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Triffid and The Flax Council of Canada Edicts

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    Triffid and The Flax Council of Canada Edicts

    The latest blow to the influence of The Flax Council of Canada's credability; power and influence came a couple of days ago. Viterra is no longer requiring proof of a completed Triffid test before accepting producers flax for elevator delivery. Apparently Pioneer had previously dropped that requirement months ago after getting stuck with a rejected shipment that they couldn't even find a way to get back to its origin. Viterra had probably been attempting to build up brownie points by appeasing Europeans who were saying "No; none and Nyet" but the Viterra headquarters couldn't understand which part of no that the Europeans meant. Apparently Viterra now catches on that "no gentleman's agreement can be reached; appeasement efforts included".
    Earlier in the seeding season Viterra had dropped the certified seed solution that was supposedly going to rid the world of the Triffid contamination. As if that made any scientific sense at all. But talk about every industry player following the Flax Council's grand plan to rid world of the Triffid gene; and the industry being on the same page. Did I say that ordinary farmers told them all that months ago?
    As has been pointed out in this forum the Flax Council of Canada needs its head taken off and a full liter of fish oil and smarties used to replace whatever contents were there previously.
    The good news is that there is no need to worry about the approximate doubling of testing costs to $195.00 each scheduled for this fall. Thats one test for every contract or every 5000 bushels (whichever is the greater).
    All farmers are hereby advised to watch their shares in those Triffid seed testing labs. They may have much less volume of contamination to dispose of; which will only partially offset their expected revenue losses.
    On a related topic; it is hoped that the much reduced flax production this year will be used to advantage on multiple fronts. European buyers should be given a cold shoulder until their hard ass positions soften to the reality that they will be eating Triffid at some level for the rest of their lives. It is expected that those lives will be equally as long; with or without the Canadian flax as long as their continue to refrain from drinking boiled linseed oil. I digresss; but boiled linseed oil is strongly thought to be very bad for you.
    It is not known what should be done with the remains of the Flax Council of Canada. What a horrible waste of those smarties; but maybe the fish oil could be dribbled in with future flax shipments. Some farmers have suggested that any shipment of Canadian flax not be resumed to Europe untill after every other less fussy customer in the world has been given ample opportunity to grab those short supplies out from under any European customer. In this way it is hoped that valuable lessons will be taught with very little arguing or other pursuasion required.
    This has been the most fun I've had in some time. And the beauty is that every word is true; and should have been considered as a solution from the first minute.
    The has been brought to you as an example of piss poor leadership.

    #2
    Oneoff,

    LOOKS LIKE canola won the acreage prize!

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      #3
      But flax will command the highest price per bushel.
      Sure hope this backfires big time on the Europeans. I was told today that they have built four new "flax" crushing plants. Don't know if they could/ will be used for other seeds.

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        #4
        P.S We absolutely refused to submit a Triffid test to Viterra. I stongly suspect that our conversation a few days previous was transmitted back to head office and may have been the final straw that prompted this reversal.

        If so then thats the power of one farmer. You know what happens when two farmers agree; and they'd jump to the concliusion there was a platoon of farmers attacking if the industry heard that three farmers had joined forces.

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          #5
          oneoff, I know the customer is supposedly right all tthe time,but,I've been thinking the same thing for the couple of remaining bin bottoms that I have left. Sell what's left to anyone who would ship any where but Europe.
          As for new crop flax ,may not be much to worry about,as there seems to be very little to none in this area. I've only seen a couple of fields. One well probably be workup and the other one is no hell either. This could be the first time I think, that demand-usage could completely exceed production carryover.

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            #6
            lol,enjoyed that

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              #7
              Anbody got a handle on actual acreage?

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                #8
                oneoff, are you saying now, because of your actions, I won't be getting a premium for my Triffid FREE flax! After all the hoops and testing, our 2010 prodution will end up in Europe via China, ( and we'll keep getting $8.50/bus for it ) It will be Viterra and the Chinese that profit from us.
                I want my flax to go to Europe, and I want them to pay for it, $2?.00/bus, but the premium won't be there(for us growers) if they can source OUR flax from China.

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                  #9
                  There is no 8.50 flax. Its $13.00 this morning. I've got some coorections to make to my lead post; but no time right now. I'm suprised that no one has caught the error and misleading statement. Where are all the other farmers with their insights and information?

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                    #10
                    You know what you got for your Triffid test. You got $8.50 and put yourself on the hook for every problem associated with any shipment that your flax could ever be linked to..... and forever. Its called off loading liability onto someone willing to fill out the pieces of paper and submit the results to someone who demands them. Its the same reason that Cargill says they aren't even buying flax until this Triffid disaster settles down. As for the corrections that I should clarify; right now I don't feel the same way I did yesterday. We've all been led down the garden path by the industry and have taken a royal beating. Just about everyone is so used to it that most hardly whimper any more; and most sure don't stand up to our masters.

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                      #11
                      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5dJznTAwLSY

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                        #12
                        There's a very important flax growing area on both sides of the Manitoba-Sask borders; and north of the US border.
                        At least one of the Cargill inland terminals in the center of that area has totally withdrawn from
                        purchasing in the flax market "until the Triffid mess settles down"
                        Apparently; the Triffid testing craze that farmers have willingly lined up for; paid whatever was asked; bought into and become liable for; hasn't done the trick with Europe (or maybe anyone else). After all the Triffid gene can not be eradicated from this planet. Prove me wrong!!!!
                        What have we accomplished? Well farmers have proved they will acquiese; do as told; shell out any amount and be liable for costly tests. They will not demand accountability or confront their friendly grain buyers; and their headquarters. Farmers have shown that doubling the cost of those tests in the near future is accepted as a part of the new reality in the flax market. They are next to powerless; except for coffee shop gossip.
                        To be honest; quite a few farmers may have indeed have said to themselves that growing flax isn't worth the hassle. Seeding time weather may indeed not be totally responsible for what could well be low flax seeded acres.
                        Flax growers have demonstrated that tests are pretty easily forced on them; and that the tests are meaningless; wasted efforts that could and will be demanded of other crops in the future. There was no incentive to scrap this test until another company breaks ranks and takes some customers away. That is happening; and should be seen by every farmer as the opportunity to escalate the breakdown of this industry test requirement.
                        Don't look at it from the viewpoint "I had to pay for tests; so why shouldn't you". Only collaborators and "brain dead souls" can't see what is good for others is bound to rub off to some degree as a benefit for themselves as well.
                        I'm sad to report that I was mislead by two Viterra employees yesterday. Dropping the Triffid test is not yet an across the board change for Viterra; but currently applies to specific train shipments only. It's a change but doesn't go nearly far enough. Who will be the second and third producers to speak up? You know; this is the ripe time to put on the pressure with all companies involved; and to reward and remember those companies who first show the courage to break ranks with the tyrants who dreamt up this horrible action plan.

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                          #13
                          Are there not some more interested parties? Surely this topic deserves more comment than has been forthcoming so far. And it isn't just a flax issue.

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                            #14
                            I ranted about Triffid for so long oneoff, and most farmers got that glazed pen look, forked out the testing money,and asked what else they could pick up the tabs for, so I just assumed they must get some sort of erotic pleasure from being both fleeced and duped. Pars

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Parsley: I know what you say is true. Yours was a good solid rant with extremely powerful arguments that still remain unchallenged. To me that means they remain valid arguments....... but equally interesting is your points about why many more affected farmers won't join forces to see how far and hard the fight can be taken. Perhaps its apathy but with a big measure of fear of repercussions and offending some supposedly powerful organizations and companies. As for tyrants; I say the bigger they are; the harder they fall.

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