Viterra in Australia

[grrrr]

I hope this link works.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/04/3129686.htm?site=northandwest

[bucket]

They pull the same crap here. Three hour unloads, saving pits for "special" customers, losing grain because they scale at the top. Viterra is doing themselves no favours in gaining support from farmers, although for some reason they get movement. That makes me believe they have cut some nice backroom deals.

[Kodiak]

The decline in customer focus is remarkable, to be polite about it. This will change in time. Current shareholders may appreciate the boost in their investement accounts, and Mayo will appreciate his nice bonus. But in the longer term, investors will flee once the financial results catch up to their poor level of service. Eventually the board and management will be shown the door by the shareholder, which may be the result of someone recognizing that there is value in the company, but it is locked in by poor management.
The outlook for Viterra has rapidly begun to diminish. This is typical of the short-term vision of today's investors, corporate boards, and management. The days of the patient investor intent on building long term sustatinable value seem to be waning. The kind of short term management styles employed by the current team at Viterra do irrepairable harm to public companies. Fortunately for farmers, some of the "old money" that is still invested in the industry is doing a pretty decent job of building strong value by being more attentive to their customer's success. It's maybe not as good as it could be, but think how bad things would be if all the grain companies were Viterra clones.
Sure nice to have choice isn't it!

[malleefarmer]

Growers and Viterra go head to head
Report: Annabelle Homer


140 growers from the Riverland and Mallee vented their frustrations to a panel of Viterra spokespeople recently over the issues growers faced during harvest.

Growers feel they've been short changed by major grain handler Viterra because the company opted to test grain visually rather than using a falling number machines at all grain receival sites.

Mallee farmer Peter Blackett was deeply disappointed.

"It's a one in 18 year event for all us farmers don't forget, and it's being screwed up by testing and sampling. You don't treat us like customers anymore, we're all a faceless mob of people that deliver grain to you and you look after your shareholders and no one else."

Growers feel if this technology was available to them, they would have received a more accurate assessment and been paid accordingly.

Viterra's response was consistent with what they've been saying all harvest.

Andrew Hannon, Viterra's Country Operations manager says the company made the decision to use the visual assessment supported by the falling number machine because there was 2 million tonnes of grain in the bin and potentially there was 7 million tonne of grain to come.

"There was a lot of pressure on turnaround time and there was forecasts for future rain events."

However growers didn't accept that explanation, many felt they should have had at least a choice to use the technology.

While growers and grain company Viterra may continue to agree to disagree on the subject of grain quality testing there are moves to try and smooth the waters.

Viterra is conducting a post-harvest review over the next couple of months and will be consulting with grower stakeholder groups.

Michael Schaefer, chair of SAFF's Grain Group says at the end of the day growers and Viterra wouldn't be having this debate over grain quality assessment if only there was more competition in South Australia.

And the state opposition agrees, Member for Hammond Adrian Pederick and Family First MLC Robert Brokenshire announced they were going to set up a select committee to investigate the lack of competition in grain handling in South Australia.

But Michael Schaefer says there must be discussion on reducing the monopoly at the port terminals.

He believes if there was equal and open access to the ports this will lead to increase services to growers.

In this report: Andrew Hannon, country operations manager, Viterra, Leighton Huxtable, Ian Farley, Peter Blackett, Paul Kaden, farmers; Dean McQueen, executive manager of Grain Division, Viterra

Showing the Kiwis how it's done

[Burbert]

Viterra, has been all about borrowing
and expansion. Customer service and
grain handling yawn. Worn out goof ball
employees hanging on from the old days
of Agrisnore and Agrisnore/United.
Plan, to get bit sooos you can run wit
the big dogs, leverage lottsa cash and
expand, expand. My guess is that at
some time they try to bail and cash in,
selling off their various interests.
Good time would be soon, while grain is
in short supply!!!!!!