Canada: CWB not to offer a Pool B for feed barley of crop 2011-12

Usually due to open Feb. 1, the second of the Canadian Wheat Board's two annual feed barley pools will not be offered for the 2011-12 crop year, Alberta Farm Express reported on January, 31.

The CWB said earlier this week it will not offer a Pool B for 2011-12 feed barley, instead sourcing feed barley for export through its guaranteed price contracts (GPCs) for the remainder of the 2011-12 crop year.

"Domestic prices for feed barley are expected to remain higher than prices available offshore, reducing the value of an export feed barley pool for many farmers," the board said in its weekly bulletin on January, 30.

"Use of GPCs will allow the CWB to move quickly to source feed barley in the event that attractive export opportunities arise."

Unlike its wheat, durum and malting barley pools, the CWB until now has offered two six-month pooling periods for feed barley per crop year, Pool A and Pool B, running from Aug. 1 to Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 to July 31 respectively.

The CWB has said that once its single marketing desk for Prairie wheat and barley is officially shut down Aug. 1, as per the federal government's Bill C-18, the board plans to offer varying lengths of pools to producers in 2012-13 and beyond.

In an interview this week with Farm Business Communications editorial staff, the board's CEO Ian White said growers can expect to hear more details in February about pooling and pricing options available to them through the CWB for 2012-13.

01 February, 2012