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In this episode of The Trent Klarenbach Podcast, we present a crucial look into the history of market control in Western Canadian agriculture with author, former UGG Delegate, Canadian Wheat Board Director, and grain farmer Ken Motiuk.
Mr. Motiuk joins us to discuss his book, Culture of Control, which documents his decades-long struggle against the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) and its detrimental impact on farmer autonomy and market efficiency.
The conversation details how the CWB’s single-desk monopoly, rooted in the geopolitical necessity of securing grain supplies during the World Wars, ultimately evolved into an entrenched bureaucracy.
This system suppressed essential business operations by controlling cash flow through restrictive quotas and discouraging investment in critical transportation and handling infrastructure due to outdated shipping rate policies.
For grain producers, the historical context of the CWB's wind-down—a 35-year battle culminating in the 2012 Freedom of Grain Marketing Act—offers enduring lessons in the necessity of open markets, the challenge of institutional inertia, and the pursuit of individual business freedom.
This deep-dive into Canadian agricultural history provides a powerful reminder of how government control can stifle innovation, making it a highly relevant discussion for today's market-focused grain industry.
Click to purchase Culture of Control.
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Trent Klarenbach
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