CWB to reduce workforce by over 20%

The Canadian Wheat Board recently announced a corporate restructuring that will reduce staff positions by about 135 by July 2004.

An operations review, which formally got underway in April 2003, involved the thorough evaluation of all CWB products, services and processes to determine how well they reflected the CWB’s future direction. After determining the CWB’s essential operational requirements, adjustments to the organizational structure and staffing requirements were identified. Opportunities to improve consistency and efficiency were also identified.

The restructuring also comes after the CWB announced an $85 million deficit in its wheat pool account in the past year.

“As a commercial marketing organization, the CWB must operate in a way that reflects the new realities of the international grain trade,” said President and CEO Adrian Measner. “We’ve moved into an era of intense competition, as opposed to reliance on a few large, loyal customers. Our farmer stakeholders are under severe financial pressure and need to extract maximum value from the marketplace.”

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. As one of Canada’s biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based company sells grain to more than 70 countries.