CWB story on BNN

[chuckChuck]

http://watch.bnn.ca/friday#clip529364

[mbratrud]

What does this guy have to do with anything, he is obviously pasionate about the topic as he reads his notes. sheesh. Again someone else that thinks he knows whats best for me.

[mbratrud]

A few really big farms are making noise about getting rid of the single desk. Give me a break....

[chuckChuck]

What I can't figure out is most farmers know that they are regularly getting screwed by the input suppliers, the machinery dealers and whenever possible the grain traders and they want more of the same without any farmer run institutions with any power.

Farmers across this country as a group don't regularly make a profit from the marketplace without government subsidies. I don't call that success.

So why would you give it all away just to find out the grass isn't greener on the other side of fence?

Lemmings or sheep?

[checking]

Is there anything positive going on with your farming, chuckchuck? Change your attitude, change your life.

It sounds like every farm encounter you have ends up with you feeling someone is putting a taper on you.

I've never felt the way you describe your group. Perhaps you should consider having as little to do with government as you possibly can. There's a recipe for happiness on the farm.

You are just digging yourself a worry hole.

[mbratrud]

I agree with checking. not once have I
made a business plan on my farm based on
govt handouts.

Also I have been actively farming now
for 12 years and prior and during that
period I spent 15 years in the grain
trade. during that time in the grain
industry I cant remember once thinkig to
myself how can I screw the farmer, and
99% of my colleages would honestly say
the same.

[blackpowder]

If I feel an input manufacturer or supplier has way too much margin, I may buy their shares. It's worked on several ag stocks lately.
And would someone finally explain to me please.
How can anyone say we are being screwed on grain sales with true open outcry. What I hear you say is that the futures prices are phony and the basis agreements are lies. Secretely grain changes hands all the time between the big boys??
I don't trust the big suits either, but laws are broken everyday?? Then create stronger Combines and Anti-trust Laws.
I hear this argument a lot from one side but development of theory never.
The returns back on POT & AGU wasn't phony.

[begood]

"Farmers across this country as a group don't regularly make a profit from the marketplace without government subsidies. I don't call that success."

I agree; and the fact is; and it is a fact; this has all happened under the watch of the CWB; and a 70 year stretch at that. So should we want another 70 years of the same.

Its long past time for a change.

[mbratrud]

Blackpowder good points.

The CWB Directors have been threatening that the scary evil grain companies are going to screw the small farmer. This isn't 1950 and there is not 2 Elevators in each town and Market information isn't only available in a newspaper 10 days after it happened. Today we have companies that require throughput to make money and they deal with so many producers at each location there is no way they descriminate between large and small 99% of the time. In fact I have found in many cases needing to move a large volume is a burden. Easier to move 100 tonne of Grain than 1000. Market information and competitor prices are at everyones finger tips.

I have said this before Grain Handlers make more money on CWB Grains than anything else. If they want to screw you it is just as easy to screw you on CWB Grains as Non Board, through grading and tarrifs.

I watched this video again and boy would I love to have a one on one with Mr. Know it all without his notes!

[jdepape]

Chuck:
Tell me why you think you're getting screwed by
grain companies and input suppliers but not by
the CWB...

[blackpowder]

What WE all need to talk about is the health of OUR Industry. Discuss giving the CGC some ICC like teeth if you feel it's necessary. Discuss unified aggressive lobby force.
All that I hear is 'we must all stay in this time capsule/bomb shelter together or we will all die'
Still waiting.

[chuckChuck]

Where have you guys been? 1000s of farmers have left the business because of poor economics and they told their kids not to go into farming for the same reason. Do you not realize that a large percentage of farm families have significant off farm income just to survive. What happened to all your neighbors? How many acres does it now take to make a respectable living without working off the farm? If farming is so successful in this country why are we not seeing an increase in the number of farmers?

[blackpowder]

You've been in your bomb shelter so long you think you're immortal. If you think your part of an ageless dynasty think again. No system in the universe lasts forever.
1 generation ago 9 families with my surname lived Solely off their farms. My gen. has 1. Local multigens. are the largest farmers. Their common denominator is a patriarch that did a good job of training all children properly.
PLEASE give a clearer description of 'family farm'.
Even the Hutterite system can't last forever.
Your speaking of a quality of life or 'lifestyle'. Again, our small population cannot afford to carry a European style farmer, Hell even they can't afford it anymore!
Perhaps your speaking of everyone operating a small local market garden farm. Oddly enuf there is a trend in major urban centers for urbanites to do this very thing.
Clarify your ideals so we can keep them in our industry.
I admire your passion doublechuck but you may tire of immortality by watching everything around you eventually die.

[furrowtickler]

I know what happened to my neighbors, they loved the CWB and laughed at us that grew canola-peas-lentils-canary seed, basicaly anything but board grains.
Those that jump from the nest learn to fly, the odd one crashes and burns but all those who don't leave the nest die eventualy...

[mbratrud]

John, is that Young Depape suited up for Winnipeg in Penticton any relation?