re: NFU previous post

[blackpowder]

Honestly what credibility does the NFU maintain? Their only value seems to be as a window into the asylum.
What relevant industry working group/board has asked them to the table in years??
Their recent alliances in this last fight should logically have erased all credibility with anyone in business in this industry.

[wilagro]

blackpowder: The NFU represents grass-root farmers. You don't think that their interests matter?

[RedRiverMB]

The NFU is absolutely irrelevant, it is nothing but a
socialist soapbox. No real farmer even considers
anything they say.

[TOM4CWB]

Wilagro,

Good on you and Burbert... to keep the NFU going! I am sure they appreciate your charity.

Cheers!

[grassfarmer]

Plenty credibility within the organisation, at least in the eyes of it's members, but thanks for your concern blackpowder.
In Alberta the NFU and it's members are currently at the forefront of campaigns to oppose the Alberta Government's abolition of landowner property rights, and their desire to cripple business in the province with the overbuilding of power lines fiasco. Indeed my phone rang at lunchtime with the news that the NFU has been approached by members in this area to organise a strategy whereby we can collectively monitor the practice of fracking, and be ready to draw public attention to incidents like the one that occurred near Innisfail a couple of weeks ago. We will feature landowners who have lost their waterwells to fracking operations as speakers at our next public meeting.
There are so many issues that this organisation is involved in, all financed by its members and volunteered time of the organisers.
Meanwhile "industry organisations" that get invited more often to industry and Government events like the Alberta Beef Producers sit tongue tied, unwilling to speak up on behalf of the members they claim to represent because they might lose their lavish Government funding.
Give me a thinking, acting organisation anyday over an ass kissing, brown nosing organisation that gets invited to all the "right events" because they have prostituted their ideals for a Government pay off.

[craig]

Suggest that the NFU does themselves a
huge disservice by being a group that
focusses so much on the negative. If
farming is so bad and we are being
constantly persecuted by everyone it would
suggest we need to do something else in
life. We do not always need to be
confrontational to achieve our goals and
working on a compromise does sometimes
work.

[katoe]

well said grassfarmer.

[jackspratwhynot]

Sometimes a joke can illustrate a situation; inthe same way as a debate of the facts.
Once there was a fancy lady who was approached by a wealthy man interested in possible services. He was quite forward and asked if she would slep with him for the sum of $2000. She was obviously interested but appeared to want to negotiate, so he asked her if she would sleep with him for $2.00. She became quite indignant; and blurted out "What kind of a person do you think I am". His reply was that it was already established what she was; and that they were only haggling about the price.

And that is the situation you place yourself in when you are seldom or never confrontational in any of your dealings.

[blackpowder]

Then perhaps the NFU should redefine it's focus. Become the Ralph Nader for Canadian farmers. Expose all the Pinto explosive gas tanks for us. We can use that.
But stay out of discussions involving market development and access, product development and supply/demand. Regardless of position you're not heard if not at table. (commodity grower groups etc.)
Your latest manifesto listing all the Unions and Toronto farmers markets and downtown churchgroups as supporters, illustrates your dilution of message and focus and is textbook example of what not to do!
Redefine and clarify your focus or dissolve. It took 3 decades to build a credible place at the table in Ottawa and effect change.In that same time you lost your seat. What MPs MLAs
phone you for input?
I would support your power line stance %100 if its foundation was based on property rights, unsustainable costs and govt. faults. But how can we not tune you out when you're so damn silly elsewhere?
What in the world is your definition of a "grass roots" farmer??? Income? net worth? Desire for all to be exactly "equal"?? "Love of soil" is your only prerequisite??
Let the smoke from that torpedo fade away and grow up.

[farmaholic]

.....What MPs MLAs
phone you for input?..........


Why would these people consult with those of dissenting opinion?

[blackpowder]

None phone me. But I support groups who are. All your "enemies" have a voice in the halls of power, no matter who is in office.
Even if opinions or politics differ, respect comes with credibility.

[grassfarmer]

I don't quite understand your concern
blackpowder. No-one is asking or compelling you
to become a member of the NFU so why do you
feel you should be dictating what the organization
does and doesn't do?
You have decided that the NFU should not
represent its members interests in discussions
involving market development and access, product
development and supply/demand. Is that your
decision to make?
You decide that listing cross community support
of the organization dilutes the message and focus.
I would disagree - I think it is very smart to have
the consumer on the side of the food producers
and these people are all eaters.
Your pick and choose attitude of whether you
support or condemn the organization based on
being in agreement on certain issues is rather
quaint but more to the point what are you, or the
organizations you are involved with, doing about
the important issues of the day like the AB Land
Stewardship Act, the power line fiasco, the
impending fracking issue? Do any of the grain
sector groups that represent you like the canola
council, western barley growers etc etc have a
stance on any of these issues?

[ASRG]

Why would anyone rip Ralph Nadar? He cleaned up the junky car industry!

The NFU does some good work. They hold the government to account. They hold the big multi national corporations to account.If we just want cheerleaders for every stupid idea the government dreams up, then we don't need groups like the NFU. If we think Monsanto or Cargill should be running our lives, then we don't need groups like the NFU?
Someone on an earlier thread had a good rip at Jan Slomp, implying he was an idiot or a commie or something....obviously they have never met the man or talked to him! He is a critical thinker, who is very concerned about the future of agriculture.

[blackpowder]

I support an organization hoping to expose the power line fiasco. Improper use/loss of water cannot tolerated.
I did not use Ralph Naders name sarcastically.
I fiercely support the NFUs' right to exist.
I reread the news release posted earlier. I merely suggest you do a reality check occasionally to maintain credibility. If you (NFU) want to be taken seriously in the future get someone else to act for you.
Your list of supporters on your recent CWB news release was recently used in a seminar as an example of what not to do.
Recent events in Europe show we cant' afford some of your other policys. If you want to be a consumers advocate or another greenpeace change your name.
Of course I know a society needs a fringe. I support your right to stay there if you choose.

[ProFarmer]

NFU ,CWB supporters,NDP and their followers, GREENPEACE,COMMUNIST supporters are all collectively the same people who have no vision except to live off the hard work of the majority of Canadians... They all sit back and complain until they get their way and a cheap handout...