Dear Mustardman,
I am not the only one who has a problem with Chairman Obergs management.
http://www.producer.com/Daily-News/Article.aspx?aid=38573
By Barry Wilson, Ottawa bureau
July 15, 2011
The federal government and Canadian Wheat Board are both misplaying their hands in the stand-off over government plans to end the CWB monopoly, says a senior Canadian analyst.
Sylvain Charlebois, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the University of Guelph, said he supports the government plan to end the CWB's market monopoly.
However, he faults the Conservatives for not being clear in telling farmers how they plan to equip the CWB to survive in an open market environment.
"Obviously, there needs to be a dialogue between the government and farmers and the wheat board that would address the 'beyond the monopoly era' question," said Charlebois, who used to work at the University of Regina.
"Right now, the wheat board is clearly defiant and trying to defend its own territory, but I would argue that is against its own interests. From a strategic point of view, we need to move forward and think how the board can survive without the single desk because that is going to happen."
Charlebois said the government should not be bound by a flawed producer vote that the CWB plans this summer. Instead, it must listen to farmers.
"You need a vision, a rationale, to bring farmers on board and I'm just not convinced that the right tone has been set to establish partnerships for the future."
Charlebois said the government should make it a priority to signal how the board can survive as a pooled seller of prairie grain, and the board should quit obstructing and start negotiating the best deal possible in the interests of farmers who need it.
"The end of the monopoly will represent the end of an era deep-rooted in generations of prairie farming. The very survival of many farms in Canada will depend on how the CWB will flourish once the single desk ends."
I am not the only one who has a problem with Chairman Obergs management.
http://www.producer.com/Daily-News/Article.aspx?aid=38573
By Barry Wilson, Ottawa bureau
July 15, 2011
The federal government and Canadian Wheat Board are both misplaying their hands in the stand-off over government plans to end the CWB monopoly, says a senior Canadian analyst.
Sylvain Charlebois, associate dean for research and graduate studies at the University of Guelph, said he supports the government plan to end the CWB's market monopoly.
However, he faults the Conservatives for not being clear in telling farmers how they plan to equip the CWB to survive in an open market environment.
"Obviously, there needs to be a dialogue between the government and farmers and the wheat board that would address the 'beyond the monopoly era' question," said Charlebois, who used to work at the University of Regina.
"Right now, the wheat board is clearly defiant and trying to defend its own territory, but I would argue that is against its own interests. From a strategic point of view, we need to move forward and think how the board can survive without the single desk because that is going to happen."
Charlebois said the government should not be bound by a flawed producer vote that the CWB plans this summer. Instead, it must listen to farmers.
"You need a vision, a rationale, to bring farmers on board and I'm just not convinced that the right tone has been set to establish partnerships for the future."
Charlebois said the government should make it a priority to signal how the board can survive as a pooled seller of prairie grain, and the board should quit obstructing and start negotiating the best deal possible in the interests of farmers who need it.
"The end of the monopoly will represent the end of an era deep-rooted in generations of prairie farming. The very survival of many farms in Canada will depend on how the CWB will flourish once the single desk ends."
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