Grain Growers of Canada... CWB Position

[wilagro]

"Representing over 80,000 successful wheat, barley, canola, oat, corn, pea and lentil farmers across Canada, the Grain Growers of Canada is well known as the national voice of Canadian grain farmers."

Most farmers around here never heard of this group until "poof" it just appeared out of the blue.

"National voice"...hardly...more like a "special interest group".

[sumdumguy]

Wilagro, you sure aren't a voice for anyone I
know.

[begood]

The Cons may think they have bought themselves a free one year pass. Not good enough for me. Get your plan moving. I expect it won't happen like supposedly planned by the government.

[TOM4CWB]

Silver,

On the pedigreed seed... it has been a VERY LOW Percent of wheat we have produced that has gone south through the no cost system. A couple loads of high generation stock seed Radiant has been all that perked the US grower... into wanting a Canadian variety.

In 2008 really the US spring wheat growers want US varieties... as in the recent past the US prices have been better than the CWB sells our 'high quality' CDN grain. WHY would the US growers take the cut in yeild... and adaption, to grow crop you want to sell them as seed?

We sold a few loads of Grandin south of Spring wheat... that has been it since I started growing wheat seed in the 1970's.

Export Licenses are fine... if you know ABSOLUTELY for sure they are going to be there. If some court injunction... of CWB problem... stops the business... it gets very costly with trucks sitting... contracts unfilled... and you are unlikely to get a break from you know who if something goes south from your expected plan.

At times you can get export licenses... but they are usually for a 30 day period... defered deliveries charged a increased carry cost... all in all too much risk and trouble for my thin skin.

I would gear up for August 1 2012... it truly is only a stone skip away!

You can never beat a well planned out transaction and sale... it works well on all sides!

[Raven]

Silver

Under the same legislation, eastern farmers have gotten along fine for years with export licences and similarily, in the designated area, I have been out of the monopoly for close to 10 years with my barley. It works, and an order from the Government to the CWB to apply national legislation the same across Canada is as solid as it gets.

Its amazing to see captive farmers want to wait another year. In captivity.

[checking]

You had better be right, Tom, because I'm agreeing with Raven's comment. I'm seing this as nothing but a stall tactic.

The Board is not willing to transition, have said as much, acted as much, and will have no more moved off their position by 2012 than exist today. Then what, and what will have been accomplished by a year's delay that couldn't be have been accomplished by August 2011?

Houses that are on fire need to be dealt with today; not a year from now.

[silverback]

Tom,

These other guys have it right (imo).

Is Ontario still under the CWB act? If they are, how is it that they are able to do business with their wheat in whatever way they want?

Is it because of the simple fact that the no cost licences are obtained by the grain companies and brokers for export on a large scale?

I don't believe that the average farmer in Ontario is having to track down an export licence on his/her own to ship grain to an Ontario buyer who may then load it for export to the US or somewhere else. Who obtains the licence?

Are you telling us that mass, no cost export licences would not change the way our accredited exporters do business with those companies and farmers in the designated area?

I can't believe that our western canadian grain handling system is that different than Ontario's right now that giving out export licences wouldn't make us reasonably similar?

[vvalk]

Wilagro. having to resort to misinformation once again. the GGC has been in existance for 10 years. Didnt realize that poof meant 10 years. How old are you to look at it that way?

[Raven]

Silver,
An important point to understand is that the Government must follow the laws of Parliament (CWB Act). The Act clearly puts elevators, railways and the "trade" under control by Part II of the Act and the declaration in the Canada Grains Act and sec. 76 of the CWB Act that all elevators, mills, etc are works for the general advantage of Canada.

Until the Conservatives make changes to the Act in Parliament, they must comply with the present Act. Ordering the CWB to grant export licences to the trade, may be challengable in the courts. Quite different for producers selling their own grain.

The Act requires all exports must have an export licence. Because it is readily and freely available, my guess is that it is often ignored down east.

[TOM4CWB]

Silver,

The really big gains to be found... are to direct deliver our grain... not having to be a part of CWB pooled sales and redistribution of income.

1. All PPO contact board grain is sold to the CWB Pool it belongs to. NO DIRECT return ever... pools take a chunk.

2. We in western Canada have a $20-30/t lower cost to get to west coast port position... which a portion could easily be returned to grain growers as the vast majority of the time it is with open market crops.

3. The CWB should easily be able to match farm gate prices for same quality of grain. They don't to keep growers from making the CWB look like kindergarden children. Just like in 2003-04 when Fusarium wheat that the CWB and CGC said should be burned... was actually worth more than CWB high quality milling wheat.

We are backwards. Going south with our grain is inefficient in any significant volume... and just hurts our own communities.


This needs to be done right... to benefit all industry... including grain growers this time!

EX minister Goodale's revenge... still at work. The CWB Act... till revolked/recinded... and removed... is a real problem to creating value with Oberg in charge.