Different product, similar result

[farmaholic]

Rhetorical question that can't be answered....only assumed.

[tweety]

So in other words, your post is meaningless.

[grassfarmer]

Tweety, of course it's not easy to give a $ and cent value on what current prices would have been with the CWB single desk still selling. Didn't stop you and your buddies chirping how much better prices were immediately post CWB and of course you attributed that all to the ending of the single desk. Cuts both ways - be honest.

Breadwinner the hypocrite bemoaning those who whine and complain yet he did and does plenty of that against the CWB, I guess you can't see the irony. Still all their fault - taking time to "build markets" after their demise. Truth is Canada is losing its quality markets for wheat because it is no longer being supplied and delivered to the quality and specs it once was.

That's the sad part, that the delusional crew don't see what they have given away. Once you lose marketing power the game is out of your control - you don't get to "build markets" you get to surrender your product to the small handful of corporations that have controlled the global grain trade for over 100 years at whatever price they feel like paying you. Their purpose is simple - buy as cheap as possible and sell as dear as possible with the proceeds going to the shareholders. To think that individual farmers will work alongside or partner with these corporations to built a product image, gain top dollar AND SHARE THE PROCEEDS OF THIS WEALTH CREATION EQUITABLY is sheer fantasy.

A parallel exists in the beef sector in Canada - all kinds of big talk from beef commodity organisations about the "best beef in the world" and Ritz parading around proclaiming "market access" breakthroughs to Timbuktu is all meaningless twaddle when the decisions on market destination, product image and price are all decided in corporate boardrooms in America and Brazil. Farmers don't sell beef, they sell live cattle.

Wheat will be the same, you threw away the farmer controlled entity that promoted and cultivated the image and demand for high quality Canadian wheat around the world, now you can look forward to selling generic wheat to the multi-national Grain Co.s who are also buying it in Australia, the US and eastern Europe. Good luck with it but I don't expect your future is going to be rosy.

[BreadWinner]

Grassfarmer, as far as I'm concerned the wheat farmer is going to have to reinvent himself to provide more what the consumer wants. The days of growing huge amounts of a bulk commodity to give it away at wholesale price "definition Of the CWB" is not going to be feasible to continue. The only reason we have lost market share is because the CWB stopped giving it away. Those customers we don't need or want. These new markets will develop and grow. Some will fail just like all other businesses. Try to have an open mind, the CWB is gone, I for one won't miss the $1/bushel initial payments and grocery checks for the rest of the winter to come up short on the PRO.

[Hopalong]

With our dependence on export markets, prairie grain growers come up short in support of policy to defend and promote them.
Who can forget wheat board campaign against a WTO agreement?
Too few speak out against Canada policy on supply management that threatens other new trade agreements.
If wheat board and supply management work against us in limiting access to export markets, we should not have to think twice about change or elimination of them.

[foragefarmer]

Hopalong

As a farmer, supply management doesn't bother me, and it shouldn't bother you either. The CWB is gone, nothings stopping you from your marketing freedom. Exactly which export markets is supply management preventing you to market "YOUR" grain to, if in fact you are marketing directly to an end user to start with.

They work hard, and deserve the money they make. Hopalong sounds like your a little envious.

[grassfarmer]

You still don't get it breadwinner - you just lost any connection you had with the end customer - you just committed to providing the Grain Cos with the cheapest product they can get.
Unless of course you are talking about supplying a bakery in Saskatoon with flour grown on your farm, or getting Klause to ship it in containers direct to China. Can't see either being a realistic alternative for the millions of acres of crop.
You've lost market share because the CWB quit giving it away? I've heard the Japanese are quite upset - surely you don't write them off as customers you don't need or want?

Hopalong wants to throw more away - supply management - why not? let's lead this race to the bottom of world prices on all commodities! May as well go out in style, LOL.
Bear in mind though the countries you are trying to undercut all support and subsidize their farmers financially more than Canada.
Will you ever cotton on to the fact that you are being led by false promises by the corporations who make money by moving product around the world - bought cheap, sold high with no compassion for those supplying the raw product.?

[BreadWinner]

Don't worry grass you my as well keep farming like your pappy and your grandpappy before him. If your so stuck in your ideology your son will do the same as you. Time to step out of the poorbox and start thinking for yourself. Japan is only upset because they cant buy high quality cheap Canadian wheat. Elevator companies are selling our wheat for a good price at the coast but oversupply by farmers is giving them lots of cheap product. The tides will change and the price will swing upwards.

[grassfarmer]

Oh yeah, I'm just doing as my father did - that's why I moved continents, changed enterprises and am about to move Province now. Nothing changes for me, LOL.

Now you're blaming your fellow farmers for the problems due to them over producing. You sure don't change much - desperately presenting bogus facts to try and back the shaky ideology.

[foragefarmer]

Breadwinner

"Elevator companies are selling our wheat for a good price at the coast but oversupply by farmers is giving them lots of cheap product. The tides will change and the price will swing upwards"

You really don't make any scene for someone calling themselves as a marketer. Breadwinner your nothing more than a price taker. You better go back to high school and take Marketing 101. Either that get your daddy to explain it to you.