Post single desk CWB

[rockpile]

Just wondering what your vision of the new 2012
CWB might look like. Cott raised some ideas that
align with my own thoughts. About becoming a
global trading enterprise and diversifying into
several different commodities. Like it or not, the
CWB has a very stout reputation globally and has
very strong contacts in most countries around the
world. Should they maybe become agents for other
grains, livestock, resources (natural gas offshore
will be huge), etc. Should the new enterprise be
shareholder owned, or become a co-op, or a blend,
or should it remain a Govt trading agency (though I
have a distaste for Govt being in the business of
business). Let's stop ranting and start thinking
about creating the future. Opportunity doesn't
occur through platitudes and speeches, but through
thoughtful and forceful actions.
Rockpile

[bucket]

Unfortunately, rockpile, the current board of directors are not capable of seeing past their noses or their own self interests (stewie, cam, and kyle) to see the bigger picture.

If they were as good as they say, the opportunities for them would be endless.

Lack of vision.

[silverback]

How about this:

1) Come out and hold a full press conference acknowledging that farmers from now on will be free to do business with whomever they want. I want to hear it straight from their mouths on video, no lame release on the website. I would also like to hear the chairman apologize for putting farmers in jail in the past and for continuing with the threat of jail for all these years.

2) They already have our phone number, our address, our email, etc... How about starting next week they start contacting us, like any other broker would, and see if there is any grain left on the farm and whether we would part with it for $ x ?.

3) The week after that they start asking if we would be interested in a cash price for fall delivery? How about joining a pool of some sort? Basis contract?

How about the start acting like brokers first to see if they really know what they are doing or not?

[wd9]

What farmer would actually sign up under their own free will to get a below average price minus the cost of all the overhead of a company like the CWB?

[rockpile]

I asked for vision and building new opportunities.
Instead I hear criticism of the past. Big wow!
Silver, you are totally myopic. Who the hell gives a
damn about your phone number in a global
economy? You are a bit player at best. Wd9, you
must be brilliant because I have 2 good friends who
are commodity traders, one grains, one natural gas
and they both remind me that on average, 80% of
product moves at the bottom 50% of price any given
year. So good on you. Good luck with the new
reality - you 2 need lots of it. Your words confirm
what I suspected - losers!!!
Cheers, Rockpile

[bucket]

Management get their marching orders from the board of directors.

So even if the cwb people see an opportunity, it has to pass by Oberg. How do you think that's going over?

The cwb could be involved with inputs like fertilizer from overseas to keep prices in line. It only takes a couple of boat loads to straighten up agrium's price.

I think alot of ideas have been brought forward at c to c conferences but none have been acted on so I think the beaucracy at the cwb is too thick to do anything of value.

And it will remain that way until the top changes.

[silverback]

Wow, you are so thoughtful and forceful rocky. Being called a loser by someone like you means I must be doing something right.

Why would you even ask for suggestions? It is obvious you already know what is best for the wheat board and by extension all of us.

Why are you so anxious to turn them into something they aren't now? If they can't perform the basics in a voluntary procurement program, why would anyone join them as a coop or other venture?

[wd9]

CWB will never survive. A socialist organization in a socialist province without an Act to force farmers involvement let alone any vision has no hope. They have no future.

[freewheat]

My vision for cwb 2012. It will be a distant memory because the directors are not trying to make it into something.

And that suits me just fine!!!! They don't deserve to exist if they don't try. And that is my vision of 2012. A dead wheat board, BOO HOO.

[malleefarmer]

Honestly you guys may never get anywere with this.......rockpile had valid questions and points and is looking foward you guys shoot him down looking backwards,you have to change your mentality and ll work together pro and anti board supporters or you will have ZERO change.
blind bloody freddy can see that shoot me down as a aussie how knows bugger all but start thinking

[freewheat]

Malle, the thing is, what I said is true. The board is refusing to change, to make any effort to be a viable entity in 2012. There is sweet nothing any of us can do about this. They are hanging themselves. How can you "work together" with that attitude?

I used to think they should exist into the future as part of a dual market. After seeing them clawing to hang on, I have officially changed my mind. It is the board of directors who are screwing with us all by not trying. Talking to my director about it is like talking to hitler about saving the jews, you get NOWHERE!!!

[Fransisco]

I think the big question is, should it remain tied to the federal government in some way or should it go completely independent.

I agree there is opportunity here, but its going to be up to the people running the board to grab it. If they can get out of the single desk or nothing mindset they've got a good chance.

[silverback]

Where is the voice of choice from the boardroom of the board? What has happened to those that were sent to try and effect some change from within?

Are they now afraid to lose their jobs?

Elections are held to elect LEADERS!

They are going to lose their jobs anyway if the board takes this negative approach to changing their procurement system.

The only voice for change is coming from the government, grower groups, and commentators, and that is wrong.

[btjadenlepp]

what i would really like to see are some
2012-crop prices - now. if they came in
around current levels, i'd be inclined
to recommend clients start locking in a
first increment, mainly due to the
longer-range threat of a government debt
crisis and the fact that margins are
generally great. that would move us a
long ways forward very quickly to
understanding the future.

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