What's your definition of Insanity

[AdamSmith]

Vader said in another thread,

What a bunch of whiners. Just because you disagree with the CWB and you want out, doesn't mean that it is going to be so.

The purpose of the CWB (IMHO as T4 would say), is to prevent farmers from competing with farmers and driving down the price of grain. This goes back to the 1920's when the prairie grain pools were formed by farmers. Even then there were many who disagreed and would not join.

Today we have single desk selling which is legislated. Just like we have legislated anti-smoking laws, seat belt laws and parking laws (which apparently can get you sent to jail).


Where does one start and where does one end with a comment like that?

The whiner comment is beneath response so I just leave that one alone.

The comment about it being legislation, and as such is as permanent as the Rocky Mtns. I’ll only say this Vader, once upon a time it was the law that women couldn’t vote (right parsley!) but our society determined that that law was unjust so it was changed. That’s the wonderful thing about modern society our laws can change in order to accommodate the times.

Which brings us to Vader’s next flash of brilliance, in 1920, theory was that farmers selling in an open market only meant lower prices. So obviously Vader’s mindset is that nothing has changed in the time since 1920.

Never mind that the Ontario experience and the Oat experience have shown that the opposite to what Vader believes, will happen.

In Vader's world that proves nothing because the absolute truth about grain marketing in Canada was decided in 1923.

BUT I’M A WHINER BECAUSE I WON’T ACCEPT THAT THE MARKETING STRATEGY FOR MY 2005 WHEAT AND MALT BARLEY WAS DRAWN UP ON PARCHMENT PAPER WITH INK FROM AN INK WELL!

If this isn’t insanity I don’t know what is.

AS

[silverback]

It is the only thing one can resort to when they cannot reply in a reasoned, responsible way, insults. There have been all kinds of ways to try and get reasonable logic to come forth, but if someone can recall when Vader has been insulted like that, I would like to know.

[Lifer]

If the CWB was established to prevent farmers from competing with one another, Why are farmers allowed to negotiate rent on land without CWB permission. Shouldn't the CWB control more of what farmers do in order to protect them from themselves?

At some point does it really matter why the CWB was established in the first place?

How can the CWB be relevant today and into the future?

Can the CWB offer contracts up that allow people to plan there future crops.

[JD4ME]

Actually I believe a definition of insanity is attempting the same task over and over again and expecting a different result, kinda like farming.

[TOM4CWB]

JD4ME;

We must enjoy it, or we wouldn't keep doing it!

There is nothing much more political than wheat!

Insanity would be: to expect wheat trade to be non-political and logical!

[Vader]

Lifer,

I said "compete against each other in export markets". Please don't take me out of context.

Why does it matter for what reason the CWB was formed? Because the same problems exist today that drove the farmers to form the CWB back in the 1920's.

You asked some inteligent questions.

"How can the CWB be relevant today and into the future?"

I think that the CWB is evolving with producer payment options, innovative marketing strategies, risk management, market development programs, and farmer advocacy in transportation and grain handling. But above all the relevance of the CWB into the future may simply be farmer empowerment. What other vehicle exists in this industry which is becoming more and more dominated by a few very large players.

You also asked,
"Can the CWB offer contracts up that allow people to plan there future crops".
I think that this is entirely possible. It may require a substantial move away from the traditional price pooling model. It would also require finding forward pricing opportunities with customers, and would probably be supported by a continued focus on a highly differentiated premium product.

[Lifer]

There are positive attempts to give farmers more options from the CWB.

The CWB needs to be very careful in the area of farmer advocacy since there are questions around who it really represents.

Isn't consumer demand for more understanding of where their food comes from a potential driver to help the big players cooperate more with those that produce the commodity or food.

It would be very helpful to understand how the basis used in the ppo's is calculated.

If a solution is on differentiated premium product we may have taken a step back by relating PPO to American wheat price mechanisms.