Part 2 - Mayo Schmidt Interview - Challenges and Oppoprtunities for Viterra

[shaney]

In part 2, Mayo Schmidt addresses his skeptics, GM adventitious presenc and the general public's focus on food.

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[bucket]

The conservatives have decided to take western farmers for granted. They will do nothing about the cwb file because they don't have to.

I have phoned Ritz's office in NB to ask what will they do now and basically nothing is going to happen.

The conservatives are going to try to win queeeeebec and they (Quebec)support the board there because quebec farmers view the cwb as part of supply management.

Western farmers don't matter to any government after they have been in power for any amount of time because once they know they can get better directorships from down east they ignore everyone out west.

Disappointed - you bet I am.

Ritz could have said he was going to cancel all contracts with the board and open it up. Then let the Stuie and larry show go crazy. Instead he and the other puppet anderson do NOTHING.

I have supported these guys for a long time but my patience is running thin. They found money for the auto sector that only had 1 bad year and they are back in the money meanwhile pig, cattle and grain farmers are going back into the red for the foreseeable future.

Odd, you bet, and very noticeable.

[Fransisco]

Silence speaks volume's doesn't it?

[Burbert]

Parleement is parogied, causa the Olimbics in Vancover. Truly nobody gives a s--t about farmers or farming. Never have never will, cause theres no votes left out there any more. Politicos don't havta do nuttin for farmers in future.... Read it and weep folks, those are the facts.......

[parsley]

Not odd at all. A great plan.

1947- World War II meant debts,as well as Massive deficits. Not odd.

Who best to grunt and work them off? Polite people who work hard, shutup and don't argue. What was a good commodity that everyone needed and we could supply? wheat. Government control. Not odd.

Business people will sit down and make a plan. Farmers scratch their warts and ask what the government is going to do.odd.

2010:
Canada has debt and we are heading into a crisis with our best trading partner owing $13.7TRILLION and probably defaulting.Not odd.

What will the world still buy in hard times? Grain Not odd.

Who has a good work ethic, shuffles their feet and scratches their warts and says, "Yes, sir? " Not odd.

Yes, well, if I were the government I'd look to hang the debt around the necks of the guys who are too timid to ask, act or argue.Not odd.

And there's nothing wrong with that if farmers are satisified with low returns.Not odd.

I guess that's why I prefer high value markets as opposed to committing to feed the poor of the world with no money.Odd Pars

[Raven]

“Our Government is proud to showcase the high quality food that our farmers produce because we know consumers at home and around the world want to buy it,” said Minister Ritz.  “We will always maximize every opportunity to promote Canadian agriculture. We know that increased international trade will stimulate economic growth and deliver benefits to all Canadians.”

With a minority the Conservatives cannot change the Act, and they cannot make orders contrary to the Act. But the Act gives them authority over export licences, so why not ask for export licences and have the same freedom as eastern farmers?

[Ron]

Burbert posted Feb 12, 2010 20:18
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Parleement is parogied, causa the Olimbics in Vancover. Truly nobody gives a s--t about farmers or farming. Never have never will, cause theres no votes left out there any more. Politicos don't havta do nuttin for farmers in future.... Read it and weep folks, those are the facts.......

Sorry Burbert. I think this is twice we agree, I owe you a beer.
We saw in early 2009 how important we are to the feds. When there was a surplus there was no money for agriculture, in a recession running a deficit budget there were millions for the auto industry over a couple weeks without the bullshit studies involved.

It showed me the priority that agriculture is in the political and public perception. I hope they frickin starve in 10 years.

Ron

[burnt]

Ron - you bring to mind an incident from some years ago when my dad's retired and intentionally abrasive Yankee cousin was visiting us. Dad was lamenting the low return of raising cattle (back then already!)when his cuz brusquely said "Eddie, you know what I'd do?"

My dad, a soft spoken man who wouldn't use bad language, asked "What would you do, Harold?" Harold growled back at him "I'd let the bastards starve!"

Back then,I could not understand how someone could make such a statement. But I'm getting there now.

[parsley]

Look, farmers produce wealth.
Without you farming and growing crops, all the chem companies, all the ,marketing companies, the Wheat Board...all of them don't have a reason for being.

You're producing massive amounts of wealth! HUGE!

"Saskatchewan is vast - 651,900 km2 (251,718 mi2) - almost the size of Texas and has 44 per cent of Canada's total cultivated farmland. Total value of Saskatchewan crops exported in 2003, was 2,783 M."

Take a look just in Saskatchewan what you do! Look it up:

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Statistics-Farms

So, tell me what's wrong with the farm picture?

[grefer]

My entire lifetime,the solution has been perceived to be to get bigger and more efficient and produce more and more for less and less in real dollars.It doesn't work folks.

[fjlip]

One quarter of farmers believe they can make lots of money if the rest of us quit, sell or rent to them. They can be mega and make millions. They make the other 75% look bad, inefficient or lazy. Those are the farms always held up as successes in every article or news clip. Got to be big or get out. Little to they know that is exactly want those in power and the other 98% of society that needs the food, are hoping for. The prices to mega farms will go down as they try to out do each other to produce for less. They are the most independent, and least likely to cooperate to achieve a goal. Also as farm population decreases, so will political influence. IMO.

[cottonpicken]

It seems a lot of guys gotta get over the size issue.

Tell them pars,size doesnt matter...lol.

[TOM4CWB]

Hold it folks,

It COULD get worse...

If another professor from Harvard ran this country!

Watch for this line... it is cute and accurate!

PM Harper has done a miracle with what he has been given in the times we are in! Even PM Harper and crew would say they are not proud of many things they were forced into. The alternative would have been much worse!!!

God bless Canada!!!

[burnt]

Some of the big guys in this area used to sport a bumper sticker that read "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch".

Guess who's been seen getting back on the porch of late? With their tail between their legs? Howling about something or another not being fair?

[agstar77]

Harper has done a miracle with our money. Spending on useless programs. Put us back on the deficit list. An interest time bomb waiting to go off. They are all so worried about jobs in the Mftg. sector , we will be sacrificed. Tweedle dee and tweedle dum support his runaway spending, all to get votes in Quebec and Ontario.