko was born in New Westminster, and was educated at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. Lorne Hepworth, President, CropLife Canada (Toronto, ON) - CropLife Canada is the trade association representing the manufacturers, developers and distributors of plant science innovations — pest control products and plant biotechnology — for use in agriculture, urban and public health settings. and... Participants at the November 10, 2007 GE-Free Kootenays meeting held in Nelson, BC

In November 2007, Deconstructing Dinner attended one of the first regional food security conferences ever held in Canada. With a population of less than 10,000 people, the City of Nelson, British Columbia, hosted over 250 people for the first evening of keynote speakers. With an equally impressive 170 in attendance on the second day of keynote speakers and workshops, the conference acts as an example for other Canadian communities wishing to begin organizing themselves to take greater control over the food available to them. Deconstructing Dinner hopes the raw recordings, shows, and resources presented on the Conference Page of our site will aid groups across the country looking to ensure a socially and environmentally responsible local food system that benefits local economies. Part I On Part I we hear from two keynote speakers who spoke on the threats facing regional food systems with a focus on energy resources. We hear predictions as to how communities will need to redesign and redefine themselves in light of such threats. And we hear from the two elected officials representing the region both provincially and federally. Guests Justin Roller, Fuel Cell Engineer, Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, National Research Council Canada (Vancouver, BC) - Justin's presentation was titled "Canada and the Coming Energy Transition". Justin introduced the conference by outlining the current balance between global energy supplies and demand. He is currently a Masters candidate in Mechanical Engineering at the University of British Columbia. Richard Balfour, Architect / Director, Metro Vancouver Planning Commission (Vancouver, BC) - Richard is a Vancouver-based architect who also acts as a director with both the Metro Vancouver Planning Coalition and the New City Institute. He recently published the book "Strategic Sustainable Planning, A Civil Defense Manual for Cultural Survival". Richard recognizes the many threats facing our current way of life, and as part of his research accessed a report that the provincial government had withheld from releasing to the public. Through a freedom of information request, Richard was responsible for the release of the report titled, " BC's Food Self Reliance: Can BC farmers feed our growing population." The report was funded by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. The final conclusion of the report was that BC currently produces only 48% of the food consumed within the province. Alex Atamanenko, MP BC Southern Interior / NDP Agriculture Critic, "New Democratic Party of Canada" (Ottawa, ON / Castlegar, BC) - Elected the Member of Parliament for British Columbia Southern Interior in 2006. Alex is the critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Wheat Board. Atamanenko was born in New Westminster, and was educated at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. Corky Evans, MLA Nelson-Creston / NDP Opposition Critic for Agriculture and Lands, "New Democratic Party of British Columbia" (Victoria, BC / Winlaw, BC) - Corky Evans was elected as the MLA for Nelson Creston in 1991, and was re-elected in 1996. He was once again elected to represent his constituents on May 17, 2005. Corky has served as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries.

The impact of trade agreements on food systems and agriculture is probably brought up on almost every broadcast of Deconstructing Dinner, but never have we tackled this topic head on. On this broadcast we look into how trade agreements affect the fruits on our trees, the animals in our fields and the food on our plates. We will focus on two agreements and a "partnership" that have either had devastating effects on our food, and/or will have further impacts in the near and distant future. A short segment will also be featured covering the recently tabled Bill C-448, calling for a ban on Terminator Seed Technology. North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) For years, we have been told that globalization and free trade are inevitable, and that the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) would bring jobs and prosperity to Canadians. But in the aftermath of the softwood lumber decision, even former supporters of free trade are arguing that NAFTA isn't working for Canada. Critics suggest it undermines democracy, strips Canada of control over our energy resources, threatens to put water up for sale, and endangers health care and other public services. Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) In March 2005, Paul Martin, George W. Bush and Vicente Fox met in Waco, Texas to ratify the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP). The SPP takes NAFTA's goal of continental economic integration much further by including security and foreign policy issues, and by speeding up the process of regulatory harmonization integral to the first Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Despite a lack of public awareness or input, all three North American governments are moving quickly toward a continental resource pact, North American security perimeter, and common agricultural and other polices related to our health and environment. Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) On April 1, 2007, a new free trade pact (TILMA) came into effect between Alberta and B.C. Critics say it will have a devastating effect on local democracy, public health and the environment. While currently confined to Western Canada, provincial governments in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan and the Maritimes have all shown an interest in signing on. TILMA was signed by the premiers of Alberta and B.C., without public consultation or legislative debate, in April 2006. The agreement allows corporations and individuals to sue provincial governments for any provincial or municipal government measure they feel "restricts or impairs" their investment (i.e. their profits). Under TILMA, critics suggest that even measures designed to protect the environment and public health are vulnerable to attack from corporate lawsuits. Guests Alex Atamanenko, MP BC Southern Interior / NDP Agriculture Critic, "New Democratic Party of Canada" (Ottawa, ON / Castlegar, BC) - Elected the Member of Parliament for British Columbia Southern Interior in 2006. Alex is the critic for Agriculture and Agri-Food and the Canadian Wheat Board. Atamanenko was born in New Westminster, and was educated at the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. Corky Evans, MLA Nelson-Creston / NDP Opposition Critic for Agriculture and Lands, "New Democratic Party of British Columbia" (Victoria, BC / Winlaw, BC) - Corky Evans was elected as the MLA for Nelson Creston in 1991, and was re-elected in 1996. He was once again elected to represent his constituents on May 17, 2005. Corky has served as Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Stuart Trew, Communications Administrator, "Council of Canadians" (Ottawa, ON) - Founded in 1985, the Council of Canadians is Canada's largest citizens' organization, with members and chapters across the country. We work to protect Canadian independence by promoting progressive policies on fair trade, clean water, energy security, public health care, and other issues of social and economic concern to Canadians.

Recorded in Vancouver during the October 2006 Bridging Borders Toward Food Security Conference, the plenary titled, "A Vision for Food Sovereignty: Farmers Speak Out" provided a critical opportunity for those working on community food security work to hear from farmers themselves. Topics discussed: The effects of free trade agreements on farmers in Mexico, Canada and the US; Migrant workers' rights; The Canadian Wheat Board; The extraction of farmers' wealth by agricultural corporations. The conference was hosted by the Vancouver Food Policy Council, and organized by the California-based Community Food Security Coalition and Food Secure Canada. Deconstructing Dinner was on hand to record the conference Speakers Dena Hoff - ex-Chair, Northern Plains Resource Council (Glendive, Montana) - Dena raises sheep, cattle, alfalfa, corn, and edible dry beans, among other crops, on their farm in Glendive, Montana since 1979. She is an active member of her rural community, serving on the Water Commission and the local food cooperative. She is also active with the National Family Farm Coalition. Alberto Gomez - National Coordinator, UNORCA (Mexico) - UNORCA (National Union of Autonomous Regional Farmers' Organizations) is an autonomous, non-profit, and non-partisan network of Mexican campesino and indigenous farming organizations. They are a member of La Via Campesina - the International Peasant Movement. LVC coordinates peasant organizations of small and medium sized producers, agricultural workers, rural women, and indigenous communities from Asia, America, and Europe. It is an autonomous, pluralistic movement, independent from all political, economic, or other denomination. Carlos Marentes - Director, Border Agricultural Workers Project (El Paso, Texas) - The BAWP is an organizing effort initiated by Sin Fronteras Organizing Project as an attempt to help migrant farmworkers improve their wages and their working and living conditions. The majority of the border farmworkers work in the multi-million dollar chile industry of Southern New Mexico. Karen Pedersen - ex-Womens' President, National Farmers' Union (Cut Knife, Saskatchewan) - Karen is a fifth-generation bee-keeper at Pedersen Apiaries. She spoke on behalf of the National Farmers' Union (NFU), an organization that works toward the development of economic and social policies that will maintain the family farm as the primary food-producing unit in Canada.

The role of the Canadian Wheat Board is being challenged by the Harper Government. There are implications for the future of grain farming and the security of the Canadian food supply. This is your opportunity to listen to and question candidates for the CWB District 3 directorship as they debate their visions for the future of the Canadian Wheat Board. Speakers: Larry Wayne Hill Incumbent director Larry and his wife Sandra are full time farmers in the Swift Current area of Saskatchewan. In his role as Chair of CWB Trade Committee, Larry has represented the CWB at WTO (world trade organization) discussions, and has worked on US trade challenges on Canadian grain exported to US. Larry supports the single-desk selling power of the CWB. Conrad Johnson Conrad and his wife Fay have been farming in the Bracken area of Saskatchewan for over 30 years. Conrad is a director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers and the Chairman of the Board of Great Western Railway. Conrad believes in making the CWB voluntary. Stephen John Vandervalk Stephen is a fourth generation farmer from the Ft. McLeod area. Stephen is a director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers and the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission. Stephen believes in making the CWB voluntary. SESSION PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH LETHBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Theatre Gallery Admission free, donations gratefully received

The role of the Canadian Wheat Board is being challenged by the Harper Government. There are implications for the future of grain farming and the security of the Canadian food supply. This is your opportunity to listen to and question candidates for the CWB District 3 directorship as they debate their visions for the future of the Canadian Wheat Board. Speakers: Larry Wayne Hill Incumbent director Larry and his wife Sandra are full time farmers in the Swift Current area of Saskatchewan. In his role as Chair of CWB Trade Committee, Larry has represented the CWB at WTO (world trade organization) discussions, and has worked on US trade challenges on Canadian grain exported to US. Larry supports the single-desk selling power of the CWB. Conrad Johnson Conrad and his wife Fay have been farming in the Bracken area of Saskatchewan for over 30 years. Conrad is a director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers and the Chairman of the Board of Great Western Railway. Conrad believes in making the CWB voluntary. Stephen John Vandervalk Stephen is a fourth generation farmer from the Ft. McLeod area. Stephen is a director of the Western Canadian Wheat Growers and the Alberta Winter Wheat Producers Commission. Stephen believes in making the CWB voluntary. SESSION PRESENTED IN ASSOCIATION WITH LETHBRIDGE PUBLIC LIBRARY 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Theatre Gallery Admission free, donations gratefully received