Alberta Agriculture Meetings - "Capturing Wheat and Barley Market Opportunities"

[boarderbloke]

wilagro, nothin's free! I wouldn't doubt the "free doughnuts" from the CWB were probaly bought from the same place Obama gets the free muffins he puts out. The ones costing $16.00 per muffin.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-20/-extravagant-spending-16-muffins-found-at-justice-conferences.html

[FarmRanger]

Wow, how some people can take a positive thing like an information meeting and turn it into a government bashing session is truly astounding.

I'm closest to the Lethbridge meeting, but it comes right on the heels of Farmtech, so it might be hard to manage the time.

[Hopperbin]

I could not find where there is a cost to attend. But if there was I would think it will be a good thing to go to, I won't miss the local Sask. meeting.

[charliep]

No cost in Alberta. No cost lunch. No guarantee on doughnuts to accompany the free coffee.

[hobbyfrmr]

Why is it going to be so hard to market wheat?
Get the price either FOB farm, or delivered to
terminal. Have the discount schedule established
and printed out before signing contract. Deliver in
the month designated. Just like canola, feed
barley, ethanol wheat, feed wheat, milling oats,
peas, lentils, flax. Am I missing something here?
Seems like a mountain from a molehill.

[charliep]

FarmRanger

Lethbridge is the week after FarmTech. Lots of good marketing information at FarmTech this year.

[Burbert]

The only thing good aboot Albertie
meetings was the FREE lunch, butt a whole
new world has been thrust upon framers.
Maybe they'll serve somma those tough
barely flower cookies ta make there point.
We don't due surveys er attend these
phoney politico meetins any more. Nothing
worse than sittin wit a bunch a dumb
albertie frameers listenin ta propoganda
from the Barely Commission. Duhhhhhhhhhh!

[FarmRanger]

Thanks Charlie, I should have checked the dates
more closely before I posted. I should be able to
do both.

[Burbert]

Framstranger, It appears that you two
are on a Commie/Wich hunt. You and
toquer should get tagether and boil some
oil er pile up some would so yu cud deal
wit the next 1 er 2 that talks ta ya.
Careful though ya may end up torturin
some caring old Comedian framer that
doesn't know where he/she is at mosta
the time, while trying ta make a livin.
New dog eat dog favors people like you
though, greed is good, greed is what
motivates most tools!

[Tucker]

I agree with hobbyfrmr, nice to have an
info session but they chase us to
produce every other commodity, why not
wheat too. If you can make money on the
price offered for fall, contract half
your expected yield, play with the
balance you produce. We do it every day
with canola, flax, peas and everything
else we produce, we'll be fine with an
open market.

I think if you're stupid enough to go to
a meeting or not based on the free
coffee and donuts offered there you're
probably stupid enough to buy a tractor
based on the hat you get at the end of
the deal too.

And yes Willie old man, that last bit
was for you...I don't like you

[charliep]

I suspect you are right for many farmers. Some will be more concerned - maybe those who have only used the pooling system in past for wheat and not fixed price contracts etc.

Wheat will be a more complicated market in that other crops have relatively few grades and no quality characturistics. 1 Canada canola is 1 Canada (not to the point of paying oil premiums). 1CW barley is 1CW realizing that some feeders will pay premiums based on a grid for bushel weight and plumpness. Wheat is a specific grade and protein with maybe some nuances paid around quality characturistics like falling number. Helping farmers understand this new world and perhaps more importantly what to look for in contracts they will be signing. As an example, no companies that I am aware of will lock in a grade or protein price grid. In fairness the CWB never locked in spreads either - you got the spreads in final payments or initial payment spreads at the time of delivery if a flexpro/fixed price contract.

All farmers need to understand the changes to the system and how they position themselves in their business strategy/marketing plan. The meetings are meant to be a starting place for some farmers (not all).

[Tucker]

You are so right Charlie, personally I
am growing wheat again but will start to
contract once the crop is in the bin and
the grade is known. I don't like the
unknown protein spread contracts so I
won't sign them. I just LOVE to have
that freedom now. That certainly beats
pooling with the CWB and then maybe
getting paid 18 months later.

I did a FPC on half my 2010 production.
The final payment? A HUGE $8000.00 LOL
Really needed to defer that one....