A coalition of Saskatchewan producer groups is calling for the creation of an export sales reporting program to improve market transparency for farmers.
Groups represented in the coalition include APAS, SaskBarley, SaskCanola, SaskFlax, SaskOats, Saskatchewan Pulse Growers and Sask Wheat.
In a press release, the producer groups say Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s current review of the Canada Grain Act provides a significant opportunity to expand the Canadian Grain Commission’s responsibilities to collect and disseminate data to improve market transparency.
Improving market transparency is a key issue for farmers, as illustrated by resolutions passed at five Saskatchewan producer commissions’ annual general meetings in 2021. Recent market disruptions, changes in trade patterns and lagging information on supply and demand dispositions have illustrated farmers’ need for timely marketing information to maximize returns and improve profitability, the groups assert.
The producer groups say without timely available data on export sales, farmers are unable to accurately understand market dynamics and time their sales to improve profitability. This puts farmers at a distinct competitive disadvantage to other players in the supply chain who already have much of this information available to them. Additionally, export sales reporting would be valuable for commodities with no futures market or price discovery mechanisms available.
The producer groups say they strongly believe Canadian farmers need timely access to sales and export data and are calling on the CGC to create a daily and weekly export sales reporting program.
American famers have had access to sales and export data since 1973 through the USDA’s Export Sales Reporting Program. The lack of information in Canada has prevented farmers from accessing the same level of information needed to make informed marketing decisions as other supply chain participants, according to the groups. According to their analysis, the competitive disadvantage that results from this information asymmetry is harmful to farmers and represents a missed opportunity to put Canadian farmers on a level playing field.
The producer groups have written to federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau, highlighting the opportunity to improve profitability for farmers and grow the Canadian economy through the creation of a mandatory export sales reporting program. The producer groups say they will continue to work together to advocate on behalf of Saskatchewan farmers.
