What I got fromCombine to customer program

[Raven]

But I think you said you support the single desk. And want it for lentils. What about canola, flax, oats, mustard, etc? I think your postings speak volumes. Larry Hill will also tell us all that he has an open mind.

[mbratrud]

I support the IDEA of a single desk. If run properly the single desk SHOULD be the best way to sell small market crops that we are large players in like Durum and Lentils. Where are you from Raven?

[silverback]

Mb - So 85% of your farm production doesn't need the single desk CWB but you will vote to keep enslaving those of us who either have no other choice due to our climate, or want our freedom.

Thanks for being so neighborly and open minded.

[blackpowder]

I must have mixed up my meds' this morning. I can't find where mbratrud says he would 'vote' for the Board.
I have a neighbour who grows %35 Board grains and he screams Glory Hallelujah! every time you mention the darn board. I'm beginning to see the similarities between him & some of the members here.

[silverback]

The only people I have ever met that support the board always claim that things are improving and that in some mythical year we will achieve returns equal to the rest of the world.

They also always manage to throw in a frightened reference to big business coming in to swallow us whole and not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

I'm pretty old, and this board baby is all grown up, married to the liberal party, retired, and ready for the scrap heap. If it ever achieved anything of value, I have never seen it. It is like an old 80 year old neighbor of ours who to this day does not let his mid 50's kid make any choices and cannot let go.

It is time.

[bucket]

silver

You are right.

Anyone who thinks the board is changing has their head up their ass.

Even Jeff has started to defend the board positions. I think he is even becoming a board supporter.

Look, its simple. After the disasters the cwb has had marketing durum for the last two years and the fact they have nothing new to offer farmers for the 2010 season to fix the problem, indicates they are not changing or listening.

The cwb should come up with a system to lower durum stocks by setting the acceptance level in february instead of october so farmers can make the right planting decisions.

The cwb will come out with a durum pro that has nothing to do with the market and come september they will have a list of things as to why they can't market durum.

[parsley]

After reading his comments, I figure Jeff's contribution to open marketing will be renaming next year's conference to

Combine to Clustermer

written on all new stationary.

[TOM4CWB]

Wait, do not blame Jeff and Henry for trying to get the leopard to change its spots... without intense close up work and coordination and skill.

We need to be responsible for our actions... and the CWB needs to be a coordinator and help us grain growers with transparent information.

As it is today... the single desk is 'God'... and the miller and buyer of our grain the focus to a large extent.

Farmers are the CWBs customers... not the trade and industry. Until the CWB truly figures out this issue... it will flounder and be a lost cause.

Timing is everything. The CWB is NOT responsible for paying my bills... or even paying for their own mistakes.

Until they are... we will not connect the dots and have effective marketing.

It is far to easy to give away someone elses property... when you have no responsibility to return BACK the true value it is to them.

That is why the CWB cannot operate as it does today... and extract fair market value for my produce. The CWB does not know what the fair market value is... they may say I don't know either... but I can sure find out in a hurry if it matters!

Grain co's know... cause they are on a margin... and will be broke in no time... if they don't control risk and provide value.

Pooling at the CWB historically has done neither of these. The CWB shuts down the pool deliveries just when we needed the risk management and keep selling diluting the pool.

Useless... crazy... the CWB can start a pool each month... if they chose to do so.

BUT they refuse.

It is time they got their head out of the sand!

[bucket]

Tom

I agree with you but if, as a director, you can't say things at the board level that can create change then you become mute. Or worse yet part of the crowd.

That's what I am seeing from the so called open market board members.

Nothing has changed. And as of about three weeks ago those so called open market directors gained alot of clout.

They are not using it either by expressing their views or by just simply phoning ritz and telling him what he should do.

[Raven]

I feel confident that not one of the "so called open market directors" has contacted Ritz saying that they would support the government to stop arbitrary CWB discrimination against prairie farmers by granting export licences.

Instead we are getting, (whether wittingly or unwittingly) deceptive statements implying that the monopoly is in the pooling rather than the single desk. As Jeff Nielsen states above:

"Currently the BOD won't go too far especially on pooling, for those who have stanch monopolist directors you best question them why."

[Jeff Nielsen]

Bucket , fair comments, and thanks Tom for the support. It is voiced (those who want choice)our problems with the current system at the board level yet majority rules, fact of life. One could say that this upcoming fall director elections could make or break the CWB. If we don't start progressing into a new environment soon, then what will be left of the CWB? To some, say Bucket, that would be the best option. Yet there are a lot of producers out there that still want the CWB in some form to provide that marketing choice. That is what I campaigned on and still believe.
With a strong, competent, intelligent, focused board of directors with experience and foresight it can happen. Its back to the producers who vote. What do you really want? a board that is disfunctional? headed to disaster or one that can build a strong entity that will create value back to the producers in a revised format?
just throwing that out there.
Jeff Nielsen

[TOM4CWB]

Bucket,

Minister Ritz can only do what legal council tells him he can...

Remember 'ROme was not built in a day' and neither was the CWB.

Patience is key here... smart small moves... are much better than ending up 'going to jail and not collecting $200!'

Raven watching glaciers melt is boring... I KNOW!

Adding a little heat does speed the process... and can't hurt!

Nip Nip... get those heels!

[parsley]

Marketing choice, Jeff, how soon you forget.

That is the issue.

bucket, it's the bloody CWB water; laced with estrogen, as well as bst.

[silverback]

Jeff,

Have you ever spoken with any Federal Government officials directly? Gerry Ritz? Since the court ruling?

Why are you not PUBLICLY asking for no-cost export licenses?

Some of us voted for you to be an up-front, public proponent for the same freedoms as the rest of Canada enjoys.

[gregpet]

Well said silverback. Jeff time to step up to the challenge and mandate you were elected on or step down.