Detailed numbers on the election

[TOM4CWB]

Lulu,

Are you sure your name isn't 'Mr Smith or SIR'?

[wd9]

Absolute noise Charlie. The MP's have 5 to 20 minutes with people, at best, hearing every problem you could possibly imagine day after day after day. Compound that with the NFU and CFA saying its the greatest thing ever every day. They go to their kids birthday parties and remind them of how important the CWB is to Canadian farmers. They also once in a while hear the WCWG and the barley growers and GGC say the exact opposite.

Imagine a non ag familiar MP - most of them btw, setting relative priority on 100 topics a day. They read an article on how the election went for the CWB which reads Farmers Support the Single Desk. They go, cool, farmers have what they want. Next topic, oh and i just don't have time to listen to any more CWB rhetoric, cancel those appointments. This isn't rocket science, they are just super busy people.

The canola industry has worked wonders by working hard and working together, farmers, seed, chem, crushers, exporters, processors, talking to ALL the MP's at once saying how great and valuable the canola industry is, but we need your help in this one area in legislation. The response has always been, "How can we help make this a better industry". Its taken a tremendous amount of work, but is effective given the resources.

To push this issue requires a very different approach cuz what has been happening aint workin!

[wd9]

So i gotta ask, what is the plan? We just gonna keep talking about the issues of the CWB for the next 20 years hoping for change? Keep having the farm groups nullify themselves by polarized arguments for and against?

Doubt if there will be a response as i'm sure most are off to the next topic entry whining about the CWB.

[charliep]

Interesting the Canola Council has a target of Canadian canola consumption of 15 million tonnes and the challenge to produce that much. Could actually happen in 2011.

The only strategic CWB document that sets targets is now a historical document with an end year of 2011. This document can now be used to benchmark CWB performance.

This is the first activity the new board of directors should be asking the operations side to do - a strategic plan with targets that can be share with stakeholders. If you don't know where you, you will likely never get there.

[URL="http://www.cwb.ca/public/en/library/publications/popups/pdf/long-term_forcast-2011-12.pdf"]CWB Long Term Forecast[/URL]

I will note the canola and barley numbers are reversed when you compare the CWB forecast (9 years old now) to reality.

[Fransisco]

If you've got some different ideas on how to move forward wd9 I think we'd all be interested in hearing them. I share your frustration but I think we are stuck with the same old, same old for now. Whats the alternative? Do nothing? That would only make matters worse.

[wd9]

Spend some money on a few good lawyers experienced in Acts. Have them research whether or not this is a property rights issue or not or some other legal issue. Dig and dig until you find a hook. Fight.

Stop sending parades of farmers in cheap suits to navel gaze at conventions and to Ottawa and use that money to pay some professionals.

Start a wheat commission. Stop talking about it. Do it already. There is a model to follow. The CWB is a marketing agency, no different then Viterra. They are only one little group, although they have everyone running scared, in a long list of stakeholders as explained above. Use that to your advantage.

Others have any ideas?

[TOM4CWB]

WD9,

My better half and I have said we need an Alberta Wheat Board since 1998. Just like the OWPMB. Same could be done with barley.

Alberta refuses to consider this saying the cure is worse than the CWB.

I disagree with that stand.

So... perhaps we need a 'shift' in the management... Agriculture is soundly in Alberta provincial consitutional jurisdiction... just as Marketing Boards are for the supply management sector in ALberta.

The PC's took out the AB Hog Marketing Board without even a vote. SO did SK and MB.

Much could be done from within the CWB itself if an outside the box type got injected into the freezer in Winterpeg.

Perhaps that should be given a try first???

[wd9]

I remember talk about an alberta cereal commission and an oilseed commission about 6 years ago. Think its still a good idea.

A checkoff like a wheat commission would be the ultimate vote if there is to be change in cereals. If it got voted down there truly is support for the status quo. If it did get support and since it is assumed 80% of the production comes from the guys that want change, refunds would be irrelevant and things could happen.

It is strange that once a topic gets to a point of change and ideas there is only you and me left Tom4.

[FarmRanger]

<i>A checkoff like a wheat commission would be
the ultimate vote if there is to be change in
cereals. </i>

And if it was perceived as such, it would be
vehemently opposed by the status quo forces.  

That being said, I would be all for such an entity
if it could help unite the industry for the benefit of
everyone involved.

<i>. "It is strange that once a topic gets to a point
of change and ideas there is only you and me
left Tom4."</i>

The thread is getting too far away from the shiny
new truck?

[TOM4CWB]

Farmranger,

Perhaps a good wash wax... and new 18 speed tranny... new clutch and exhaust,

Maybe even a new drivers seat?

If the mouse traps caught all the stray livestock... that really annoy us...we would be in grain growers heaven!!!