Denial, denial, denial

[checking]

Oneoff asks the good question, wd9.

Did you do your self promotion on the public dime?

Be honest now.

[Choice2U]

I sure as hell hope WD9 got his flight/meals and a daily per diem paid for by either government or industry. Why should he have to pay out of his pocket? He left the farm in someone else's hand and probably paid them or if not, forewent some tasks that got done later than they should have. Lefties always yip about the advantage of money...well, if farmers lobbying the world have to pay it out of their pocket....guess who would go....RICH FARMERS ONLY and then you would be bitching about that as well. People that give time to the industry should be praised. There will have been allot of behind the scenes stuff that cost WD9 before and after his "trips" that would never have been covered. PS - I have no clue who WD9 is so there is no favoritism here.....if I remember correctly based on previous threads, I think he may even be a CWB supporter which you can see would pain me to say.

[charliep]

Know wd9 and can vouch for their industry leadership. One of the most strategic thinkers I have had the pleasure of working with based on a vision of what could be and what it will take to get there.

It is strange industry where being average is a goal, being above average should be penalized and being below average rewarded. Lots of discussion about aggregated data but what really gets interesting is when you break data down and compare what the top third of managers do/spend money on relative to the bottom third. Money spent isn't the driver. Attention to detail is the main factor in success.

As a comment, 120 plus postings is record for this website in my 12 years I have been here.

[oneoff]

What would be so wrong with dragging the bottom third up; instead of planning to absorb them by the top third.
Still not sure the top third is sustainable either; without the government payments; offfarm income; and encouragement and discounts that volume purchasing obviously receives.
You're right about the posting interest charliep; and the interest shows that there has to be some truth about the topic; and the deeply held views that some "self centered" farmers have shown. The big farmers aren't being victimized any worse (and maybe to not nearly the same extent) as the fellows they show little compassion for.

[charliep]

Actually am going to give you a lead. Foodnavigator is one of my favorite morning reads.

[URL="http://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Financial-Industry/US-farmers-must-look-beyond-low-cost-mass-production-to-meet-global-demand-report"]foodnavigator-usa[/URL]

[wd9]

Good some others joined in. Thanks Charlie for the kind words. When i left the farm for wherever, it stood still. Just worked twice as hard getting back. I was on ACPC, CCGA, CCC, WGSC, IOPD, and a bunch of other acronyms funded by farmers and industry and government MII money.

Felt my answers cited specific examples how hard work with others improved ALL farmers bottom line. Maybe i don't understand the question but fundamentally seems quite simple.

The other side of the coin is what if myself and others in the last few years would not have worked so hard.

OUI would be toast and the chem companies would have sewn up the legislation to prevent generics.

Not intervening in the Schmeiser Supreme Court case would have left Canada not respecting innovation and probably would have ended farmers access to biotech in Canada. Canola would be dead.

The rail review would have no teeth today for review and would have missed being in the Act. The service review wold not be happening.

Tariffs would be worse.

Our customers like Japan would look elsewhere for their oil needs.

Grading on canola would be much worse and benefit the line companies and there would be no move to quantitative measurement of chlorophyll.

You'd still be getting screwed on shrinkage.

Farm support programs suck, always did, always will.

No specialty crop insurance.

No research and modelling behind the put option crop insurance economic model.

4th tier approvals (economic) for registration of new events. Right now it is science based. (Fortunately there are others working against the latest PM bill to enact socio economic factors in seed approvals.

No renewable fuels legislation or direction in Canada.

These and so many more just in the last few years.

Without the work of a few dedicated farmers things would continue to degrade. There will always be the bell curve of profitability for farmers. Trick is to get to the right end but i definitely do not get there by hampering in any way any other farmer. Its called good management.

And oh ya, The CWB is no longer required. A Cereal council much like the canola council would be of far more benefit to farmers i strongly believe.

Flying somewhere on a 'free' trip is fun the first few times, but the next 200 times sitting in hotels lobbies, cabs, meetings, and airports gets old very quick when you know you should be home spraying.

[FarmRanger]

wd9,
Very well put, and so very true.
You have my thanks.

[oneoff]

And to think that lengthy list of your accomplishments is due to someone most of us haven't even heard of; or doesn't have a real name.
I'm glad I've probably never met you; because I can't stand that type of attitude for 10 seconds.
While you'll never admit it; it is just possible that other individuals behind the scenes did more for OUI than you ever could do. In fact OUI was such a success that it was effectively killed and I believe replaced by an "improved" program that the chemical industry can completely control and prevent from being widely used.
If you have done such a comprehensive job for agriculture; I dodn't see why there are any deep agricultural programs left. Too bad others don't have some opportunities to have replaced you on some of the burdensome trips you have made. I doubt you would willingly have given one of them up. We need some fresh outlooks and they certainly won't come from guys like you.

[checking]

What are the mechanic's and wd9's thoughts on the Ontario Federation of Agricultural. Is the president wrong to suggest the governments must answer for their lack of response to Ontario farm woes?

"Ontario's frustrated farm leaders have been calling for program help to the country's largest farm economy that has suffered from years of losses or break even returns but to little avail."

These are not my words, but I wonder if they don't echo a certain NFU report that neither of you will accept as fact, let alone possible.

[oneoff]

Your greatest mistake and lasting legacy is that neither you nor anyone else has been able to get two farmers to agree on anything. Thats why it is vitally important to stay at home until that fundamental problem is corrected.
It is absurd to presume you have the right to promote your perspective without gaining the support of those you pretend to represent. Its also the reason why farmers don't have common goals. You're unknowingly promoting self serving basic instincts.
And thats a sufficient topic for its own thread.