Minister Ritz Supports Open, Competitive Grain Market.

[joedales]

MINISTER RITZ SUPPORTS OPEN, COMPETITIVE GRAIN MARKET


OTTAWA, Ontario, January 9, 2007 – The Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, today issued the following statement regarding the Canadian Wheat Board's release of a cash pricing plan for the 2008 malting barley crop:

“Attempts by the Wheat Board to invent an imitation marketplace fall far short of the expressed will of barley producers. Farmers have demanded marketing choice. No bureaucratic program can replace this. It is time for the CWB to stop ignoring this unavoidable fact.

“The CWB's proposed scheme does not go far enough to offer accurate and transparent price signals back to the farm gate. This is nothing more than a diversion while still allowing the Board to retain an out of touch, centrally-controlled monopoly.

“The CWB appears perplexed by the fact its program continues to receive harsh criticism from industry and producer groups. The Board might have anticipated this push-back had it engaged in broad, meaningful consultations or taken seriously the mandate granted by the 62 per cent of barley producers who demanded marketing choice.

“As Minister, I have repeatedly advised the Board to consult with producers - the very constituency they purport to represent. I am disappointed that after months of inaction, the CWB has gone ahead with a plan that promises to be heavily bureaucratic, ineffective and contrary to the will of farmers and industry.

“Unlike the CWB, I believe the voice of farmers and industry matters. Western Canadian barley farmers have said they want marketing choice. This Government puts farmers first and we are working hard to give them this freedom.”

[per]

Wow a politician following up on a democratic vote. Kind of refreshing.

[just_wondering]

Whats Ritz going too do if the Barley Case goes against the 62% who demand choice?
Will he say
a) Well we tried boys, if we get a majority it will be right up there with all our other "promises"
b) Declare a confidence motion and do it right change wheat and barley while you have the chance. That was the election promise
c) I won't give three choices evidently we farmers get all confused.

BTW Did everybody see what happened in the federal riding of Missinipii North? Dion made the smartest move of his political career appointing a candidate just so that David Orchard will never have a chance at getting a seat in the House of Commons, talk about avoiding the poison pill that is Orchard

[TOM4CWB]

just_wondering,

Interesting Darwin award this year!

"The Enema Within
2007 Darwin Award Nominee
Confirmed True by Darwin

(21 May 2004, Texas) Michael was an alcoholic. And not an ordinary alcoholic, but an alcoholic who liked to take his liquor... well, rectally. His wife said he was "addicted to enemas" and often used alcohol in this manner. The result was the same: inebriation.
The machine shop owner couldn't imbibe alcohol by mouth due to a painful throat ailment, so he elected to receive his favourite beverage via enema. And tonight, Michael was in for one hell of a party. Two 1.5 litre bottles of sherry, more than 100 fluid ounces, right up the old address!

When the rest of us have had enough, we either stop drinking or pass out. When Michael had had enough (and subsequently passed out) the alcohol remaining in his rectal cavity continued to be absorbed. The next morning, Michael was dead.

The 58-year-old did a pretty good job of embalming himself. According to toxicology reports, his blood alcohol level was 0.47%.

In order to qualify for a Darwin Award, a person must remove himself from the gene pool via an "astounding misapplication of judgment." Three litres of sherry up the butt can only be described as astounding. Unsurprisingly, his neighbors said they were surprised to learn of the incident.

Original Submission

DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2008
Submitted by: grimreaper
Reference: Houston Chronicle, Seattle PI, TheAge.com, Reuters"

In compromise, whatever you choose, you loose! (Cello Dollar)

Integrity is leadership that produces good fruit... that is based on principal and character. No one can rise in leadership... above what their character would choose!

[TOM4CWB]

Got the name on the quote wrong, it is Creflo Dollar.

"your words produce your thinking, your thinking drives your emotions, your emotions dictate your decisions, your decisions determine your actions, your actions shape your habits, your habits form your character, and your character determines your destiny."

http://www.creflodollarministries.org/Public/Book/8StepBook.aspx

[just_wondering]

Tom what does that have to do with the topic of ritz and barley marketing?


I don't see the connection, sorry.

[cris]

I think the conclusion is fairly straight forward. Western Farmers should all get a Darwin Award for our inability take charge of our marketing situation. To actually get a full Darwin Award you have to take yourself out of the gene pool. If you look at the numbers we have been doing that for generations. As for poor Mike, We are just like him, getting our malt up the ASS!!!

[TOM4CWB]

Just_wondering,

This is all about leadership... or the lack of it.

“As Minister, I have repeatedly advised the Board to consult with producers - the very constituency they purport to represent. I am disappointed that after months of inaction, the CWB has gone ahead with a plan that promises to be heavily bureaucratic, ineffective and contrary to the will of farmers and industry."



If the CWB managers would have done, 10 years ago, what the Western Grain Marketing Panel asked them to do... in a CONSENSUS report... where would we be now?

The CWB's Sherry is the "single desk".

[charliep]

CWB response:

News release

CWB chair responds to CashPlus critics

Winnipeg – Ken Ritter, chair of the CWB farmer-controlled board of directors, today issued the following statement about the CWB’s new program for malting barley in response to Minister Ritz and the industry.

“CashPlus was developed in good faith to deliver on the business needs and requirements of farmers. In surveys, focus groups and direct consultations with barley producers, it has been made clear to the CWB’s farmer-controlled board of directors that farmers want change. However, they don’t want change for change’s sake. They want it done in a thoughtful, careful way that will improve their bottom-line, not make it worse.

CashPlus combines the strength of the single desk with the flexibility and certainty that farmers want. We’re confident that, if given a chance, it will meet the needs of many barley producers who are not satisfied with the status quo.

If all of us say we are putting farmers first, then let’s deliver on that statement and put this program into play. CashPlus gives farmers the marketing choice we know they asked for in our surveys and in the plebiscite. We also believe it answers the operational concerns that should be paramount to the industry. If we all give CashPlus a chance, farmers will help us all determine where the future takes us next.”

[FarmRanger]

"CashPlus gives farmers the marketing choice we know they asked for in our surveys"

Wow.

[parsley]

Princess Deana that runs overtop the CWB Directors is a fast-talker but the poor girl can't add. Cash Plus should have been named CashMinus and then farmers would be content.

Every time a CashMinus transaction goes through, the CWB slips a little of the farmers' cash into their pension plans, their wages, exercise rooms, sauna passes, passes in the sauna, and personal time funding.


Kerching. Kerching.

Farmers don't mind her shaving their cheques: rather, it's the misnomer that upsets the farm community, wouldn't you agree?

Call it CashMinus and take what you need.

Parsley

[FarmRanger]

Well, before cashplus, there was only one buyer, but now there’s marketing choice, you know, like what they know we wanted through surveys and such. But now, there is vast improvement because instead of a single buyer who doesn’t have to compete for our barley, now we have one buyer instead. So I’m sure that will improve things immensely.

You aren’t far off the mark parsley, in that there will now be more administration required for the same barley. Higher costs to handle the same barley, and somehow, this leaves more money in farmers pockets!

Truly astonishing. “Penn and Teller” wouldn’t be able to figure this one out.
.

[agstar77]

I see in L.webber's letter , A. Olberg believes the new Barley deal should be considered. Interesting.

[parsley]

Wonder if the CWB Board of Directors' insurance policy costs more? Who pays?

Kaching. Kaching.

Wonder if the per diems are up, waaaayy up, Mr. Dressup Agstar.Who pays?

Kaching. Kaching.


Wonder if Directors trips to WTO and Ottawa have increased. Who pays?

Kaching. Kaching.

Oberg better promote kaching, kaching unless he is prepared to spend his own farm income on director expenses.

Kaching. Kaching.

Tables CW Directors for 2008 Liberal Fundraisers.

Kaching. Kaching.

Good thing Priness Deane told Oberg about CashMinus.

Parsley

[TOM4CWB]

Agstar77,

What is so awful about the system ABB is using in Australia... for those who think pooling is a great way to sell their barley?
Pool 1 Oct 1/07

$435/t Malt

$415/t Feed

This is a true dual market system... proof the CWB is blowing smoke in our faces.

Do the CWB Directors think we are just plain stupid? Ritter has to think so... or he would not have signed that letter!

Only people in a power drunken stupor... could be so far off the mark!

Don't they realise they are in flat out self destruction mode?