FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 10, 2011

(OAK BLUFF, MB) – What started as a small idea has turned into a big draw in the fight to save the CWB, thanks to some Manitoba farmers.

Andrew Dennis and Grant Jardine have been travelling across the Prairies a tandem farm truck and a semi with a massive 5 by 26 foot banner on the side to raise money and awareness for a court challenge launched by the Friends of the Canadian Wheat Board. The challenge will ask the courts to quash the federal government’s efforts to make changes to the Canadian Wheat Board Act without first consulting farmers.

“Farmers aren’t about to give up their edge in the global marketplace without a fight,” Dennis said. “This may seem political to alot of people, but for me, it’s about my bottom line. This is really important because it’s about the future of family farms like mine.”

Section 47.1of the Canadian Wheat Board Act guarantees farmers right to vote on changes to the CWB’s marketing structure. Even so, the current federal government says they will repeal the legislation in order to remove the single desk on wheat and barley by August 1, 2012 – without giving farmers their say. The legislation is expected to be introduced in just weeks when Parliament resumes.

Dennis and Jardine, both from Brookdale, MB, roll back into their home province today for the third in a series of meetings about the future of the CWB. That’s where they’ll be joined by  another farmer who helped conceive the idea, Lyle Bremner. The trio will auger wheat from one truck to another as a nod to the longstanding farm tradition of supporting worthy causes by donating grain.

The meeting at Oak Bluff is being hosted by the CWB’s board of farmer-elected directors. Hundreds of farmers packed into rooms in Saskatoon and Regina on Monday and Tuesday at similar meetings to show their support for the CWB.

Dennis noted that thousands of dollars of donations have been collected over just two days.

“Ottawa can take this as a sign that Prairie farmers aren’t about to let this go,” Dennis said. “Rightfully, we should be out on our farms focussed on growing and harvesting the best wheat and barley in the world. But we’re here because we want to let the government know this is far from a done deal.”

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For more information contact:
Andrew Dennis
1-204-476-6498
adennis@riodennis.net

Media advisory/photo opportunity: Media are invited to Oak Bluff, Manitoba
to talk to Dennis, Jardine and Bremner between 6 and 7 pm, ahead of
tonight’s meeting. Farmers are also expected to be picketing in front of
the Oak Bluff Recreation Centre (101 MacDonald Rd) in support of the CWB.

WATCH A VIDEO ABOUT THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE CWB HERE:  http://youtu.be/SLkbO7rMQrU

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