Who else is Sick and tired of farm business that think it's farmers who need them vs them needing us!

[btjadenlepp]

I think these posts are bang on. The comments could be interpreted as complaining, by some, because let's face it farming isn't as difficult as it used to be (taken on a 5-year horizon say).

Yet the attitudes of SOME who do business with farmers, are truly crummy.

Where does this come from?

[westernvicki]

We are customers too as farmers, and we are business owners. For this priviledge you get to choose who you deal with and how you deal with them. It is a two way street, with many choices of behavior and reward. Or as my mother used to say: what goes around comes around in this industry matters because we get to be around for a lifetime, again if we choose, but relationships with suppliers are often longer than many service relationships, hence having good strong relationships is as important to the supplier as the the vendor, and indeed the farmer and the service porvider are both.

[cottonpicken]

Are you from space Brenda ?

[Partners]

Lots are full of iron.but prices still are high..

When our bins are full..Prices drop like a stone..

[tweety]

Maybe they see you as that kind of a customer SF3?

[Rareearth]

It's a sweet business model at this time, but this will change.

With grain movement, pricing, attitudes etc have forced farmers to move out side of their traditional trading areas.
For example no CWB, and grain movement to USA facilities, etc
If farmers are phoneing, and dropping off samples you can bet they are pricing chem and fert as well.

When the CDN dollar was par or at a premium to USA many shopped the USA side for equipment and personal items.

We are being conditioned, like it or not to globalization.

Many "local" suppliers:
- do you want us here
- does the competition support community events
- service, which during prime time seeding desire to maintain banker hours. Limited Saturday no Sunday.
- agronomist support
- etc, etc

Farms are larger, the purchases are larger, dealers and chem companies encourage pre buys, smarter more knowledgable wider networked farmer will be ever doing a better job in this area, smart phones, Internet, Twitter, etc. Many dealers offer delivery as well, so distance is really a non issue. Huts are good at this in all areas.

Bulk seed, generics, totes, more and more common.

Many are working and calculating the business returns on a percentage of sales, perhaps a return on investment and wages is better?

Books could be written on these topics just a few comments

[cottonpicken]

Farming is so great we have our own suicide hotline.

[Rareearth]

Very telling and interesting perspective Brenda.
In a word "disappointing"

There is more technology, cash flowing, production risk, interest rate, economy, succession, political, mechanical, labour, commodity pricing volatility, etc. Etc.

Maybe a question for you in a area of knowledge. I noticed on a Larry Webber report that in Australia growers are receiving .10 cents per pound higher price per pound for red lentils than growers here are receiving. Why? Is this normal? Will it continue, or will cdn price move higher or Aus lower?

[sumdumguy]

Dealing with the public is not always easy. Not saying that bad attitude toward customers is good for business, but those in the grain business for a long time can tell you there are a lot of guys you would go to the wall for, but for some guys you don't want to answer the phone. Some even tell them that the plant down the road has a better deal.

Like I told a guy who was being audited by Revenue Canada, " you should be nice cause you gotta know who's got the power". Just saying.

[LEP]

Uhmm Rarearth, a good part why the Australian price is higher is that it is closer to the final market. Time and distance are money.

[TOM4CWB]

SF3,

IF YOU WERE THE ONLY ONE left IN SK... HOW WOULD THAT WORK out???

Young folks are trying to do a job. BE NICE!!!

Are things in SK that much better than AB...???

Surprising to hear! 40,000 in AB lost jobs in last year... radical shift going on.

The stereotype of old grumpy conservatives here is alive and well... even when we talk like disguised lefty... wingy ...thingys... no one is really fooled!

[FarmerSmuck]

All the Elevators and Ag Retails in my area, have really started a youth movement. It's nice too see. You do have to be patient with the younger pushy generation.

[agstar77]

I believe things have become more impersonal because of the stampede to size. Millionaires are not well received. Lost the sense of community, less people involved in farming.

[LEP]

SF3, I have actually found the opposite. I have never had my rear kissed so much as this year.

Booking canola seed I have had companies say wait a minute and drop their pants.

Thousands difference in price.

[farmaholic]

If I were a grain handler or ag retailer the last people I would hire are the ones with an ag background(grew up on a farm). I would only hire young urban university educated people. Ones who can't relate or identify with Producers. Ones without empathy or sympathy to the people they are supposed to serve.

Ever get the feeling....