Where do we turn?

[PureCountry]

Okay, I understand what everyone is saying about already having enough organizations and such, but which one does a guy get into? I mean really, if I'm going to devote all the extra time I can to a cause I believe very strongly in, which organization best represents our needs, values, and livelihoods?
The Alberta Cattle Commission is now Alberta Beef Producers, and there awfully big anymore. There's so much talk about how they're highly influenced by the feedlots and packers, but I don't have any way of knowing the truth about that.
Then there's the Wild Rose Producers Association, which never seemed to have taken off or gathered much support.
There's the Western Stock Growers Association which I honestly know nothing about. The list goes on and on:
Agric.Producers Assoc. of Sask.,
Farmers of North America,
Keystone Agric. Producers Assoc.,
Sask. Assoc. of Rural Municipalities,
Sask. Stockgrowers Assoc.,
just to name a few.

So I ask you gentleman, how many of you have memberships in any of them? Or do you know anything about them? What can you tell me? I really want to know more. I find it hard to believe though that one group can speak for all Agricultural producers on the prairies. That means you would be representing everyone from Aquaculture to Saskatoon orchards. That's spreading yourself thin. I'm not sure what the answer is, but I want to find out.

So if some one has something they can tell me or share about our current organizations, please do so. I really want to get on this and get involved with something or someone that has a chance at making a difference. The longer a person waits and thinks about things, the deeper old procrastination sets in.

[boone]

PureCountry: If you are in Alberta, Wild Rose is closest to what you seem to expound, but get inside and make it better. there will be some that will resist strong hand of new blood and thoughts, but if you truly have best interests of the future in Alberta Ag, it is your right and responsibility.

[boone]

I wonder if the ABP could also be infiltrated. It is a Democratic organization. I have been approached to run in the past and have taken a negative " I'll get nowhere" approach.
Times of discontent are times of change. Maybe it is time to take our thoughts to the APB by running as delegates and and being proactive.
?????????????

[cakadu]

Change is always hard, both on the people trying to effect the change and those that aren't quite sure that they want the change.

The only way to get what you want, is to go out and make it happen. Ghandi said that "you are the change you want the world to become". Depending on whom you talk to, trying to effect change from the inside can be a rewarding way to go, or it can be an uphill task all the way.

Remember, with new ideas, you're challenging the status quo and everyone's comfort with it. The plus is that if it hasn't been working up until now, then changes should be made.

How you approach and broach the areas you want to change will have a huge impact on how successful you can be. Go in there with guns blazing and wanting to make sweeping changes at the start and you might have less success than if you talk to the people who have been around for a while, get a feel for the history of the organization and how each of them thinks, what they value and why they are there and you might have a greater chace of success. Finding out about them will help you to determine how you should approach each of them.

It takes time and won't happen overnight, but you'll be far more enlightened and have a greater chance at being successful in your endeavours. There are those that you will never convince, but you don't need everyone - you just need the majority.

You're doing the right thing, purecountry, by trying to find out about the organizations and talking to those that have had experience with them. Time is a precious commodity these days and you want to feel that you are spending your time wisely and more importantly being effective with it.

I hope that people on this site will be able to give you some insights about the organizations so that you can make a well-informed choice. Good luck with choosing.

[cakadu]

Change is always hard, both on the people trying to effect the change and those that aren't quite sure that they want the change.

The only way to get what you want, is to go out and make it happen. Ghandi said that "you are the change you want the world to become". Depending on whom you talk to, trying to effect change from the inside can be a rewarding way to go, or it can be an uphill task all the way.

Remember, with new ideas, you're challenging the status quo and everyone's comfort with it. The plus is that if it hasn't been working up until now, then changes should be made.

How you approach and broach the areas you want to change will have a huge impact on how successful you can be. Go in there with guns blazing and wanting to make sweeping changes at the start and you might have less success than if you talk to the people who have been around for a while, get a feel for the history of the organization and how each of them thinks, what they value and why they are there and you might have a greater chace of success. Finding out about them will help you to determine how you should approach each of them.

It takes time and won't happen overnight, but you'll be far more enlightened and have a greater chance at being successful in your endeavours. There are those that you will never convince, but you don't need everyone - you just need the majority.

You're doing the right thing, purecountry, by trying to find out about the organizations and talking to those that have had experience with them. Time is a precious commodity these days and you want to feel that you are spending your time wisely and more importantly being effective with it.

I hope that people on this site will be able to give you some insights about the organizations so that you can make a well-informed choice. Good luck with choosing.

[bombay_43]

Wild Rose has membership fees of somewhere around $120.00 per year. ABP costs me $3.00 per animal, which works out to about $600.00 per year. Every association we are volunary or "forced" members in, costs the grass route producers dollars.

I don't feel that any of the groups that are out there, have adequately represented the cow/calf producers.

Once again, I make reference to the average age of Quebecs farmers being 35 years old. Farming is a profitable business in Quebec! I do not see any postings from our counterparts in Quebec. Why?

http://www.upa.qc.ca/eng/about_us/bit_of_history.asp

Read all about Quebecs farmers union, which does cover every aspect of agriculture, and seems to do it nicely!
Sponsored in part by "Yours truly"!

Guarantees you, your cost of production. That is what we need.

[boone]

cakadu: That was one great post and succinct advise! Don't ever leave your keyboard, we would be worse for it.

[amazed]

In Sk. APAS and SARM are one in the same.

In my mind the best option would be a uniting of APAS,KEYSTONE and WILD ROSE to provide a united voice for agriculture producers not single commodities.

[grefer]

APAS and SARM are not one and the same in Sask.APAS is funded through a levy collected by each R.M. , whose ratepayers or council as the case may be,have decided to join APAS.I think about 50% of RMs have enrolled.Sarm speaks independently from APAS and I think sometimes wishes they didn't exist.It's up to each producer I guess to decide who speaks best for them.I know I have read some comments in the printed media from producers against having no choice in joining APAS,but sometimes forced membership is the only way an organization can be sustained in the long term.

[amazed]

Sorry poor choice of words. How about similar?

Off the APAS web-site

How to Join APAS


The membership process usually begins with rural municipalities contacting APAS to make a presentation at an informational meeting for their producers. It is then up to the RM council to either poll or hold a vote on whether or not their producers want to become members of APAS. Once producers have decided to participate, the RM joins on their behalf paying the membership fee out of general operating funds. The fee is 6¢ per acre or one-half mill based on the 2000 agricultural assessment (whichever is less).
The farmers and ranchers are then responsible to elect one of their own to be their APAS representative. It is important to elect the most innovative, forward-thinking, community-minded producer in the RM because that person is responsible to provide grassroots input to give direction to the organization's policy development.

[cakadu]

Thank you boone.

[dolin]

hi, read every post on this site,i am a french farmer from quebec.

[dolin]

Welcome dolphin, would love to here some input from our freinds in Quebec.