Shouldn't the CWB go to jail?

[Darrell]

Boone and Henbent-Tom4cwb: It is interesting to watch how many of the small farms and family farms have lost hope under our existing CWB operating mandate. Through the last few years, low profit farms can exist if cashflow comes in the right times. CWB Advances even help but in ways are bandaids to cover up cashflow troubles. It becomes almost impossible for smaller operations and young farmers to exist under our existing CWB marketing system. Without a teachable attitude, it seams to me that whether I am the CWB or a farm, I have not much hope of suviving. With a few changes like Tom4cwb has suggested the cwb could be so helpful to operations. Instead, We watch as more and more of our young neighbors look elsewhere besides the farm to exist in small comunities. Two or three jobs for small farm families don't make for best family relationships. Instead of coming up with helpful cash flow tools, they continue to pat themselves on the back and on the other hand tear down assets of the farmers they are supposed to help. Will the next Winnipeg CWB marketing invention cost me an additional $18000 victim fee or is it possible for users to sit down with CWB staff and design systems that cover risks on all counts? Will we keep our next generation farming or continue to be like the last generation, going down slowly? As many ignore the crying of thousands of wives, children and men across the years, they forget just how much the world has changed since the CWB world of the 40's. Is it possible for CWB to have permanent offices throughout the prairies instead of a Winnipeg solution for all things? Does one Bandaid fit all? Our local Rep's could facilitate area by area solutions for the many situations that arise across provinces. Could a new age CWB help facilitate new business ideas and give our next generation farms the same support they give other business in other countries and existing Food companies? I enjoyed my CWB tour a few years ago and have thought many times, if only people could get a glimpse of what is done in other areas and countries could we change our focus? Could we free ourselves up from the jails we have been in. Would a new age CWB sit down with producers and help them build business plans that meet today's and tomorrows needs? Could that same tenacity and cunningness of our CWB protect new Value added solutions instead of always protecting shipment of raw product. Would that free us all from Jail?

[boone]

DARREL, you make some good points, that permanent residence for CWB area reps may be good. Maybe set up in a different REDA office each week. As far as whose swimming and sinking, when I look around my extended communities it is old money first typically spending (and saving) part of grandpas endowment, they are usually in the strongest position. 60 years will do that. Next are the farms that expanded early 70's great years, gobs of equity built. Next group built in early 80's fought like hell, adapted, built up equity in NISA, good coverage in Crop Ins. low rates, built cushioning. Weakest group had all the benefits of high land prices in early 80's high interest rates, little real equity in machinery or land, emptied every program as it came available. But you know what appears to be their biggest sin. Not getting large enough to buy the advice of a large accounting service to show them how to trigger AIDA, CSAP,CFIP,NISA. And we have the situation where those that got get, and those that don't, move to ALBERTA. And as sometimes happens some of the old guard, holds the purse strings at the local Credit Union, and or is privy to who is not keeping the taxes paid on which quarter, because someone in the established families are sitting on council. So if the rest of the natural disasters don't beat them down, they loose the stomach to be part of the whole seedy mess. But then again maybe they're just poor managers.
Boone

[henbent]

Darrell, boone, Yes interesting thoughts indeed, don't you think that the addition of farm directors at the CWB is/has paid any dividends to date? I wonder if the directors find upon arriving at the CWB, that their tasks are a bit overwhelming and like politicians, probably spend the 1st term learning their jobs. Those returning to posts have insight into everday operations and must lead/spearhead new ideas to become reality. At the same time, these people are running their own operation at home struggling on the farm. Somehow I just can not buy into the idea that they have time to conspire against us all and keep us in the dark ages. Policy and changes are occurring, albeit not fast and furiously for some. Farms in AB, Sask, BC and MB are in this together and need a strong voice to remain viable. Slash and burn everyman for himself won't work. I believe that US farmers envy our system, probably about as much as we envy their government direct cash support.

[TOM4CWB]

Henbent;

The real dividends to date have gone to the CWB globe trotting directors ($500/day)... to the Airlines, but certainly not into our returns for our grain.

I was much happier with the commissioner set up before the 1998 CWB Act changes...

Now we have 14 people doing what 3 did before... this is CWB efficiency...

According to Minister Goodale... Marketing change will only happen by a direct producer vote... so Directors are window dressing on Goodale's pet project... not what most would consider constructive or productive.

Chairman Ritter is so proud, that he has not planned to even come to the Alberta part of District 4...

Director Oberg appears to have taken over Chairman Ritters Alberta "Corporate Accountability" responsibilities...

Kind of smacks of cowardice... doesn't it?

[boone]

Tom4cwb, you say you would prefer the old system of appointed commissioner. Well many years ago I asked one of ours, Mr. Jim Leibfried to make a public comment on changes in our freight rates at a meeting in Lloydminster, Ted Strain was chairing the meeting and saved him. But later he had indicated he wasn't allowed a public opinion. Now I would say we have more clarity and open responses today. In spite of the fact that, the commissioner was very knowledgeable on many facts of the grain biz. We would be hard pressed to find out what they were. Boone

[TOM4CWB]

Boone;

Commissioner Ken Beswick, God rest his soul, was much closer to resolving our problems with CWB barley marketing.... than the Directors have even come close to thinking of.

I see Director James Chatenay's job has being an exercise in excruciating frustration... with the reward of cruel and unusual punishment waiting for him at every turn...

The CWB staff run the CWB just as they did when Commissioners were there...

Proof of this is Adrian Measner being installed instead of allowing new blood...

The CWB is so inbred today it become functionally a basket case... and the Majority of the Directors would not have it any other way...

Minister Goodale has a big problem on his hands... his pet has turned on him... it has interbred and evolved into....

Without respect for each farmers legal right to own property individually... as clearly the Ontario Wheat Board accepts... the CWB is doomed... legally and morally

[boone]

Tom4cwb I agree K. Beswick was a breath of fresh air. I'm done on this soapbox however. See you in a different string. Boone

[henbent]

TOM4CWB, Now let me get this straight, a worldwide international grain exporting business, should confine its directors to their office in Winnipeg! The only way that you could justify doing that is if you believe they are, mentally challenged farmers, who were previously challenged farm boys, who will probably get lost. The directors have a job to do and travel is required to complete their assignments on occassion. Ridicule of this nature smacks of jealousy. I suspect the farm directors are for the most part hard working people trying to do the best job possible. Being constantly sniped at and criticized by others envious of their positions doesn't help. Lets take a huge step backwards, have the Lib----- appoint directors is ridiculous from my point of view.

[parsley]

Darrell,

You say,
"Would a new age CWB sit down with producers and help them build business plans that meet today's and tomorrows needs?"

Are you saying you would you like someone like CWB Director Rod Flaman to sit down and tell you how to build a business?

Parsley

[TOM4CWB]

Henbent;

The Liberals do appoint 5 of the directors... in case you had forgotten...

If you like your CWB directors to do world tours... fine with me...

Allow me the choice to remove myself from your CWB... then it works just great for me.

By the way... if you allowed me market choice... and the CWB understood why respecting my property is nessasary...

then at that point...

"my" CWB directors wouldn't have any need to lobby the WTO for survival... they would already be in full compliance with the WTO...

which is where we should have been at 10 years ago... when this whole mess was started, by, jealous and greedy souls like... Minister Goodale, Nettie Weebe, and Art Macklin!

Do you think you deserved a chunk of the poor farmer's fusarium ravaged wheat field's revenue too Henbent?

Was it better to have the CWB give it to CWB Agent grain co's... than to the farmers who had the disaster in the first place?