Ritz cracker has spoken

[tstep]

Western Canadian farmers have spoken loud and clear in support of our government’s actions to end the old Canadian Wheat Board’s monopoly, expand market access for top-quality Canadian products, and invest to give farmers the tools they need to succeed in the marketplace.

Since the end of the single desk, Canadian exports of wheat and barley have grown by a third, and the number of quality complaints has gone down by a third.

Bringing back the old mandatory single desk would take all of these new opportunities away. The new CWB is currently working to increase its capacity to become a vibrant marketing option for farmers.

This commercialization is not a political process — the CWB will assess all serious partners and then submit a plan for commercialization to the government. This is in accordance with the legislation passed December 2011 so that the new CWB can increase its capacity to remain a vibrant marketing option for farmers.

Thanks to the important changes made by our government, Canadian farmers are thriving. Farm cash receipts and net operating incomes continue to achieve all-time highs.

Our Conservative government’s track record of listening to Canadian farmers and working on their behalf is clear.

[Integrity_Farmer]

The Great Canadian Grain Robbery
Western Canadian Farmers are Losing Billions.
Western grain producers lost an estimated $3.1 billion in 2013/14 and could lose an additional $2 billion in 2014/15 because of inefficiencies in grain handling and transportation caused by the CWB elimination. (Richard Gray, Agriculture Economist, University of Saskatchewan)
A document prepared by the CWB Alliance using data from the CWB shows that farmers on the prairies received only 41% of the Vancouver price. The CWB Alliance document shows that in previous years farmers received about 90% of the Vancouver price with the CWB system.

The Manitoba Economy is losing 400 million dollars annually in lost revenue.
Our rural communities are losing millions.
In 2013, farmers in the Swan River Valley grew an 11 million bushel bumper crop of wheat. Using the loss of $4.69 per bushel documented by the CWB Alliance as of February 2014, the total loss of revenue to the Swan River trading area is over 50 million dollars for the 2013-2014 crop year.



Individual farmers are losing hundreds of thousands of dollars on their farms.
"People do not know the magnitude or the impact of removing the CWB is having and the farm crisis we face and will continue to face. On our 2000 acre farm we have lost $320,000.00 in revenue in 2013 and a total of $450,000.00 in revenue in 2013 and 2014" Ken Sigurdson, Swan River area farmer
The Vancouver Situation
When a ship docks in Vancouver to load wheat that ship has to sometimes go back to anchor up to six times. When the single-desk CWB arranged grain shipments ships could move between terminals to get a full load of the grain the customer ordered. The system operated by the grain companies is costly, inefficient and results in poor rail car utilization (car turnaround time).
There are currently 25 ships in Vancouver waiting to load grain. In the past the CWB received dispatch for the timely loading of wheat on ocean going vessels. The grain companies charge farmers for their failure to fill the ships on time.
The Thunder Bay situation
What is happening at Thunder Bay? Well nothing. When the CWB sold our grain Thunder Bay was filled over the winter so it was ready to go in the spring. Now it sits empty. The CWB used to move grain by rail to the St. Lawrence terminals in winter. This eastern rail movement no longer happens and grain companies have no desire to carry the cost of storing grain.
Churchill
The port of Churchill has significant advantages to Manitoba farmers (a $26.00 per tonne freight advantage) and since eliminating the CWB the federal Government has put in place a $10.00 per tonne subsidy for grain shipped through Churchill. This subsidy ends in 2016, so what happens to Churchill after that?
Blending, Protein Premiums, Fusarium Programs
Since the elimination of the CWB blending of the entire crop no longer takes place for the benefit of farmers. Now any blending upgrades go to the grain companies. There is no longer a fusarium program to market fusarium wheat. Protein premiums from the grain companies have been minute.
Here is what Andrew Dennis, Friends of the CWB said about protein premiums, "There have been years as of late (The 10/11 year for example) where the premium for CRSW #1 15.5 protein has been at a $3.46/ bushel premium to CRSW #1 11.5 protein which is $170 more per acre for just the protein alone on a 50 bushel per acre crop."


What can you do?
Contact your MP now. The wheat marketing system that was once the envy of the world is now totally dysfunctional. It is time for the Harper government to be held accountable for the systematic destruction of the CWB marketing system.

Join the CWB Alliance in calling for the re-establishment of the CWB single-desk marketing system.

For more information or to Join or Donate contact:

Box 125 Hussar, AB T0J 1S0
204-734-3644
cwbafacts.ca

[BreadWinner]

Thanks Integrity, I'll just go throw up now that I read all that crap. I hope the CWB alliance are a bunch of crooks that will take that money a enjoy lavish things on the backs of Leftie Farmers. Maybe I should get on that board sounds like allot of free money, I could feel like I was on the old CWB/senate pay plan.

[mustardman]

Integrity good info. Unfortunately many on here are like our con politicians- facts Don't matter unless they Fit into their narrow minded Ideology

[stonepicker]

Amazing.Truly amazing.

[TOM4CWB]

Stonepicker... did I just read this???

" Unfortunately many on here are like our ______ politicians- facts Don't matter unless they Fit into their narrow minded Ideology"

The Irony... is too much to miss!

[stonepicker]

Yep, 100% right Tom.

[fjlip]

"When a ship docks in Vancouver to load wheat that ship has to sometimes go back to anchor up to six times. When the single-desk CWB arranged grain shipments ships could move between terminals to get a full load of the grain the customer ordered. The system operated by the grain companies is costly, inefficient and results in poor rail car utilization (car turnaround time). The grain companies charge farmers for their failure to fill the ships on time."....
This is a fact, and costly to the whole system. How can this be fixed?....Sure hope Thunder Bay is NOT empty, anyone know?

[Hopalong]

Remember many ups and downs in prairie grain economy over past fifty years.
One of earliest memories is Liberal cabinet minister Sharp getting same kind of criticism for not providing assistance at time of downturn in wheat prices.
His response was that farmland prices had recently reached new highs and he doubted situation was as dire as some made it out to be.
Have to say that farming has treated me well over the years and am just as sympathetic with the politicians and governments as with farmers who do all the complaining.

[grassfarmer]

Rather than go down the usual black versus white argument with the usual participants who I'll agree with Tom for once, are equally set in their ideologies, I'd really like to hear the comments of others like SF3, Klause, Freewheat, fjllp etc to Ritz's comment that:

"Thanks to the important changes made by our government, Canadian farmers are thriving. Farm cash receipts and net operating incomes continue to achieve all-time highs"

Ideology aside would you guys agree with that? are things really that good?

[SASKFARMER3]

Ok grass I'm sitting in line so can text a reply! Yea ritz is a idiot for saying that statement!
Weather created shortfall in other areas make grain prices go up! We are getting W A T E R! IN a very large area that usually needs a little drink! So our yields have climbed! One area is under water and who cares it's not me mentality!
But Ritz is blind if he thinks the measures in place are working and all is great!

[TOM4CWB]

Sf3
With the attitude on Agriville I can imagine what you folks would say if Minister Ritz said anything more than he did!
It is very obvious that change is in the works.

CNCP would put 250 lobbying centurions into Ottawa if the Ministers and PM Harper said more than this.
Not Rocket Science!
CNCP should concede they are getting more than fairly paid...If it were me...

[Integrity_Farmer]

I just phoned the Pioneer elevator here and the price for number 1 RS 13.5 is $5.50 a bushel or $4.38 a bushel US.

Oh yes I can lock in feed barley for fall delivery at $2.00 a bushel or $1.59 US.

Our low prices are being masked by the low Canadian Dollar.

Last winter when wheat was $11.38 a bushel at Vancouver farmers were waiting in the line up at the local elevator to receive less than $4.00 a bushel for 1RS

These are the lowest prices farmers have received in the last 20 years and in terms of real buying power probably the lowest prices ever.

So I fully understand why farmers become ill when I tell them that the system is broken and cannot return farmers a fair price from the grain companies.

Does Bread actually farm or work out of Ritz's office?

[Braveheart]

I can't even imagine how far ahead our farm would be had we had marketing freedom in 1980 instead of waiting til now.

We just barely survived the 1.7 bus per acre quotas. It was so hand to mouth with those barely there initial prices and the never fulfilled promised final payments.

At the time the CWB even administered the cash advance program. I always wondered if there was a conflict of interest. Let's see, no cash flow because of wheat board policies so you're forced to get a cash advance from the very same wheat board?

But now, we are thriving. Yes, there is always weather and despite what SF3, Bucket and others may think, there has always been rail problems, full elevators and prices that drop because of good production worldwide. But, we have tools we never had access to before.

For one, there is a futures market we can mange price risk on. We have visible basis prices that we can lock in when it makes sense. We can find markets anywhere and not only deliver to them from our farms, but realize all the reward from that effort without surrendering a portion of that effort "for the pool".

Like every business segment, some thrive while some look for every excuse or someone to blame when things don't just fall into place.

Business is tough. Farming has a few extra challenges. I for one am glad it does. Most of us wouldn't do it if it was easy.

If the CWB came back I would consider civil disobedience, or quit farming. We would be re entering a dark time.

I believe in my myself and our ability. But, to capitalize on that belief we need the freedom to act fully in a commercial way. The CWB concept is the opposite of that.

[farmaholic]

I can tell you one thing. Things looked better financially here when we started growing more diverse crops instead of the WOB and summerfallow. Wheat is wheat and will always be wheat.... its the specialties that made the biggest difference here pre and post CWB.