Competition

[samhill]

It's apparent that there are people at this site with experience and understanding of farmer owned terminals, which I admit I'm not familiar with.
I have seen these farmer owned operations operate successfully on a smaller scale, but not anything large enough for the prairies since the wheat pools disappeared. The Americans have done it successfully with ethanol plants, so it can be done.
Long term enterprise and a lot of us are long in the tooth.

[mbratrud]

Just to be clear, my post was not to dwell on the past and I don't want to lay blame Instead look at the future, and an opportunity for renewal be learning from past mistakes. We need to talk about the past to be successful in the future.

[bucket]

Mbratrud

Agreed. The new system should look different than the past.

Do we need cement elevators?

Maybe it's time to look at other industries successes in movement of product.

Maybe farmers on some scale need to own the logistics chain because the current system of leaving farmers scraps won't work too long.

[farmaholic]

mbratrud, like I said its come full circle, 360 degrees. Sounds like you might agree.

[binthere]

bingo bucket. unfortunatley farmers have allowed the forces to be to steal the tools required to do this . in hindsight it has become a realization but to many are to proud to admit or still under the illusion that they can compete with the major players or are just apprehensive of the possibility that they will only make the same as there neighbor. theres still time to reinvent the wheel again.

[Braveheart]

If you posters can't see the competition that's all around you, you're blind.

If you think resurrecting some central planned co- operative will save you, you're really ****ed up.

If markets are not as high as you wish, and/or you've overspent, quit blaming everyone else.

[SASKFARMER3]

Brave heart their is no competition out here at all!
Explain why canola in Hamilton Ontario is paying 11.61 a bushel for canola and dear old western canada is paying 10 or less and no higher same company!

[bucket]

Give me one example of competetion for canola or wheat?

[bgmb]

Braveheart

Wheat fob Manitoba may june delivery is $2.00-2.50/bu Lower than the same Wheat FOB great lakes.

It costs $.70-1.00 in rail freight to get it to the lakes where is the other 1.30-1.50/bu going?

You might be happy with that but i think most people would like to have another 50 cents in their pockets.

[Braveheart]

SF3, the major market in Ontario is how far from SK? What would it cost you to put your canola in Hamilton? Subtract that freight and you're probably lower than Bunge in Harrowby. Do you honestly think that no matter where you are in North America the price should be the same?

[bucket]

Uh yes. Do you think oil coming out of these plants is priced differently?

No wonder people accept fertilizer prices.

We make it here but get charged a price of bringing it in from somewhere else.

[Braveheart]

Bucket, I'm just home from AgDays. Re competition, Bunge canola basis was $9 over till the window was filled. Northstar responded with $17 over till their window filled.

Love that competition.

[samhill]

Brave, I think you're competing with other farmers to fill the contract before someone else. Guess "I'm all right Jack."
Favouring some makes everyone else easy pickins'.

[Braveheart]

Samhill, my thinking is thus: I compete with me. I want to improve on my last performance, be it yield, input costs, or, marketing. I don't set out to book windows to spite or beat out other farmers. I book canola to meet cash flow need. No, I am not my brothers keeper.

I am no marketing genius. I approach marketing like every other part of life. That is, " the more I learn, the less I know".

The only thing I know for sure is, if I blame lack of competition, or grain cos, or anything else for where I find myself, I've just quit looking for a way out.

[CptnObvious]

Braveheart: " no marketing genius." ...no kidding.
Well, I am a genius and I have the Stanford Binet I. Q. test results to prove it. The other fellers are correct, there is practically NO competition out there. With two bumper crops in a row everyone has as much volume as they can handle, their problem is trying to hold us desperate farmers back. Plus, with 2-3 billion dollars per year in excess profit as things are, those grainco actual marketing geniuses would be STUPID to ever start to compete.