The Canadian Wheat Board says Ottawa will have to help it buy port facilities and grain elevators -- or let it abandon the barley market altogether -- if farmers vote to eliminate the board's monopoly.

Chairman Ken Ritter said the board of directors has studied all the options for working in a dual barley market, but none of them would benefit farmers when compared with competing grain companies.

"We came to the conclusion that without a complete set of physical assets and a bunch of capital, the CWB could not market barley," Ritter said from his farm near Kindersley, Sask.

Ritter and other monopoly supporters have made similar statements in recent months, but this is the first time board directors have taken a formal position.

Federal Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl is expected to announce the results of a farmer plebiscite on the future of the board's barley monopoly later this week.

No Money

Farmers were asked whether they wanted to maintain the status quo, exclude the wheat board from the barley market completely, or have the option of selling their grain to the board or another buyer.

Strahl said there is no money in the budget to meet the board's request for help in a potentially competitive market. He added he's frustrated the board is taking such a firm position now when it refused to participate in a task force that looked at the issue last fall.

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