Did the CWB sell 1/2 of this years Barley Crop for $2.80?

[SASKFARMER3]

Busy farming but heard a rumor that our Wise CWB sold half the Barley malt crop for $2.80. Are they just plain Stupid. Barley for Malt is in short supply.
So take my 4.00 plus their genius 2.80 and we probably will get for this crop after administration and giving to various groups money $3.00 for malt my god do they work for me.
Common guys explain to me how these guys are working for me, God enlighten me so I can understand the wisdom of Losing money every year growing stupid crops that they control.

[Incognito]

Can you feel the power of the single desk?

Its ***** reviewed - so its OK.

[TOM4CWB]

Saskfarmer3,

If a grower signed a contract to supply at $2.80/bu, then the CWB had the right to sell at that price.

Otherwise without a contract to supply the CWB is NOT filling the "Orderly Marketing" obligations of the CWB Act.

[kamichel]

Guess the 3.6 min. price that the Cargills, etc. were contracting sounds better. Guess you thought you had 4. I think you should talk to a Lawyer if you have time. Too bad there are so many rules, regulations and acts to be versed in that it would likely cost half a million or more. Of course the CWB can save you money because they have people hired to tell you your options. Actually technically should be impossible for the price of feed barley was higher than 2.8 for almost a year now. Perhaps that was last years price.
They seem to me to price off feed price with a slight premium, not really what it is worth.

[parsley]

Politics and Grain: The Sword of Damocles Will Fall – But where?

The Sword of Damocles is a frequently used to denote an unstable situation; one in which the onset of misfortune is controlled by a fragile trigger or chance.

For those following the ongoing saga of Canadian grain marketing and the Government’s attempt to free up barley marketing for western Canadian farmers, you know that it has been riddled with more twists and turns than a snake with heartburn.

In March 2007, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food held a plebiscite to obtain barley producers' preferences for marketing barley. Sixty-two percent of the farmers who voted in the barley plebiscite preferred the removal of the CWB's monopoly.


The CWB primarily agreed with that number on March 28. The results of the barley plebiscite announced today are not overly surprising. The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) has been surveying farmers every year for the past 10 years and these results appear to be consistent with our annual findings. Ken Ritter, Chair, Canadian Wheat Board – March 28, 2007

After the vote, the Government tried to remove the barley monopoly by regulation or an Order in Council, which would have given farmers the option to sell directly to malt companies and export markets.


The CWB then asked the courts to review the legality of the federal government's attempts to remove barley from the board's “single desk." Friends of the CWB, who received financial backing from the provincial NDP governments of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, also contested whether the federal government had the authority to use regulations to end the barley monopoly.

On July 31, a Federal Court judge the government needed to put the change before Parliament. The Conservatives have a minority position in the Canadian legislature. For the motion to pass they would require help from an Opposition party and the probability of that happening soon is next to nil.


There are three outcomes, in my opinion, of this debacle. Only one is the right answer. Choose wisely.

1) The CWB actually listens to farmer’s wishes and loosens the monopoly.

2) The Prime Minister appoints a new Minister of the CWB next week.

3) Western Canadian farmers become more determined than ever to rid themselves of the “Nanny State” environment in which they operate.

What the CWB did not measure when they went down this path is the outright contempt from farmers who believe they should have the opportunity to market a commodity, grown on their land and with their own money, however and whenever they choose. Today, even ardent supporters of the CWB are now second guessing their commitment to the single desk – so much so that they are calling again for another vote, with only two choices – but this time for wheat and barley.

I believe the Sword of Damocles will fall; however, where most feel that the Agriculture Minister may be chosen as the fall guy, in the end it will be the CWB who suffers the wrath of the cold steel. History has shown that when you hide behind an Iron Curtain long enough, sooner or later that iron will come back to haunt you.


The iron in Damocles’ sword is hanging by horsehair, and sooner rather than later, it will be farmers who ensure it falls. The CWB chose to die on the barley hill, when they really should have chosen wheat.


For the majority of western Canada farmers – yes a majority – whatever the CWB does now is too late.

But then vision has never been the CWB’s strongpoint over the past 10 years now has it?

Larry Weber can be reached at: larry@webercommodities.com

[SASKFARMER3]

In a normal country a few wouldn't be able to destroy a majority. But hell this is Canada Where Liberals and NDPs have destroyed this great country since time began. Yes I thought that I would get my $4.00, Vote was held and Majority wanted a change a minority didn't and yes maybe I was naive and believed that it would happen but now we have to deal with this crap.
4.00 is way better than 2.80 if were lucky and I have to loose $35,000.00 to $50,000.00 is OK, Now the loss in Durum and Spring wheat because were members of the exclusive CWB is future talk.
Yes the CWB is great just Great.

[SASKFARMER3]

In a normal country a few wouldn't be able to destroy a majority. But hell this is Canada Where Liberals and NDPs have destroyed this great country since time began. Yes I thought that I would get my $4.00, Vote was held and Majority wanted a change a minority didn't and yes maybe I was naive and believed that it would happen but now we have to deal with this crap.
4.00 is way better than 2.80 if were lucky and I have to loose $35,000.00 to $50,000.00 is OK, Now the loss in Durum and Spring wheat because were members of the exclusive CWB is future talk.
Yes the CWB is great just Great.

[parsley]

#3 is my choice!

And yours?

Parsley

[Fransisco]

3 is works for me, but if we get a new wheat board minister I want David Anderson.

[wilagro]

Fransisco: You have got to be kidding.

What next...a plebiscite with six questions instead of the two (2) that should have been asked?

Anderson doesn't have a clue IMHO...just another politico with a predetermined agenda trying to 'suade everyone to his point of view. He wants democracy...CONservative style.

[parsley]

I agree.

He knows the file well. Is consistent. Actually listens to, reads and contacts farmers.

Parsley

[wilagro]

I heard a rumour. I heard a rumour. I heard a rumour. I heard a rumour. I heard a rumour. I heard a rumour.

I should base my whole tirade against the CWB because of a rumour. Makes perfect sense doesn't it...NOT.

[Incognito]

Logic:

How were the malt companies going to lose so much money had choice come into play on August 01.

Did they buy cheap malt from the CWB or paid a premium?

Do you need to get paid to think or are you comfortable letting the CWB think for you and your 40 acres of barley that you grew this year Willy?

[AdamSmith]

Wilagro, in your opinion, what should the cwb do now?

Your opinions about the conservatives are duly noted,

but considering more farmers than not now have a serious hate on for the cwb, the likelihood of the export feed barley sales (taken away from the companies who negotiated them) being executed are close to zero (the 80 cents a bushel feed barley initial will see to that) and farmers are demanding the wheat dragon needs to be slayed now as well.

The only political friends the cwb have, are urban and eastern and any electoral shift in those places to the consevatives will mean the end of the cwb.

Again, what in your staunch cwb supporters opinion must the cwb do to avoid the executioner?

And to clarify,

I'm asking about the Canadian Wheat Board,

not the Conservatives, not the Prime Minister or the CWB Minister, not the Alberta Gov't, not anti-cwb farmers, not Morris Dorosh, not Larry Weber, not Cargill, not JRI, not the Americans,

but the CWB themselves as an organization!

[parsley]

Maybe the CWB took possession of his thoughts.

Parsley