Change at the CWB!

[TOM4CWB]

CWB board of directors elects new chair
June 3, 2010

Winnipeg - Allen Oberg, a grain and cattle producer from Alberta, has been elected the new chair of the Canadian Wheat Board's farmer-controlled board of directors.

Oberg, the farmer-elected director for District 5, runs a 6,500-acre operation at Forestburg, southeast of Edmonton, where he grows wheat, barley, canola and peas, and raises commercial cows.

He was first elected to the CWB board of directors in 2002 and has acted as chair of the board's farmer relations committee. Oberg has served on the boards of numerous organizations throughout his career, including Alberta Wheat Pool, Agricore and the Canadian Cooperative Association. He is past chairman of the Western Grains Research Foundation.

"It is both a great opportunity and a tremendous responsibility to lead this organization and serve the farmers of Western Canada," Oberg said. "Farmers tell me that they want to be firmly in control of their marketing organization – and we will work to ensure that farmers are clearly in the driver's seat."

Oberg replaces Swift Current-area farmer Larry Hill as chair of the board. Hill, the farmer-elected director for District 3, has served his maximum number of elected terms and steps down from the board at the end of 2010. Hill had been chair since 2008.

Controlled by western Canadian farmers, the CWB is the largest wheat and barley marketer in the world. One of Canada's biggest exporters, the Winnipeg-based organization sells grain to more than 70 countries and returns all revenue, less marketing costs, to farmers.

WOW!!!

[bucket]

Not a good change in my opinion.

[gustgd]

watch for turn hard left at the CWB, much more adversarial and confrontational.

[samhill]

If you are connected to a livestock operation you have
a conflict of interest to a grain marketing operation.

[wilagro]

Good change, good man...from our neck of the woods. Has good solid roots. Will work FOR the farmers.
==

[bucket]

He will work for himself. He does not have an open mind.

I found him quite arrogant at the c2c conference that I spoke to him.

[Hopperbin]

Why does he grow canola and peas?
A director should only grow board grains.

[TOM4CWB]

Wilagro,

With all the help Chairman Oberg gave AWP and Agricore... as a Director, he has a very large task ahead of him to prove he has what it takes. The cost and lost opportunity has been staggering.

Perhaps the 'pain' will be worth it... if he can help make the CWB disappear as well?

[tipsy]

Wilagro, "will work for the farmer". I wonder which farmer he will work for? The ones who have no interest or skin in farming but still get to vote in cwb elections or the ones who actually produce grain and make farming their business and livelihood.

[wilagro]

If I own land and grain is sold to the CWB on MY permit book by a renter, why shouldn't I have a vote in CWB elections?

I also think that any farmer who has the potential of marketing through the CWB should have a vote if he/she has delivered wheat or barley in the past 10 years.

[stubblejumper]

Why don't all you farmers for just me run in an election and change things. Oh I forgot some of you did and didn't get any votes.

[TOM4CWB]

Wilagro/Stubble:

As long as you are willing share to share in my farm expenses... you can vote on how our family sells our grain.

If you won't share in our farm expenses... why should you expect to share in our wheat/barley income?

Of course you would vote to take our families money...

BUT:
HOW does that make what you are doing ethical or fair or responsible?

Why should a vote for the pool be allowed take our right to make our families farm living away?

[tipsy]

Wilagro I believe that is exactly the type of election that is being conducted now. The problem is with the way the election is conducted now with landlords and non interested farmers making up most of the voting, it's one of the reasons that does not give the cwb or cwb election any credibility or legitimacy. It's also why most of the actual grain producing farmers,in other words the major stakeholders in this industry are NOT voting in cwb elections and this should be a concern to you and stubby.
Hopper makes an interesting and good point,and one that I think that would please you and stubby, to be eligible to run for a cwb director you have to show that you have only produced wheat and barley on your farm. This would then ensure totaly cwb,and cwb election credibility.