SASKATOON - Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz says the government will decide later this week whether to launch an appeal of a Federal Court ruling on the barley monopoly of the Canadian Wheat Board.
A judge ruled last month that the Tory cabinet overstepped its authority when it passed a new regulation allowing farmers to sell their barley independently, and said such a change would have to be made via a law passed by Parliament.
Speaking in Saskatoon today, Ritz says ramming changes to the board's mandate through Parliament is not an option, mainly because the Tories are in a minority government.
The Opposition Liberals and the NDP both support leaving the board's monopoly intact.
Ritz says he's spoken to government advisers and key players on the board about a possible legal challenge.
The issue has divided grain producers, some of whom say the board ensures higher prices, while others say they would get more cash selling their grain on the open market.
