The Western Canadian Wheat Growers Association is calling on the Canadian Grain Commission to reduce, and refund, user fees charged to farmers marketing their grain.

The CGC collects $1.80 per tonne on all grain delivered to fund its operations for inspecting and weighing grain for export.

Wheat Growers Executive Director Robin Speer says the Commission gathered a large surplus on these fees that should go back to producers.

"They created the $1.80 number based on lower yields in harvests of the past, whereas in the passed few years we've had significantly larger harvests. What that means is they've collected these user fees, and now they have this mountain of money, over $100 Million."

Speer adds, quite surprisingly, user fees are set to go up even more.

"In fact, those $1.80 per tonne fees are supposed to increase this year incredibly, even though they have a surplus of over $100 Million, which is more than two years of their operating budget. We know based on Federal legislation and recent Supreme Court rulings in this regard, that user fees are collected for a purpose, and you can't have a surplus at such high levels."

Speer adds the Wheat Growers have started a petition. Farmers can take part online at userfees.wheatgrowers.ca.