Global Warming

[jensend]

typical agriville - turn anything into a bash the cwb thread. lol.

[perfecho]

My memory is hazy, I will admit, but I do think it was the lowering of the fusarium standards....the Alberta Grain Commission was involved and I seem to recall a bit of feedback on how the fusarium could be a problem in coming years due to this lower standard. This was back in 2001-02, and heck, I'm not sure what all I did yesterday. I do recall though, the impact it had on my thinking of agriculture and the influences corporations had (have) on our governments in spite of how much they say they are trying to help the farming community.

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Grassfarmer;

"As a livestock producer who is largely unaffected by the price of grain..."

Perhaps you forget what is one huge cause of the prices of Calves/Feeders to increase and decrease?

A massive factor is.... GRAIN PRICES.

You are handing us some more 'Global Warming' Grassfarmer... GIVE ME A BREAK! ... which arm... RIGHT?

This post tells volumes grassfarmer...

Addicted to the CWB... you are... and pretending to be innocent!

Posting once again the 'PRO BONO' Responsibility of the CWB to maintain barley stocks for Cattle producers as presented by the Canadian Cattlemen's Association:

Mr. John Prentice of the CCA (Canadian Cattlemen's Association had just presented this statement, for the record... to the Senate CWB hearings in Edmonton on C4 in 1998:

"The present Canadian Wheat Board directors are appointed by the government to act pro bono in the public good. In effect this includes running a national feed grain policy through the maintenance of a minimum carry out of barley at the end of each crop year, and the figure is used of around 2 million tonnes. That is good in terms of looking after the domestic industry, the domestic users."

...

"In conclusion, Bill C-4 sets up a situation where the proposed Board would have the motive, the tools, and the opportunity to cause damage to the industries adding value to grain on the prairies. Remove the opportunity. Keep the Canadian Wheat Board and the open market system separate. The Canadian Cattleman's Association strongly recommends that the power to buy cash grain on the open market not be given to the Canadian Wheat Board."

AND TO THIS DAY... we have not seen fair cash pricing of Barley... from the CWB that arbitrages international Feed or Malt prices...
particularly when feed stocks are tight or high priced!

[TOM4CWB]

perfecho;

Please...

Your 'hazy' memory needs a quote to back up your point... lETS have the proof!

I get VERY suspicious... when anyone makes a claim backed up by a 'hazy' memory!

[grassfarmer]

Oh yes TOM of course high grain prices and the high dollar are the cause of all our problems. Well, no actually these are the reasons cited by our cattle organisations because that way they can say it is factors out with their control and there is nothing we can do about it.
I was looking yesterday at a different perspective on this - accurate historical data collected on cattle prices, grain prices and the $ exchange rate going back to the 1930s and adjusted for inflation. It appears 1974 was a real interesting year with the Cdn dollar at $1.04 US, feed barley at close to $9 yet the price of cattle was around $125-130. Cattle prices certainly slumped into 1975 for a couple of years but were never below $120 adjusted for inflation - how do you explain that?

You say I am addicted to the CWB implying that I have a vested interest in keeping grain prices low - I don't as I've said the price of grain affects me very little as I don't use much and as shown above higher grain prices are not the driving factor of low cattle prices.

This is still all irrelevant to the question I am asking - if the CWB acts to keep grain prices low on the prairies why does the Alberta Government seek to pursue the removal of the CWB monopoly as a means to assist the struggling livestock sector? If, as argued by those of you wishing rid of the CWB, the organisation holds down grain prices here shouldn't the Alberta Government omit removal of the CWB monopoly from their livestock recovery document?

[charliep]

I have realized you are a grassfarmer and this may be the alternative of the future. North America is one of the few regions that feeds animals grain and the future may say this happens less often.

To highlight my take on the recommendations and other policy focus, the livestock and grain industry need to work together to improve the profitability of feed grains relative to other crops. Alberta has traditionally been an importer of feedgrains from Saskatchewan. Since 2001, Alberta has imported US corn a significant amount of time. Corn yields are increasing a rapid rate and will continue to do so into the future. So from a competitiveness standpoint, does it make sense to import 1 tonne of feed north or export 800 lb of feeder south? If Alberta wants to stop that trend, what would be done differently? Does the CWB marketing policy policy contribute or take away from feedgrain competitiveness when farmers are making cropping decisions?

The fusarium policy was developed in 2002 under the Pest Act (hopefully I got the act right). As you indicate some would have liked more teeth but will note would have had to applied equally to US corn as it did to S.E. Saskatchewan and Manitoba grain. US corn that is imported today (and lots was this last winter) has to be tested for fusarium.

[perfecho]

Sorry Mr. Tom4, I thought this was a discussion board, did not realize all had to be documented.
Just like when Shirley and Ralph said "Don't worry, had coffee with the packers and they are not making too much money..."
This was during the BSE crisis, don't recall all the details, but recall the jist of the statement. A year later, the Feds discovered a %600 increase in profits.
Now, maybe some of my "facts" are a little construed, can't remember exactly, but I do recall the impact and my conclusion.
I am sure Shirley's comment was in "our" best interests ;-(

[TOM4CWB]

perfecho,

Alberta has the most strict fusarium regulations in North America. How you can blame the Alberta Grain Commission for causing the fusarium problem/or 'deregulation' of fusarium... is beyond me!

Your insight on BSE is a great input to this discussion... because it provides the very answer Grasser was asking about.

What Country in the world... AFTER BSE... has been able to break free of the marketing impediment caused from BSE?

NAME ONE.

Perhaps we should have opened a big trench like England did... and get rid of 2 million cows... would that make you two happy?

[mustardman]

Don't forget our beloved Ag Monister
Ritz is on tape saying " WE Have to Get the price of Barley Down"

kinda makes you wonder doesn't it???

[charliep]

mustardman

Your arguement would be the CWB creates higher prices for barley. What evidence would you provide to support this argument? The evidence I look at indicates the CWB has under performed the open market domestic feed barley prices for both malt and feed.

Also curious about everyones interpretation of the recent CWB farmer survey. This would indicate farmers across all 3 provinces want an open market for all barley. What they disagree on is process.

[bucket]

So it starts as something about global warming and we are talking about the livestock industry and the cwb. Interesting.

It seems the feeder industry in alberta is somewhat subsidized but I think thats because that government wants industry in their province. What I can't figure out is they pay to get sask cattle, grain and people there. Its seems if there is a feed shortage its cheaper to move the cattle.

I won't continue the question is simple.

Why, with all the grain , cattle and people, is this industry not as big or bigger and more of econmic driver in Saskatchewan. The Albertan feeders would make more just moving here. Am I missing something?

[grassfarmer]

Oh you are a jester TOM, always seeking a way to avoid the issue because you can't answer the question. Perfecho contribution on the BSE issue does not appear to have anything to do with the question I was asking - perhaps you would like to explain how it answers my question?
However relevant perfechos BSE information may be to this debate it is still so so much more valuable than your misinformed contribution. Are you implying that Canada is the only country to have broken free of the marketing impediment caused from BSE?

For your information "England" did not put 2 million cows in a trench as a result of BSE. The foot and mouth outbreak of 2000 (a decade after the peak of BSE) was in fact when animals were incinerated on open pires and the number across the UK was closer to 10 million animals if you count every cow, sheep and pig slaughtered.