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02/28/2006: "Oh no, the CWB is falling! The CWB is falling!"

Once again, panicked politicals are crying out that the government wants to end the Canadian Wheat Board. I find it highly amusing that the front page of the CWB's web site displays the slogan "It's your choice", when in fact the CWB is a government enforced monopoly.

While I don't see it actually happening any time soon, due to the current political climante, I see two possible outcomes if the monopoly were abolished and farmers were given the choice of how to sell their own grain.

One possible outcome is that many farmers decide it is worth more to them to voluntarily stay with the marketing board that the CWB provides. In this case, the CWB will keep the economic clout it currently enjoys and will thrive based on the advantages it may bring.

The other possible outcome is that many farmers decide it is worth more to them to manage their own sales and inventory and bypass the CWB. In this case, the CWB will see a reduced role in the economy and may even be dissolved.

In either case, the value that the farmers place on how their grain is sold will make the decision, and as such their best interests will be served. In either case, enforcing the monopoly takes away value from them.

This enforced monopoly must end.