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

[Hopperbin]

No question that we all have questions.

Don't forget Charlie a good place to meet and chat with the neighbours. Always learn something from the fellow farmers.

True that everyone got the same protien spread at time of delivery with the CWB. That could be gone now and I wonder if higher protien may be worth while holding for bargaining. Possibly contracting ahead is not a good idea unless the price is irresistable. As for malt in the past if a farmer wanted to get out of his contract because of price all he had to do was submit a poor sample. I would like to see more binding contracts on malt. What is better for the maltster is also better for the farmer. In my way of thinking.
I know of one neighbour that has done a malt contract with Richardsons. He is just contracted to grow it. I don't know how and I think he does not know how the price will be determined.
No one can say they do not have questions.

[charliep]

I should note there have been many issues raised during the debate around things like producer cars, CIGI, WGRF, grading in an open market, price discovery, availability of market market and price information, etc., etc. etc. One of the things that will reviewed at these meetings are some of these issues. Some of these things can be answered relatively easily. Changes have occurred in the system to answer some of the others. Others are things will remain outstanding but are things that will have to be followed.

[wilagro]

Tucker: How can you say that you don't like me? We've never met to my knowledge. I'm really a very nice guy. Do I know you from our Ag College days? Did I beat you out in the top ten in our class? Well I didn't get top spot either but I did come in sixth. There were some dorks there but most of them smartened up after they got into farming on their own and became realists and quit using daddy's money.

[Hopperbin]

Will if I can comment your on your comments as of lately seem to be quite self defeating. As if we are all headed towards walking towards that hanging rope and we are about to put it on our necks. Gotta think about today and tomorrow Will. The Wheat board was only a small part of our grain marketting. Why are you so hung up on it?

[wilagro]

Hopperbin: My answer is...because I think we were SLICKERED on this whole issue. The CWB could have been easily "reformed" with only a few amendments...we didn't need the complete destruction of same...which is what I see coming even if you don't.

The gamblers have won or are going to win on this one...the farmers have little say in marketing. Oh well...that's the way of the future now...like it or lump it.

[FarmRanger]

<i>"The CWB could have been easily "reformed"
with only a few amendments</i>

The only amendment needed was the elimination
of forced farmer participation. The CWB will now
have to provide value to farmers or lose market
share.
Any more amendments without removing the
single desk would have been just applying more
multi-colored lipstick on the same old pig.

[Burbert]

Yeah and the Crow was a good thing too.
Its destruction lead to many, many, many
more value added ops here in Comedia.
REALITY CHECK NONE. HTP elevators and 100
car spots were the next leap ta help
framers. REALITY CHECK NO HELP FOR
FRAMERS. Now the freedom to market grain
act. REALITY CHECK, this time framers
will really, really, really get their
monies worth...... LOL

[FarmRanger]

Compare the size of the crushing industry in western Canada to what it was before the end of the crow. Tripled, or more.

At the same time there has been no new durum processing pasta plants, no expansion of wheat milling in western Canada.

Now what could the difference have been between canola and wheat? Try asking the farmers who tryed to make a value added durum processing facility for <s>their own durum,</s> scratch that, the CWB's legislated durum.

[bucket]

wilagro

Here is some questions for you. The cwb is currently allowing farmers to cancel their durum contracts on the 11/12 crop year.

A. What does that tell you?

B. Why didn't the cwb roll them into new contracts with the new cwb and ensure the volume? They must have had the sales as they accepted 100% for the current crop year.

[charliep]

A focus of the meetings will be to get farmers to focus their efforts and decision making on the future - not the past. The way wheat and barley will be marketed to domestic food processors and export markets is changing August 1. The CWB alternative will still be there with farmer use of their services and value to the whole supply chain the ultimate determination of their survival. The CWB has a strong relationship with customers and a loyal farm base.

[charliep]

The CWB has experimented with many programs including shorter pooling periods (feed barley), cash plus (malt barley), all the producers payment options (wheat/durum), cash pricing with profits deposited in the contingency fund (feed barley). What they need initially is a mechanism to get farms to commit grain to them.

Wilagro - Your coulda, shoulda, woulda might have been governance, financing and business structure. Still room to do things here. It might also be an organization with elements of the canola council and pulse canada.

[craig]

Could be wrong but meetings slated for
areas that had a stronger board support.
Lacking meetings along the central
corridor. we do need to be thinking about
changes happening.