CWB got a sale to Saudi Arabia

[Burbert]

Typickle, the CWB makes a big, big, sale and angriville says its time for them to go, again. They ain't doin ther job, just a bunch of lazy pinkos. Me and ma wit our home computer kin do way better..... Yeah right

[charliep]

Heard a price of USD $253/tonne CIF (delivered Saudi port). Backed off ocean freight (either St. Lawrence or west coast) minus all other domestic costs to move from from port a local elevator and would be interesting to see how close this price is to a domestic ethanol plant value. Strange how North America imports Saudi crude oil and exports grain back to them.

[Hopperbin]

My guess is that the grain is already sitting in an East Coast Deep Sea Port costing western Canadian farmers storage and everyone else inbetween has already been paid except Western Canadian farmers.
Why does the East and Bloc support the CWB so much?

[cchurch]

Why don't you ask your man Jeff Nielson, if the sale was good?

[charliep]

Just curious why a board of director would have a comment on an individual sale. My assumption is the BofD job is to set strategic priorities and performance measures for the operations of the CWB. Daily sales activities are the responsibility of the operations side as lead by the CEO and carried out by CWB employees.

[wd9]

Charlie, you know the answer. They are unwilling to learn what governance even is. Most of the farmer directors are there to be a working board member and mimic Larry the cable guy. Git er done.

Solution: Have the board of directors prove they have adequate board governance training to govern the CWB. If not, a plan on how they will accomplish that. Make it public to farmers.

[Jeff Nielsen]

Charlie has it right, as directors our duties are to ensure through the CEO our strategic plan adopted by the whole board is carried out. Sale targets are a part of that plan, yet we don't monitor individual sales.
As to credibility of the members of the board, guess that is something farmers need to ask, I have outside of the CWB while a director of the former AU board taken and received my designation as a Chartered Director - from the Directors College (thedirectorscollege.com).
This is a comprehensive course providing the training and understanding of how to provide value to the organization you are a board member of.
Most CWB directors are enrolled in this, some have completed it, and some have gone all the way and have, like myself received formal designation as a Chartered Director.
The CWB encourages all directors to take this course.
Jeff Nielsen

[gregpet]

Jeff, who pays for this director colege?

[poorboy]

Hopefully the CWB paid for the course. As a farmer and not big CWB supporter it would be terrible if you had to pay for a lot of courses and credentials to run as a CWB candidate. It would exclude most people from ever wanting to run for the position if you have to pay money for courses.

This is definately one situation where the CWB SHOULD be covering everyones training. I pay for most of the courses that my employees need if my farm is to benifit directly.

[Choice2U]

I can summarize this thread in two lines:
1. CWB supporters trust the CWB sale and are flabbergasted as to why anyone would question it
2. Those that don't trust the CWB have questions.
Sounds like a typical CWB debate to me.

[rockpile]

Another good course in governance and understanding financial oversight for Board members is offered about twice a year at the Haskayne School of Business at the University of Calgary. This is quite intense and the candidates should already have some Board experience or previous training as identified by Jeff. Your instructors include CEO's and Chairman from major national and international companies as well as top business academics from around the world. A bit pricey, but well worth it.
Of course the CWB should pay for it, or would you rather restrict the terms of reference for candidates to include only MBA's, previous Board members or otherwise eliminate possible credible people?
Rockpile

[parsley]

Parsley did some translating on the Saudi Arabia sale on Parsley's Notebook. A bit long or I would have posted thme here. Also translated a few costs of farming in SA. Rather interesting looking at farmers in other countries.
Pars

[haveapulse]

Please advise if 253$ USD/MT CIF Jeddah is the price, that has to be a typo. It that is right this is not a sale it is a donation.

[cityguy]

let's say $253 Cnf is the value jeddah/Damman. Call average freight to make the math easy $43 and maybe $10 to elevator on the coast. $200 USD track or about $210 Cdn against a 2-12.5 PRO of what - $225? If the $253 is right, what do people think the CWB undercut other origins by ? $5.00 / $15.00 / $50?

[parsley]

I cut and pasted the translation.