In defence of Tom

[grassfarmer]

I know I've told this story on here before but think it's timely so will try again.
I once listened to a speaker at a farm meeting in Europe who was a (farm born) journalist turned beef industry group leader. He warned us from his experience of the beef industry in Ireland in the 80's what was going to happen in the UK in the 90's with regard to the dairy sector and he was bang on with his analysis.

The milk marketing boards with their pool pricing and marketing strength were under threat. Milk processors/distributers persuaded the Government that they should be eliminated - the same processors were helped in their mission by a percentage of dairy producers - generally the larger ones who took on a lot of debt to expand on the promise of higher milk prices once the milk boards were eliminated. Milk price was 19p/litre, they were promised 24c/litre - after the milk boards were eliminated they drifted right down to 16p/litre over a decade. That was the result of their "marketing freedom" To this day they struggle to get a price above the cost of production most of the time.

This speakers warning to us was that in their attempts to break farmers marketing power the processors or whoever would draw some producers close to them to help them - in this case to eliminate the milk boards. Gradually the weaker producers would be eliminated - the older ones, smaller scale ones and the geographically remote ones. ONCE THAT HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THEY WOULD TURN ON THEIR "TAME" FARMERS.

The parallel here is so clear to me - with the CWB, the railways, grain companies wide basis, UPOV'91 - they are all connected - they are all moves to break farmers marketing power to get your product for less money and the Conservative Government is doing their bidding in all of this.

Tom doesn't realize yet that he has been used as a pawn and a puppet but maybe now the chickens are coming home to roost? Remember "ONCE THAT HAD BEEN ACCOMPLISHED THEY WOULD TURN ON THEIR "TAME" FARMERS."

[fjlip]

That's about the best example of all out greed ever. Everybody is ganging up on the lowly farmer. They must think there is money on them thar farms? Don't tell them...

[TOM4CWB]

Grassy,

The CWB NEVER provided a cost of production. In fact the CWB pro Bono provided feed grains at much below cost. All CWB grain was fed through the CN/CP monopoly... with CWB blessing. Padding railway grain revenue coffers... at very profitable levels.

Very different than Dairy Supply management in Great Britain... or Canada.

Setting that aside... deregulation/privatization of utility type monopolies... Tele, Gas, Power, Rail, roads... is not generally a successful project... and causes citizens... great problems... as the Utilities usually were initially paid for by the citizens in the first place.

CN/CP are a good example... they were paid with massive land grants... subsidies... and debt forgiveness especially in the Case of CN by Goodale.

We have a great deal of work to do... for our freight services to become reliable which can allow us a premium price... such as the US attains.

BTW... every time a CP train goes by... my dogs ask to go outside; they bark, and howl at the Hunters railing! The CPHunter is antagonizing them!

[grassfarmer]

So are you saying you never once sold grain through the CWB that netted more than it's cost of production?
And now it's all so profitable you portray your fellow farmers as fools for not enjoying their "marketing freedom"

There never was supply management of dairy in the UK. As usual you miss the point.

[TASFarms]

It sure looks like its happening.

[TOM4CWB]

Grassy,

"The milk marketing boards with their pool pricing and marketing strength were under threat."

So they had no supply management?

How does that work... were the farmers allowed to sell outside the marketing board? Was there quota? Was there a free market outside the pools?

When a very uncivil servant... tells you that our family must send $250/t... to the pool... to get $375/t back... so the RR and grainco's could pad their pockets... at the expense of grain growers... there was no doubt what was going on. It was corrupt. It was immoral...

Anyway... I hope that particular part of my life is over... it is just a real shame those at the CWB did not do what the Ontario Wheat Board did. Other than not implementing an iron fist monopoly... forcing our grain through the domestic ports, ships, rail, and grainco's... western Canada would have been a very different place since 1993 when Goodale clamped his iron jaw down on us. Before that it was reasonable and could be worked with.

Thanks for the clearification.

[Hamloc]

Well said Grassfarmer. I wasn't a big fan of the CWB but I am not sure the way it was removed has improved our market power but it certainly has helped the grainco's. Maybe someday Tom will figure out what you meant lol.

[CptnObvious]

It was never the CWB's promise/job to cover the cost of production. They sold for as much as they possibly could in total. They were also the only farmer advocate with any power.

[grassfarmer]

Always diverting Tom, always diverting.
Can you confirm your earlier statement implying you never once sold grain through the CWB that netted more than it's cost of production?

For your information, not that you are interested, I realize you use it merely for the purpose of distraction:
The milk marketing boards marketed milk collectively on behalf of all dairy farmers. It effectively worked as a "single desk" through which all milk was sold. It made the buyers compete for the milk rather than employ divide and conquer tactics to get the milk cheaper.
There was no milk price setting by Government as happens here under SM. It was not a closed market for milk either as imports/exports took place. There were production quotas latterly but not for many years of the milk boards existence.

Just a good collective marketing entity working on behalf of all producers and with farmer directors.

[wilagro]

Any discussion with Tom is almost pointless...a mule has a more malleable disposition.