All over the news tonight again! Food Shortages

[furrowtickler]

Bio fuels brought up again as part of the problem, when the real problem is for the past two years - horrible returns for basic food stapples. (wheat/rice)
Plain and simple the world grain buyers finaly got caught with there pants down and are pointing the finger at everthing and anything but what caused this thing in the first place. In real terms wheat producers were getting paid less for wheat than 70 years ago up to late '07 - that is the real issue. Now the world is faced with a catastrofic situation that could have been avoided even with high oil/grain/oilseed prices despite droughts.
Now the wheat price is getting hammered down again b/c we have a huge world wide wheat crop coming?? WTF are they thinking - a big part of this crop is not in the ground, let alone in the bin yet! As wheat conitues to go down there are a lot of other options to make a profit than wheat. No - we are not asking for $20 wheat, but a heads up - do not let it slide any more. $6 wheat will be the big looser this year wait and see.

[cottonpicken]

There just "happens" to be a shortage of every commodity,minus lumber.

[skhadenuf]

I don't know about other areas,but alot of guys around here getting spooked by the high inputs, high crop premium, and commodity prices bouncing up and down. If prices would stay stable guys would be more willing to take the larger than ever risk of planting their crop with max inputs. That's not gonna happen, we have nothing for a safety net if we loose the crop so those yield estimates the experts are using won't be achieved when guys are cutting back half on fertilizer etc. If gov's want there to be stable food supply they need to look at putting the hammer down on inputs, that shortage is a crock of sh-- for phosphorus and nitrogen.

[SASKFARMER3]

Funny since Feb 25 how farmers optimism has started to drop. Fundamentals haven't changed just fact countries that need food are making it look like they have lots and countries like Australia that haven't even started seeded spouting off about a huge crop that they haven't seeded.
Its a huge joke !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[parsley]

On Tuedsay, Saskatchewan Agrivision Corp. held its annual meeting, brainstorming to come up with a new five-year plan for agriculture. They've navel-gazed over an inland container port for Saskatchewan for quite some time.

Larry Weber spoke at Agrivision's meeting, these are an abbreviation of his message:

1.Rail transportation could prevent farmers from getting the anticipated top prices expected to remain high.

2. Large inland terminals that held promise for lower freight rates for the farmer never materialized.

3. The railroad revenue cap isn't working.

4. An inland container port located in Saskatoon is feasible.

5.Demand for biodiesel and cooking oils should keep canola a high-value cash crop.

Al Schlotz has been the acting Executive Director of Agrivision for over ten years, and anyone knowing him found he is filled with energy and known for thinking outside the box.

It's been over ten years since we traded a few thoughts about agriculture, and we've kept in touch.

Al recently told me he won't be continuing on as Executive Director of Agrivision, but he is writing a book about agriculture, and I'm eager to read his message.

Agrivision will miss Al Scholtz' energy and ideas.

Thanks for all the work, Al.

Parsley

[parsley]

There are folks who have been working a long time, on making agriculture better.

Containers can give competition to the railroads. Safey. Ease.

The Saskatoon hub, as some have proposed could serve Saskatchewan well, as perhaps would a few other centers.

http://www.ciscorport.com/

Getting somebody smart to run a container transportation system is what we need. Take it and run with it.

Someone with transportation experience. Someone who recognizes and sympathizes with every player, including farmers, not just railroads.

Weber for one fits the description but his pens might be tied to his fingers.

Single desk farmers as well as choice farmers would be wise to investigate container developemnt, you would think. I thought it would be one of the first questions that would be directed towards IW.

If both factions are hitched to the container sleigh, maybe we'll get accustomed to pulling together.

Parsley

[cottonpicken]

how does this give competition to the railroads when the containers go onto the rail?

[LWeber]

http://www.krueger.com.au/images/Innovations_8.jpg

[LWeber]

http://www.krueger.com.au/images/Innovations_11.jpg

[parsley]

Now don't fall over in a dead faint, folks, but organics uses containers regularly

AND

It works really really well for identity preserved

AND

It works well for bio-terrorism

AND

organics ships FOB


I'll say it again

FOB

so if transportation cost is out of line, or delivery is slow, or lost. or damaged, or if General Mills is just having a bad hair day, or whatever company is buying, they give a little call and say,

"We have a problem here"


Things get fixed.
And if the farmer says, I don't like blankety blank, the company asks why and it bloody goes down, in writing, on a compalaint log.

That's right, a complaint log.


Do you suppose we could, for just once, quit kicking and screaming,long enough to enter 2009?

Parsley

[Burbert]

Yeah, lets tear up all the railroads and truck everything. That would be a truly Canadian comedian idea, haul it all by truck. Truck drivers can purchase their d.l.s and haul grain to Vancouver. Look out highways, and byways, we have a truly self regulated open market system. You think the highway to Ft MC MONEY is bad, you ain't seen nothing yet. Get outta the way, we got us a convoy, rubber ducks! Save the world, truck it!

[LWeber]

I forgot the system is serving you well. When the RR's and the CWB stop buying your KY - it won't feel as pleasant to you as it does today - or does your health plan cover that?

[Burbert]

Here is another idea, that will excite marketeers. Why not put grain in a pipeline and send it West. There is a huge line, almost complete, that has ripped through Jasper Park,(what a mess) this Winter. Grain and oil, flowing out of Canada as fast as it can be produced, value added elsewhere, then thrown out to World markets. Win/win, we all make lots and lots of cash! Down with the railroads, up with everything else, including hot air ballons, hauling containers over the Rockies!

[Ron]

So Burbert I take it you are in favour of not driving the malt plants, pasta plants and other value added enterprises out of Western Canada by the CWB?

Just poking the bear with a stick

This weather is geting to me


SCREW THE CW(oh, never mind)

[charliep]

Back to the original topic.

Will note that often when the main stream media picks up on something, the supply problem is often just about over.

Will note for the most, northern hemishere winter wheat crops look in pretty good shape and will be in full harvest in June/July. Ukraine is already talking about increasing their export licenses.

Rice production in the parts of S.E. Asia I was in is mainly a May to September period (their rainy season). High prices will likely have farmers there spending more time and money on their crops. Won't solve the problem over night but will begin the process.

Off topic but weird being in S.E. Asia in March. The sun is right over top of the equator then so at noon you have almost no shadow (sun straight over top of you).

Will note the impact on the demand side as well. At home, Statcan highlighted lower hog inventories. More rationalization coming in the livestock which means less feed grain consumed both here in Canada and in the world.

Obviously, world attention is now on northern hemisphere spring seeded crops.