Obergs new plan

[Fransisco]

[Fransisco]

From Obergs blog...

http://cwbeyeswideopen.blogspot.com/2011/08/rural-myths.html

During the CWB meeting in Oak Bluff last Wednesday, a young man got up to ask a question about marketing choice. He showed courage in so doing, given the crowd was pretty heavily leaning to the pro-single desk side. Many at the microphones had talked about democracy and about respect for farmers’ right to choose their own marketing system. This farmer said he supported democracy and choice and he wanted to have the right to choose between marketing his grain through the CWB and through the open market.


I’ve heard this view expressed many times in the past, of course, but I was struck by this farmer’s sincerity, his civility and in the fact that he asked a question and then seemed genuinely interested in listening to how people, myself included, responded to it. I answered him honestly and to the best of my ability, and I’ll share my thoughts here as well.


I really sincerely and completely wish the dual market could exist. It would make all of our lives just so much easier. Think of it – those of us who support the CWB could market through the organization and those who don’t could simply ignore the rest of us and go out on their own. Unfortunately, it can’t work that way, and no amount of “creativity”, “imagination”, “vision” or any of the other things I’ve been accused of not having can make it so.


The dual market is a western Canadian rural myth. It doesn’t exist anywhere in the world and it won’t exist here. A single desk is an all or nothing deal, and I feel like it is very important that we are honest about that. People have been talking about a "dual market" in Western Canada for the last 20 years. No one has been able to describe how it could work, other than in the abstract, ie, I'll be able to market my grain through the CWB or any other company I choose. That's not a plan - it's wishful thinking.


The main champions of dual marketing are those who want to get rid of the CWB. They realize that isn't popular, so instead they've fed this myth of a "strong and viable" CWB in an open market. Let me be clear, by "champions", I don't mean farmers like the young man from Manitoba whom I referenced above. A lot of farmers have indicated they would prefer a dual market, and I can see why: it's the best of both worlds. But it doesn't exist.




Last week, AAFC released a tender looking for professional audit services to review the wind-up of the CWB. Specifically: “The purpose of the audit is to provide reasonable assurance of the total financial impact of the repeal of the Canadian Wheat Board Act and the dissolution or winding up of the CWB after the final pooling periods (expected to be July 31, 2012). The final pool period may be conducted as usual under the Act.”


The first objective of the audit is identified as: “To provide assurance that the financial reporting is up-to-date and that all financial transactions have been accurately recorded in order to determine the potential financial impact of the repeal of the Canadian Wheat Board Act and the dissolution or winding up of the CWB.”


This is not the work of single-desk supporters trying to fear-monger and create uncertainty about what will happen when the single desk is removed. This is, in stark black and white, the machinery of the bureaucracy starting to gear up for the end of the CWB. (You can read the entire RFP at
http://www.merx.com/English/SUPPLIER_Menu.asp?WCE=Show&TAB=1&PORTAL=MERX&State =7&id=225648&src=osr&FED_ONLY=0&ACTION=&rowcount=& lastpage=&MoreResults=&PUBSORT=0&CLOSESORT=0&IS_SM E=Y&hcode=Dp%2b7f5EACNboZof2DB87ZA%3d%3d


There is no “strong and viable” CWB in an open market. There is no more CWB. You may think this is a good thing. You may think this is a bad thing. But please, for the sake of all of those out there who genuinely believe that a dual market is possible, as opposed to those who pretend it is for political expediency, be honest about it.

[wilagro]

Oberg is right on that one...it IS the end of the CWB...period.

Its what you and other special interest groups wanted so that is IT...CWB kaput. You've won...so why not stuff the insults and rhetoric and get on with the farming enterprise and those of us who supported the CWB will just have to come up with our own viable way of marketing grain without being "robbed" as the farmers were before the CWB was created.

[btjadenlepp]

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why is Oberg's answer
all about a 'dual market?' It makes no
sense.

Eldon (the farmer with the great
question in Oak Bluff) didn't ask for a
dual market, he asked to be able to sell
his grain to whoever he chooses. It's
not right to assume that he expects the
CWB to continue to be an option in its
current form. And it's manipulative to
take the discussion off topic.

The thing that frustrates me the most
about the Board and the CWB's resistant
Sr. management people is that they give
a farmer no credit for understanding the
issues. All the farmers I hang around
with have sound commercial
sensibilities. That's what makes it so
hard for them to communicate with people
who can't see past the single desk.

www.farmlinksolutions.ca

[Fransisco]

I guess that's Obergs idea of honesty. Don't answer the question thats asked. Make up another one to answer instead.

[Fransisco]

As to the insults and the rhetoric. Once the wheat board stops with it, so will everyone else.

[jdepape]

wilagro!

You nailed it when you said "...those of us who supported the CWB will just have to come up with our own viable way of marketing grain... "!!

It's not up to the government to create a farmer-run marketing agency - part of the whole idea is to get govt out of the business of marketing grain.

I would also say its not up to the current CWB directors either. Their job is to guide the current organization - their mandate does not include creating a new one. (I actually agree with them on this one.)

So that leaves it up to you and other like-minded producers.

So, go for it, wilagro, and I wish you well!!

[malta]

I have always been honest about this. I don't care if the CWB exists or not, I just don't want to deal with it. Supporters want to paint this as a marketing issue, it is not. This is an issue of basic freedom and property rights. If it is truly my wheat, I must have the ability to sell it to whoever I want,when I want for a price I chose. If I'm not allowed to do that, then I really don't own it. For those who want a CWB, I Absolutely support your right to have one, but I will never give up the fight to stop you from telling me how I have to market my wheat.

[blackpowder]

Let's lay the blame for the downfall where it belongs. You can't completely alienate %50 of your industry partners %100 of the time. I've never heard discussion on de-linking pooling from the single desk. I've seen no vision for anything but 'all for export'.
The few mandates the board had were undiscussable and sacred. The ideology early on from a core group became "change absolutely nothing!"
Ideas were sacrilege. Evolution stagnated. "No one by decree shall have any advantage on any one else!"
The players polarized and the Holy Grail was safely defended in sanctuary.
Farmers Templar elected directors with instructions to preserve and protect. The only credentials required were to swear the oath.
Meanwhile other industries evolved with time.
In this eleventh hour I still hear nothing new from the extremists on either side.
So, to all the Wilagro's out there congratulations You Win! You have successfully defended whatever good we did have to complete extinction.

[TOM4CWB]

No New plan for the CWB here.

First;

You 'Used' her;

Then;

You 'Abused' her;

NOW;

You and you gang put a plan together and 'lose' her.

Are you going to dump her in the ocean.... or just bury her on the back 40???

Truth hurts... Chairman Oberg... doesn't it. How Many Promises and hearts have you and your abusive gang broken... Prince Oberg???

Resign now... while you still can carry out the half honourable end to this breach of trust... and direct abuse of those you were elected to serve!!!

That would be the BEST new PLAN... Chairman Oberg for all concerned!!!.