What I got fromCombine to customer program

[mbratrud]

Charlie,

I agree this has been one of my beefs about all these programs, is the complexity and expense. Producers have enough trouble staying on top of non board contracts and now they have to learn a bunch of complicated board programs. Ultimately the ideal end result of all these programs would be a pricing system similar to the open Market where you have to sign up for the pool. Still some time before we see that.

Financing is definitely a concern for an organization with little assets; they anticipate interest costs to rise by 1.5% to 2% were the numbers I saw. And obviously they would have to evolve into a more just in time delivery organization, like the rest of the industry. They will not be able to afford to sit on huge inventories of grain like they do today.

[TOM4CWB]

mbratrud,

You say the CWB will not be able to afford to sit on huge inventories of grain... the risk and money lost is massive... being forced inventory holders for millers and grain co's globally.

Further:

The distortions created in 2008 from this stupid arrogance the CWB perpetrated on western Canadian 'designated area' grain growers must be spelled out and articulated clearly!

$25/bu MGE trades would have NEVER occured... without the CWB in place holding 'designated area' wheat OFF the market.

If MGE had never got over $12/bu... and Durum not over $15/bu:

We would likely not have had the huge build up in stocks we now have in wheat and durum.

Holding back stocks and distorting the markets globally is fool hardy stupidity... and suicidal for the folks left holding the inventory!

THAT is US... 'designated area' grain growers!

How could we be so stupid... to allow this to happen in 1995/96... and then all over again in 2007/08?

We are sure slow learners!

Anyone who says 4mmt in our bins in 08 was sold out... should have to pay the $500/t lost on that 4mmt!

Plus now the extra $100/t lost on crop after crop to the excess production $1000/t wheat produced over the next ten years that the single desk caused!

[TOM4CWB]

$500 time 4mmt... is only $2b.

100% profit... every cent.

But... since the aim of every farmer... is to never pay one cent of income tax... the CWB is the deam machine!

If you don't have the money... the taxes need not be paid!

The biggest destabiliser in net farm income in Canada... is clearly the CWB.

The first to drop grain prices... the last to raise them... and inventory holders for customers through the peak at no cost to these customers.

And the competitive nature of grain growing... means our other grains grown are too cheap BECAUSE wheat and barley are the baseline crops all others are rooted in.

Now... before you say I don't have a clue... ask how much you can sell the CWB feed wheat or barley for today... and take home!

Can you get $20/t for your barley?

How much for your feed wheat cash from the CWB?

What about the 60% of durum left in 'designated area' grain growers... that should have been money in the bank from 2008 CWB inventory games?

THINK about it!

[bucket]

Jeff

Any changes coming on durum for the next year or is the cwb going to continue its marketing practices for durum?

As far as government guarantees go I fail to see the risk. The cwb is not paying us for our grain. The cwb uses farmers to finance the rest of the world. The government has never in the last ten years been on the hook for any money.

And considering that the feds just gave money to the auto sector for free, I fail to understand why, if the cwb did ever overpay us for the shitty job they do, the feds could not backfill the loss.

Look, there is no interim payment coming anytime soon so its pretty obvious someone got a hell of a deal on the 09 crop.

[mbratrud]

Well Tom I'm not going to argue with you on storage, or on carrying out stocks from 08 that was poor management. I blame that more on the pooling system than the single desk. No accounatablity with a pooling system.

I just finished hauling my second cash plus contract for Malt Barley. ( I try not to grow feed) first cash plus was at $5.25 and this one was at $4.00. If I hauled feed I would be looking at $2.15. Why would you haul feed wheat to the CWB?

[mbratrud]

Raven, I think you should read my posts a little closer. Make sure and take your riddlen first.

[LWeber]

http://www.drugs.com/ritalin.html

[Raven]

mbratrud, thanks, I have re-read your posts and this is what I gleaned:

"I have long been an advocate of eliminating pooling but maintaining a single desk."

"Lentils would benefit from a single desk as well."

"Ultimately the ideal end result of all these programs would be a pricing system similar to the open Market where you have to sign up for the pool."

Conclusion: you went in a monopoly supporter and came out a monopoly supporter - hence the Stockholm Syndrome should not apply to you - Sorry.

The CWB is willing to give up anything but the single desk. I can understand their reason - CWB jobs.
But if you are a farmer, I don't understand why you would want the CWB as a middleman between you and your open market. The CWB will certainly want you back.

[mbratrud]

Thanks for the spelling lesson LWeber

Raven, I went to this thing with an open mind and left with an open mind.

Change doesn’t happen overnight (if that’s not obvious in this case). But we need put forward positive ideas and maybe just maybe we will see some progress. I have been to the CWB many times; there was something different this time. There is a window of opportunity here to see progress.

I hope they do want me back so I can grill them some more.

[mbratrud]

Raven Said: But if you are a farmer, I don't understand why you would want the CWB as a middleman between you and your open market?

My answer. I am a farmer, and last year about 15% of my farm was seeded to CWB Grains. 2/3rds of that was cash plus Malt Barley, I think that speaks volumes.