Agriculture policy depends on which farmers Ottawa is wooing

[checking]

In their time as government and wantabee governors the Liberals and NDP supported the soviet style farm marketing boards of Canada, and in the same time frame supported the freedom and free market choice of non-designated area farmers. Is that hypocrical? Is that an eastern vote getting tactic that doesn't ruffle feathers or contented milk cows, or is that just good politics?

The Conservatives have now pushed the freedom line a little more forward for agriculture, but not into the realm of marketing boards for dairy and poultry, and chuckchuck thinks that is hypocritical. Well, I'd call it progress to where it all should be headed.

The real issue here is that Chuckchuck's shade of red writing isn't enough that this is all about a philosophical debate between him and agriville. I believe he should man up on what part of his farm business advantage he believes he will lose if the freedom front is progressed in the DA.

[TOM4CWB]

Checking,

The amusing/sick part of this is that for organic growers (like Flaman) that the CWB has largely exempted from the 'Single Desk' and had already given 'market choice' to...

The only difference will be CWB saleries paid/picked/extracted from commercial grain growers pockets... will not be paid to CWB Directors' bank accounts.

[sumdumguy]

If Canada wants to be included in world trade
negotiations, all of these trade distorting boards
will have to be dismantled. I predict that the
country will have no choice but to remove the
privileged status of supply managed farmers,
votes or no votes.

[parsley]

And the complete part of Tom's chronicle is that
not only for organic growers (like Flaman) that
the CWB has largely exempted from the 'Single
Desk' and had already given 'market choice' to...
But ALSO the seed growers have been enjoying
market choice for decades.

Organic growers publicly attacked the CWB.
Seed growers quietly purred their way through
complimentary CWB licensing.

Lest we forget. Pars

[Fransisco]

Looking at the title here I'd have to say, <b>WOW...</b> someone has figured out that the conservatives are actually <b>POLITICIANS!</b> Who knew!?! In related news scientists have discovered water is still wet, grass is still green, and you can talk about supply management as much as you want but the wheat board monopoly is still toast.

[bluefargo]

As a seed grower I can assure you that I have not been "enjoying marketing choice for decades". Every bushel of commercial wheat and malt barley I grow must, by law, be sold through the Canadian Wheat Board. Seed, which is a specialized product operates under a different set of rules as it should. Being a specialized product organic production operates under a different set of rules as well.
In less than a year this discussion will be irrelevant anyway.

[chuckChuck]

If your going to vote Conservative perhaps you should decide whether you are in favour of free markets or soviet style supply management because you can't justify supporting both and still appear credible and consistent at home or at the WTO.

Do you think Harper used ending the CWB as a bargaining tool in negotiating trade deals or did he miss an opportunity to increase market access or reduce trade irritants?

I would say he just gave it away because he is just a man on a mission to make sure his corporate friends can benefit. Another missed opportunity.

When Ritz's political career is over he will be offered a directorship in a Corporate ag. business. A reward for a job well done.

I know all you "free marketers" believe that the corporate world is always acting in your best interest.

[gregpet]

Credible and consistent? Like the former CWB
saying they work for the best interests of farmers
and yet jail them for trying to maximize the price
they could recieve for their grain? Many, many
contradictions within the former CWB which is why it
lost any credibility with farmers a long time ago.

[gregpet]

chuck, do you think any of the former CWB directors
and employees will be handed some directorships or
high paying jobs because of the friends they have
made in the industry. I can think of a couple that
have already done this, so just make sure you realize
this happens all the time and the former CWB is no
exception to this.

[gregpet]

chuck, should the government support whichever
policy creates the most profit for farmers
reguardless of any of your percieved
inconsistencies? That is why I vote Conservative,
they will do what is best for every sector.

That is why supply management works and the
former CWB did not, consistent policy to me.

Definition of a Soviet style command economy:

" In a centrally planned economy, decisions
regarding the quantity of goods and services to be
produced are planned in advance by a planning
agency."

Similar to the dary/poultry producers, nothing like
the former CWB. So you can have your central
planning for some sectors of the economy and
realize it will not work for other sectors, which is a
very consistent and smart policy.

[charliep]

chuckChuck

Just trying to remember where you got your agriville name from.

Perhaps the highlight is that an open market for wheat and barley has been a Conservative policy for a long time and across more than one ag minister.

Always interesting to see how the issue can be turned political or personal but no one even attempts to a make a business case for the CWB. Maybe there is no business case for the CWB.

[LWeber]

Has the CWB ever looked after the interests of pro-choice farmers?

Has the CWB has stopped the declining number of farms?

Has the CWB stopped RR's from increasing rail freight?

What did Goodale get in return for the abolishment of the WGTA?

If you are concerned that corporations will never look after farmers, look at the track record above.

The CWB was ruined when it was hijacked by the left. First in an advisory capacity - then in election scam.

If you don't think it is a scam, let the Government in power set the voter's criteria and move to a preferential ballot. I'm sure Goodale would support that.

Letting all the 01 prefixes vote in the CWB election is like letting foreign relatives of Canadians vote in a Federal election.

If you oppress any group long enough, it will bite you in the ass.

Lets see what kind of communication budget the CWB has when they have to spend their own profit, not farmers.

You reap what you sow.