Farmers lose appeal over 1996 cross-border wheat runs

REGINA (Nov. 23, 1999) — Twenty-seven farmers who challenged the Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly on grain exports by hauling wheat and barley into the United States lost a court appeal yesterday.

The farmers were found guilty of illegally exporting grain three years ago at border crossings in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. The farmers, who banded together for weekly dashes to U.S. markets, could have challenged the board’s authority through other avenues than civil disobedience, provincial court Judge Bruce Henning ruled.

The farmers believed they could get better prices independent of the wheat board, which handles nearly all grain exports so as to guarantee the best price on international markets. They were fined $500 each for failing to obtain an export licence from the wheat board and $1 for not handing over their grain trucks. Farmers who made several crossings received $1000 fines for a second offence and $250 for each offence after that. Some farmers accumulated fines up to $30,000 or more.

Henning dismissed charges against the farmers for removing vehicles already seized and stayed another charge of failure to provide an export licence.

The protests, which took place in the summer of 1996, prompted Ottawa to commission a study into the role of the wheat board. The report ended up calling for the status quo.