Malt bly vs canola

[blackpowder]

So, I bin my malt- it's accepted right away. I have to decide at once how many tonnes to sign to the A if I want the money for it at all that crop year.
I bin my canola- I sell a percentage throughout the year based on my cash requirements and my perception of open outcry market signals.
Result- Cinderella crop once again without central planning, after how many decades without "support"? - expected to reach all time acreage high.
Feed prices expected to match or exceed malt prices??!!
Even when canola was $5.50 in 2005 I felt bankrupt but never bewildered. Nervous but never angry.
How many canola producers have consistently felt confused?
Never in the $5-$6 years did I hear anyone wish we socialize their industry.
Geez, I'm sorry but I just can't seem to understand?!

[mbratrud]

Hi Blackpowder how are you?

I would imagine your country is going to be wall to wall Canola next year. Malt Barley is a dog, I hope nobody grows it in 2011/12.....

Just Remember VERY recent history when Malt Barley per acre net crushed Canola. Everything has its hay day and Malt Barley will come. The pricing Flexibilty of Malt Barley under the Board sucks. I dont know how different it would be outside of the CWB, be kinda like Marketing Lentils or Milling Flax i'm thinking. Not giving a lot more pricing options but maybe would alow producers to feel less preasured to get all their tonnes commited earley on.

Is it time to Free Barley?

[cris]

In our country there is no way you can justify seeding malt barley at these levels. It does not pencil out on one account and it can't handle wet feet(the bigger risk here.) Wheat, and Oats take the water much better.
Cash plus is a joke, have had it twice and barley prices dropped and my barley became unsuitable, but shipped to someone else.

Its time to free barley (and Wheat)

[jamesb]

cris, you are correct in that with cash plus contracts. There are so many varieables with malt barley grading to find a means to reject it when the maltster doesnt want it. Farmers are taking too much risk for the rewards with malt. I'd like to have a firmer understanding of when the malt will move BEFORE I sign the contract. That is, if the malt has any quality issues at ALL, it is a huge risk for the farmer to hold the malt on the farm into the winter.

[bucket]

The malt companies get to look at all available supplies and add up total production and then determine who they will deal with.

Its a retarded system and goes to prove that the cwb is taking care of the maltsters rather than the farmer.

If a sample is selected the cwb should be on the maltster to move the product from the farmer. Instead, the cwb is accomodating the maltster for terms and rejection.

Once selected, barley should become the maltster's responsibilty which would include storage and conditioning charges even at the farmer's yard since he can't do anything with it as it is contracted.

[boarderbloke]

I agree bucket, the Maltsters risk nothing(loss of germ, heating, bugs etc.) by having you store it, plus they don't have to the expense of over head, from building storage, farmers are chumps, and they'll store it for free. If 5% of farmers have their barley downgraded after being accepted, most every year there will be plenty of others ready and willing to make up the loss, the amount they need in NA is finite.
The CWB is accomodating because anything rejected goes to them for export, likely barley they would normally not get pooled to them.

[mbratrud]

Hi Blackpowder how are you?

I would imagine your country is going to be wall to wall Canola next year. Malt Barley is a dog, I hope nobody grows it in 2011/12.....

Just Remember VERY recent history when Malt Barley per acre net crushed Canola. Everything has its hay day and Malt Barley will come. The pricing Flexibilty of Malt Barley under the Board sucks. I dont know how different it would be outside of the CWB, be kinda like Marketing Lentils or Milling Flax i'm thinking. Not giving a lot more pricing options but maybe would alow producers to feel less preasured to get all their tonnes commited earley on.

Is it time to Free Barley?

[Hopperbin]

I think it is time to get rid of CWB marketting before we lose our malt industry. Charlie what has been happenning on malt and malt barley exports the last couple years? Its not pretty.. Farmer direct to maltster or exporter is the way to go.
Business relationships is what we need. Why the hell we blame cwb, the maltster blames cwb. the cwb tells us we need them bull.

[blackpowder]

Hello, mbratrud. The last year has been one hell of a ride. A lot of changes, but I feel like a million bucks. Look me up if you get out this way. Too bad you couldn't make it to Saskatoon first week in Jan. I think I will post about that experience soon.
%8 of my acres will be Malt this year. %60 canola. the rest HRS.
Rotations are tight enough I may not have enuf canola acres in 2012 unless I go some back to back.
I agree Malt barley really is a specialty crop that doesn't fit in our current system.