OTTAWA, Ontario – Today the Government of Canada introduced the Canadian Wheat Board Payments and Election Reform Act to strengthen farmers’ voice within the CWB and streamline the process required to deliver payments to producers.

“Real farmers should be the only ones voting.  Having a permit book from years ago should not automatically entitle you to vote today,” said David Anderson, Member of Parliament, Cypress Hills-Grasslands and Parliamentary Secretary for the Canadian Wheat Board.  “This legislation will ensure that only farmers who produce at least 40 tonnes of grain will have a say in who sits at the board of directors’ table.

“Just as importantly this bill makes changes to the payment approval process to ensure that Western Canadian farmers receive their cheques faster. It will simplify and streamline the process for approving interim payments throughout the year. Our goal is to get money into farmers’ hands much quicker than previously.”

The introduction of this new legislation demonstrates once again that the Government of Canada is committed to increasing the CWB’s accountability to farmers and to putting farmers first.