The federal Canadian Wheat Board transition working group has submitted its recommendations to the federal agriculture minister.

The report addresses issues related to the dismantling of the CWB's single desk and how the grain marketing and transportation systems can adapt to an open market.

Among the recommendations, the group suggests Minister Ritz implement a five year check-off program to ensure continued funding for the Canadian International Grains Institute, the Western Grains Research Foundation and the Canadian Malting Barley Technical Centre. The industry would then have five years to develop its own long-term funding system.

The group recommends maintaining producers' right to their own rail cars and having the Minister monitor the availability of producer cars while continuing with implementation of the service agreements outlined in the Rail Service Review.

The report also includes a recommendation to continue with the Advance Payment Program through the transition period. The administrator of the program would be decided by Minister Ritz.

The working group says farmers, the supply chain and customers need predictability and certainty, so another recommendation asks the Minister to consider measures to facilitate the development of a new business model for a voluntary CWB.

Ritz will use the recommendations in developing the legislation, which he's expected to introduce in the House of Commons sometime in the next three weeks.

The working group included the following members:

    * John Knubley, Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    * Richard Phillips, Executive Director or Stephen Vandervalk, President, Grain Growers of Canada

    * Jim Everson, Vice President Corporate Affairs or Jo Anne Buth, President, Canola Council of Canada

    * Gordon Bacon, Chief Executive Officer, Pulse Canada

    * Earl Geddes, Executive Director, Canadian International Grains Institute

    * Murdoch MacKay, Commissioner, Canadian Grain Commission

    * Dr. Paul Earl, Logistics Expert, University of Manitoba

    * Greg Meredith, Assistant Deputy Minister, Strategic Policy Branch, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    * Paul Martin, Director General, Policy Development and Analysis Directorate, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    * Howard Migie, Consultant, former Director General in Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

    * Annette Gibbons, Director General Surface Transportation, Transport Canada

    * Michele Taylor, Regional Director General, Prairie and Northern Region, Transport Canada


The CWB declined to co-host the group, but chose to rather offer input.