WHEAT MARKETING

Waikato Times, Volume 124, Issue 20735, 20 February 1939, Page 9

WHEAT MARKETING

A CHANGE OF POLICY NEW SCHEME IN CANADA CRITICISM PROM FARMERS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. CopyrightOTTAWA. February 17 In the House of Commons the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Gardiner, announced an entirely new wheat marketing policy. The custom of pegging prices has been abolished. Assistance will be granted to farmers instead of through the acreage bonus. In condemning the fixed price the Minister stated that growers with a small crop igot little and with no crop nothing at all, yet aid for this year’s crop had cost the Canadian public 48,000,000 dollars. The new plan would encourage home-buildint? and maintenance rather than increased production. The Government s intention, said Mr Gardiner, was to introduce legislation calling for the co-operative marketing of all agricultural products. Auxiliary legislation would afford facilities to meet emergencies through world market developments. Winnipeg grain leaders are cautious regarding the new plan. Facing Disastrous Year

The Alberta Wheat Pool has issued the following statement: —“Regardless of the new legislation, unless world prices improve, Canadian wheat faces a disastrous year. No farmers anywhere can produce profitably at the present world prices. The pegged price was a substantial prop, the absence of which will be severely felt.” Mr Frank Eliason, president of the

United Farmers of Canada, asserted that the present prices are of no benefit to farmers as the bonus is promptly absorbed by creditors.