The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) is marking the ninth annual World Pasta Day on October 25 by reminding Canadians that the best pasta in the world is made with the finest durum wheat in the world: Canada Western Amber Durum.

"When you enjoy good pasta, thank a western Canadian farmer," said Ken Ritter, chair of the CWB's farmer-controlled board of directors. "The Canadian Prairies are one of the largest durum-producing regions in the world – growing enough each year to make four billion 900-gram packages of pasta."

The CWB is the largest durum exporter in the world, marketing the quality durum grown by Prairie farmers to more than 40 countries. Western Canadian durum wheat is primarily milled into semolina and then used to make pasta or couscous, a staple dish of North Africa.

"Canadian farmers seed five or six million acres with durum every year– making it Western Canada's fourth-largest grain crop behind spring wheat, canola and barley," Ritter said. "Global buyers value Canadian durum for its consistent high quality and ease of supply, made possible through farmers' efforts and our commitment to superior and uniquely Canadian marketing and grain handling systems."

Each year hundreds of customers from countries around the world are regular visitors to downtown Winnipeg, where a pilot pasta plant is operated by the Canadian International Grains Institute (supported partially by the CWB as part of its marketing efforts). At the CIGI plant, customers gain first-hand knowledge of the quality of pasta products made from our durum wheat. Pasta is a delicious and healthy food choice, which is not only inexpensive, but versatile enough to go from kitchen table to gourmet palate. As a ready source of protein and complex carbohydrates, it has become one of Western society's staple foods.

World Pasta Day, established in 1995 by the World Pasta Congress in Rome, is a global celebration of pasta. This year, as part of the World Pasta Day celebrations, the CWB is sponsoring a pasta recipe contest through its Web site, www.cwb.ca. Entries should be submitted to questions @cwb.ca, by October 31. All entries will be considered for inclusion in a CWB pasta cookbook and one entry will be drawn for a gift basket of pasta-related merchandise.

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 organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all sales revenue, less marketing costs, to Prairie farmers.