b-s-e [beef save eating]

[SASKFARMER3]

WD are you just plain stupid.
In a open free market their wouldn't be a difference between one side of the border and the other.
Their is something with the Canadian system that's wrong on this one.
In a open system I could redirect the truck leaving belleplain to head east instead of south and then just send the check to the guy south instead of local.

[AdamSmith]

Saskfarmer, thanks for keeping this issue alive.

WD9, Saskfarmer is right in a properly functioning open market prices are allowed to arbitrage. Yet by talking to my dealer earlier, he told me he tried to book all he would need for this spring last fall, his best deal by a long shot was sourcing from a US dealer, who was sourcing from Brandon.But the fert had to be shipped from Brandon to the US then back, but because of some kind of screwy transportation law he couldn't do it.

That's his story, whether it's right or not? who knows?

Irregardless we are being gouged. And WD9 without competitive disciplines the open market looses it's appeal.

As staunch of an advocate for the open market as I am, this NH3 market is giving the open market a black eye.

I know open markets, and the Canadian Fertilizer Industry ain't functioning like one at all.

No, I don't want to regulate the market, but they sure are inviting that outcome by overcharging with no good reason. Wouldn't you agree?

[Burbert]

wd9, You have made a GOOD point with your comment. It is exactly the problem. These guy, agri-business people are all connected, in lots of cases they are major grain companies selling inputs fertilizer etc, and gouging us. These guys are our FRIENDS!
What I find that is totally out of wack, is the fact that a farmer organization the cwb, directed and operated by farmers, is in fact being torn apart and dismantled by farmers. All in the name of positive progress, lets turn it all over to the private sector they'll fix things for us, the open market, grain companies, railroads, brokers, machine companies, banks, fuel suppliers, government ag departments, and their research buddies. Just like the breaking up of Co-ops across the country, and deregulation, once the business is up and running, assets are in place, the private sector moves in and scoops up the good stuff, telling us how well they can run the business so much better. Guess what? Service levels drop and prices go up and there isn't a damn thing you can do about it, once its gone, its gone, then let the whinning and sniveling begin. Where is the gov't they should do something about these high prices. You know what they'll do, study the hell out of the problem, for a long, long, long, time, then maybe it will go away or people will lose interest!!! Gouging plain and simple is the order of the day, in this case.

[sawfly]

tomcwb

dont you think it is a bit of a stretch to blame the ndp for price fixing of big bussiness.
of course their big business freindly attitude is to blame.

the conservitives and liberals have been in power in ottawa since canada began. Any blame for weak competition laws rests with them.

I would commend the stance of con. MPs on the OUI debate . But remember it was Mulroney that gave away the farm to the chemical companys in the first place.


free trade was designed so that big business could move money jobs products and factories around and out muscle local competition.
once that is done , they can do whatever they damn well please.

[wd9]

SF3, ouch. Some would say as much as the day is long but I digress.

When you say 'something', what is that something? What exactly is wrong with the system that MP's and MLA's can do?

I can't tell my MP to do something and hope to have something fixed and expect a positive result.

[SASKFARMER3]

Whats ticking me off WD is that farmers are just laying down and dying and not standing up and doing something about it.
This is plain highway robbery.

[sewen]

The MP's are too busy debating whether or not Shane Doan should be wearing the captains C for team Canada to be bothered with something like the price of fertlizer.

[wd9]

What is the something you suggest?

[parsley]

Canadian Fertilizer Institute Annual Conference will be held from August 13-15, 2007 at the Fairmont Banff Springs, Banff, AB

www.cfi.ca

Parsley

[skhadenuf]

Right on Saskfarmer and sewen, In regards to the hockey thing what a complete joke, but anything to appease the Quebec population, my how nothing has changed since the last election, it's freakin embarrassing hopefully people in other countries don't watch cpac and missed this embarrassment. We have troops risking their lives over seas and have little or no debate but sit and go through this joke. Good thing those idiots in our capital don't here all the things said during hockey games the nation would come to a standstill.
In regards to input prices, it's time for our new federal government to start showing they actually understand what is going on. Where the hell are all of those Conservative MP's, who had all those big ideas of improving the farm situation. OOPS i'm sorry I forgot, if you want a majority government you must have in government MP's that have no tongue and no brain out west, so we can feel a part of the government of Canada.

[parsley]

Go to:

http://www.cfpf-fcpf.ca/

Look at their Mission Statement, and in particular #3.

Direct feedback from farmers should be able to have some impact here.

Parsley

[wd9]

They are charging what the market will bare. We pay it so where is the problem? Price is OK because we all are fertilizing like we did last year.

Same thing with $6.50 a pound canola seed. Who is in the wrong, the company that charges for it or the farmer that buys it - and it is usually the first one sold. Sounds like an open market in action. It doesn't have to be fair, just open.

Market signal therefore is charge more because the volume hasn't decreased. In fact the most expensive canola seed is bought before the last crop is even combined.

Mission statement of CFPF #3: Plan for the future by analyzing emerging opportunities, new technologies and strategies on how agricultural producers can remain competitive.

Competitive doesn't mean profitable.

What is your MP supposed to do? Are there import regulations that hamper access? Transportation act issues? Hazardous goods cross-border issues? I have not researched the regs at all, what are the issues?