Ontario's Corn, Soybean And Wheat Producers Vote For One Marketing Board

GUELPH - A majority of Ontario's corn, soybean and wheat producers, who participated in a recent vote, support the move to a single marketing board.

"After several years of discussion, producers have voted to merge," said Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "Today the government of Ontario will begin the regulatory process necessary to create a new marketing board for corn, soybean and wheat producers to be known as Grain Farmers of Ontario."

A total of 4639 producers cast ballots in the vote. The results show that 70.4 per cent of corn, soybean and wheat producers participating in the vote are in favour of the creation of one marketing board. The "yes" ballots also represent 72.2 per cent of the eligible acreage accounted for in the ballots cast.

"I reviewed the balloting data from the Producer Expression of Opinion Vote and I am confident that the results reflect the sentiment of corn, soybean and wheat producers regardless of whether they market one, two or all three of these crops and regardless of their farm size," said Elmer Buchanan, Vice-Chair of the Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission.

For more information about Grain Farmers of Ontario, producers are encouraged to visit www.grainfarmersontario.ca or talk with their elected representatives of the Ontario Corn Producers' Association, Ontario Soybean Growers and Ontario Wheat Producers' Marketing Board.

Contacts:
Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission -

Elmer Buchanan (519) 826-3407
Arva Machan (519) 826-3394

For more information, contact:

Sherry Persaud, Minister Dombrowsky's Office, 416-326-6439
Brent Ross, Communications Branch, 416-326-9342