gerryritz

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz

The Alberta Barley Commission has been tapped to administer the revamped check-off on wheat and barley.

Until now, funding for market development and research was administered by the Canadian Wheat Board.

Federal Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said the temporary check-off will maintain current levels of support.

"This will maintain, at the historic levels, the funding to the Western Grain Research Foundation and Cigi," explained Ritz. "As well, we're seeing about four million more acres of wheat and barley go in this year than we've seen in other years. We also have the potential to actually increase that tonnage."

The check-off will be voluntary and deducted at point of sale.

The system will remain in place for up to five years. By then, the industry is supposed to have created its own funding mechanism.