Questions about the new cwb

[bucket]

1. Who are they? The same worn out socialist staff?

2. Where are they? Are they making any attempt to get their new philosophy known to producers?

3. What are their new programs?

4. Why are they taking so long to introduce new programs?

5. When will they address farmers concerns about the new crop year? Seems odd to wait until after seeding plans have been made.

Anyone want to hazard a guess. Bring forward any new questions as well.

[ProFarmer]

You hit the nail on the head with the same socialist staff with no vision for the future...

[bduke]

Bucket... the link below is yesterday's announcement.

Looks like some progress to me.

http://www.albertafarmexpress.ca/news/cwb-wont-offer-pool-b-for-2011-12-feed-
barley/1000867551/

Cheers... Bill

[Kodiak]

From what we are seeing, it seems that Ian White, and perhaps the board do have some idea as to what needs to change at the CWB to be a relevant factor in the grain business. BUT.....

They are indeed very slow off the mark with anything to offer. Its getting to the point of inexcusable. Nothing for non-contracted old crop and nothing for new crop. Are they a business, or are they still a marketing board? Business does not take this long to adjust. Seems like all the old attitudes and ideas are still holding them back.
To be honest, for me to have any confidence in the "new" CWB, I need to see some new faces with new attitudes and I need to hear some business proposals. So far -- big failure there. I've tried to engage them on the phone and in person, and from what I see and hear, there hasn't been a significant enough change in attitude or ideas to match the change in policy. Its too bad, but there's too many bureaucrats and too much socialist thinking for them to ever be successful in the real world.
Ian may not like doing it, but a wholesale change in staff is what will be needed. All the patronizing and scolding I used to get at the farm shows is still being dished out by the same people. Must be part of their genetic make up, and that, unfortunatley, cannot be changed for these poor folks.

[bduke]

Kodiak... I hope the BoD is setting a new policy course.

Some updated press releases regarding policy would help instill some
confidence.

Culture can be difficult to change.

I define culture as the experiences, attitudes and expectations which drive
behavior.

The "experience" faction is not immediately changeable, but attitudes and
expectations can be addressed.

IMHO leadership is critical to the CWB's well being, and timing has much more
present impact than future impact for addressing cultural reform.

In other words the sooner the better... for all.

I don't know whether or not the strength of leadership exists in the CEO and
BoD.

If the CWB is not willing to accept a paradigm shift, I expect it will struggle.

However, the more competition in our grain business the better....

Especially since Viterra was allowed to become so dominant, and with little
interest from our Competition Bureau.

I could be wrong.

Cheers... Bill

[bucket]

But how can they take so long to offer new programs. Why wait until the new crop is committed to the grain companies???

With the so called vast experience in grain marketing and the contacts they have, you would think they could come up with a December thru June 2013 contract that would pay a reasonable premium.

The longer they wait, the less grain they will have to sell. And that is a scorched earth policy. And not fair to any farmer if that is who they are to represent.

[Kodiak]

bduke, I understand your concerns on the level of competition in our industry. I am hoping one of the big benefits of deregulating is a renewed interest in participating in the Canadian wheat and barley industry on the part of new entrants. That certainly seemed to be the experience in Australia. I would view the new CWB as a "new competitor". Their role in the past was certainly not that, but I think we all hope it will become a new and vigorous competitor for our grain.
The government was very generous with them, providing the new CWB with a VERY substantial capital asset base
and VERY favourable access to operating funds. If they can't make a successful business out of that, then it will be because the management and culture of the organization was not up to the task.

[bduke]

Bucket....I can only surmise why they are so tardy... perhaps:

They are not changing their culture

They are struggling to agree/understand required changes

Their historic buyers expect preferential treatment

They are indeed a Gov't organization and change at bureaucratic speed

They are preoccupied seeking counsel to assess their options and
retirement packages

They are waiting for a favorable court "adjudication"

They believe the crop will be very small this year and will offer deals in
August which will be extremely attractive... and unfulfillable

The BoD is inundated with legal issues and documents

Or frankly .. dear farmers... they don't give a damn

Kodiak... A "new" competitor/entity is my reasoning for a needed paradigm
shift.

Regarding new entrants with a more deregulated environment... I think
some processing is in the works. Hopefully you are correct.

I agree their preferential treatment for a few years should catapult them
into preferred position.

I still believe leadership is the key, and I am unable to offer a sincere
opinion or evaluation of it.

Time will tell... and the clock is ticking.

Cheers... Bill

[poorboy]

I would imagine that the CWB is waiting to get deals finalized with the grain companies for handling CWB grain. Can't really offer any programs or deals until they have their infrastructure costs and logistics figured out.

They have been shipping CWB wheat through Seattle from southern Alberta. I am sure that is to test the logistics and see what the costs are.

[$short]

I expect they are trying to get a handling
agreement in place with port terminals as well as
inland.

[$short]

They are also probably struggling with the
question.....how do we deal directly with farmers?

[Burbert]

The Comedian Wheatie Bored, is now under
the thumb of the Ritz crackerman. Hence
there is now direction, whatsoever, other
than of course the winding up of business.
The current Comedian Wheatie Bored, if
legal challenges fail, is TOAST, finish,
goin the way of the doo doo bird. Heil
Harper, our current dicktator whose
priority is prison building! Cutbacks ever
where else, correct???????

[ProFarmer]

Hey Burbert it is your polictical party that is promoting the use of marijuana and other illegal drugs. By the way you talk and spell out your stupid words you must be a big user. If you ever watch and shows like cops it is fun to watch how they pick up drug using trailer trash. These jails are being made for the likes of YOU... Have you ever seen a junkie talk, Just like YOU...

[katoe]

sounds like it takes one to know one.

[riders2010]

There is no way steve is gonna allow anything resembling the cwb to be successful. Did you see all these people signing up contracts with unknown discounts for grade and quality? Now that's prudent business management at it's finest. That is being done so there is no grain left for the pool system to work with.

some of us myself included were looking for the cwb to venture out even into canola contracts etc, and not in terms of pooling but as a competitor, but there is no way the grain cos are gonna loose control of any part of the market. They want to be able to buy your poorer #1 for a #2 then blend it and sell it as a #1. that is more difficult to do when someone else is looking into what you are doing. We are forgetting that control from the cwb was taken away and given to the grain cos, not us. We just have more choice as to who is gonna screw us not whether we get screwed.