re: NFU previous post

[bluefargo]

Grassfarmer
I certainly agree with you on one point. The NFU punches far above it weight in terms of media visiblility. NFU members will drive 300 miles to a farm meeting. And yes they are always loud and noticable. They make the most of radio talk shows. CBC in particular calls the NFU first for comment.

I guess from an NFU point of view this is a good thing. Sometimes at meetings and on CBC I long for that silent person that is sitting there to say something that reflects the thoughts and wishes of the average farmer (I realize there is no such thing as an average or typical farmer)

[blackpowder]

Agree. But just spent time reading on the NFU website. I'm not an economist. Your policies are admirable in their sincerity but feel incredibly unrealistic. How can 30 million people be asked to pay for all this?
I have confidence that consumers will be able to afford safe food in 100 years.
Your org. seems to have a strong political focus. Govt. will always need some type of involvment in food policy yes, but I see you as extreme.
For better or worse I would not want to see my business in Canada look like that in some countries in Europe.
You may not be an irrelevant org.
But presently you are unrealistic.
You are presently outdated. You might prove to be very futuristic ie. Star Trek.
By the way, more famine hardship has been caused by govts. than any other driver.

[Hopperbin]

Just looked on the NFU local food, there is no local food in Western Canada. Did I miss something?

[malleefarmer]

Reading this thread laid up in hospital recovering
from hip replacement.
Not knowing who is right or wrong policy wise I
don't care but at least grass farmer is doing
something , farmer apathy is a huge problem in
Australia regarding farm policy groups.
At least nfu is doing something wether it's right or
wrong far better than doing zero.
Ps I know I'm out of my depth on this topic

[hobbyfrmr]

What? No local food in the designated area?
Does this somehow have to do with the removal
of the monopoly? Is the food supply in western
Canada secure without the smarts of the CWB?
Who is going to save us from ourselves? ...Sorry
not very valuable input but I just could not resist!

[grassfarmer]

Blackpowder your views are valid and I like reading
them - makes a change from the usual mindless,
ignorant abuse thrown at the organization. I don't
know all the answers - I'm not an official with the
NFU or anything merely a member.

Hopper, I know there is plenty local food being
produced and sold by NFU members in Western
Canada. Maybe they just aren't using the listing
facility on the website? - I know we haven't to date,
we can sell out of $90k of meat a year off the back
of our own website and word of mouth from
existing customers. I think that is general of the
direct marketing sector just now - demand far
exceeds supply so we don't need to advertise too
aggressively.

malleefarmer, I agree with you on the apathy I think
it is about the biggest problem here. Apathy borne
of the horrible demographics of the farm population
in western Canada. A real problem for sure in most
areas.

[malleefarmer]

The farmers here who complain the loudest are
in no farmer organizations and just complain how
poorly they are run and policy etc etc but won't
get of there asses to do something about it.

We too have farm bodies completely diametrically
opposed in policy etc but I'm a member of both
and try to have useful input into both rather than
sticking ones head up ones anus and then talking
shit.......

[blackpowder]

And I would like to thank everyone for provoking me to reflect on some of this and educate myself on some of the good you do. Hope I remember a little.
Gotta admit I don't have a dog and it's so easy to take a kick at NFU.
Now what am I gonna do?

[stonepicker]

The nfu apparently represents grass-roots farmers. So
what is a grass-roots farmer anyways?

[wilagro]

Just "google" grass-roots farmer and you will find enough material to keep you going for hours.

[TOM4CWB]

Wilagro, So... I do not count as a
grassroots farmer cause the NFU hates
me? Wow talk about hypocrazy. Sob story,
the crazy 8 burnt many bridges to
commercial grain growers. So now we do
not count? Why not get burb and grassy
to be positive for a moment... good CWB
policy changes... the sun will rise this
morning...I bet!

[ProFarmer]

There is one word for their type FEAR MONGERS...Always scared of change and tommorrow... The sun is coming up.

[FarmRanger]

Commercial grain farmers were vastly under-
represented in last falls CWB "plebiscite", the
NFU have demonstrated that they are completely
Ok with that.  Pretending to be on our side while
advocating policies which are harmful to our
businesses.  
Judging the NFU press releases, they have never
advocated for farmers who actually want to make
their living from grain farming.  They continue to
reside on the leftwing lunatic fringe with ideas
which are antithetical to the hardworking
entrepreneurial spirit that built western Canadian
agriculture.  
Being against market freedom is only one
example in a long list of bad policy.

[blackpowder]

List of things learned today:
there is a nfu in US
there is a WFO
also a CFA
All groups are aligned.
If they are as extreme as Canada's NFU they do a much better job of hiding it.

[Burbert]

This thread makes me wanta renew my
membership in the NFU, after reading the
dillusional angribusiness crew spouting
off. These new worldly types are the real
threat to Comedian gag. Those who believe
that a ritz cracker nose what he is doin
and is doin it in their best
interest...........