Wheat board fight not over, chairman says

The chairman of the Canadian Wheat Board says its members havenot given up their fight against new legislation that ends the agency's monopoly powers.

Allen Oberg said Tuesday that he and other farmer-elected directors of the board will announce their next moves at a news conference set for Wednesday.

The release said the board was fighting "for Prairie farmers' voice to be heard in decisions surrounding the future of their single-desk marketing organization."

Oberg said the directors will be joined by Liberal Party Leader Bob Rae, as well as representatives from farm groups such as the National Farmers' Union, the CWB Alliance and Friends of the CWB.

Legislation to change the board has already cleared the House of Commons and is currently before the Senate.

Wednesday's news conference is set for 11 a.m. CT, in Winnipeg.

Changing the Wheat Board was a major policy position of the Conservative Party but has met vocal opposition from supporters of the board.

Last week, a Federal Court judge in Winnipeg ruled that Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz breached the Canadian Wheat Board Act by making changes without holding a plebiscite for producers.

However, Ritz vowed to press on with the legislation and said the government will appeal the ruling.