The CWB in an Open Market

[charliep]

Agree that sharing of risk and financing of inventory should be a big benefit to a renewed CWB and why a grain company would want to continue to use CWB services in an open market. Also retaining customer relationships and being able to package business (perhaps via long term agreements) will be a benefit to a grain company.

Would also agree farmer support is a big unknown. Is farmer support for the CWB the equivalent to a mile wide and a mile deep or a mile wide and an inch deep. The CWB will have to be really creative in how they add value and show benefit to farmers. When you get beyond the rhetoric of single desk, that creativity is really lacking now.

[charliep]

They use things like the Export Development Canada. Crop industry including the CWB also use these products for specific customers.

[Burbert]

Farmer support means NOTHING. The mighty
majority REFORMERS will do what they want.
WARNING "Current government does contain
nuts".

[agstar77]

Wouldn't it be a hoot if the FFJU got the CWB back with the added bonus of a marketing tariff to the Grain companies. Now that would be Justice.

[$short]

The first question that needs to be answered..........Are they planning on keeping the CWB

[TOM4CWB]

$short,

The first question to ask Oberg/Wells/Korni/and the rest of the 8 wonders of the world... do they want a commercial premium based marketing agency... or are they going to sabotage the CWB and kill it?

They can kill the CWB. They have taken every opportunity to kill the transition to a volutary system.

[$short]

Good point Tom. Its up to the forward thinking directors to chart the path for the CWB. They say they have 3 or 4 models they are evaluating. When will they show us what these plans are. They dont seem to be able to look beyond the politics of it all.

[charliep]

Why should the survival of the CWB be a government decision based on legislation? Why shouldn't the decision be a farm management/business one based on use and value? Is the CWB business case such a weak one that it can't survive on its own merit?

[$short]

I hope the CWB can survive on use and value that it provides me on Aug 1, 2012. It may develop a model that can be quite competitive and if I like it maybe we will use it, who knows.

If the CWB directors don't start planning soon on how to function without a legislated monopoly and stop trying to prevent the change from happening we may never get a chance to find out.

[charliep]

I guess why I put questions about the marketing process (mechanical) and where the CWB adds value and from there can it attract partners in the supply chain outside a legislated framework.

Perhaps a really dumb question but why are we having this discussion now - 5 years after the last CWB near death experience. The move to an open market has started a long time ago even for the CWB. I again highlight the product/programs the CWB has offered over the past 10 years including one forgot - malt barley cash plus. Changes have only occurred because of crisis - not planning.

Even the contingency fund. The need has been recognized by the CWB for years. Would have required a change to the CWB act. Has anyone talked about this? Why not?

[Burbert]

The CWB exists causa the Act. The
Reformees kin kill it, any time they want
now, cause theys a majority. The
gobermont has their spies in the CWB and
control the purse strings. Farmers have
controlled the CWB for sometime now cusa
the majority of directors, butt nope
farmers don't determine its destiny. That
was BS the whole time it was being
pitched.

[charliep]

Just seems strange to me to tell me in one sentence the CWB farm owned/controlled and the CWB finding power/control in legislation passed by parliment and supported via government guarantees. Even you will tell me that without legislation, there will be no CWB.

A case study for you. I am a 40 year farmer with a young family. I like elements of the CWB (many of which are in the topics I highlighted in the first posts) but there are other aspects where I struggle with the current programs/services as relating to the my farm and my financial situation. In the CWB surveys, I have indicated support for a dual market or some hybrid of CWB/open market. People have told me for the 10 years I have been farming this won't but I have steadfastly indicated my desire for change. What is your vision for a CWB that will meet my business first and foremost but provide a high probability to have a viable CWB as a provider of services (secondary importance)?