Media

[parsley]

CWB radio this morning probably perked up some ears for solving the CWB dilemna.


Just as Burmese militia men are terrified of touching women's underwear for fear they'll lose their power, the CWB Directors are terrified the CWB will lose power if Western farmers only, bypass their selling programs. Anybody else in Canada can bypass them, but not a Western farmer.

It's superstition that is causing angst.

Therefore, the Burmese women are mailing a pair of panties to the members of the violent militia in Burma who are so hung up on force, and jailing and violence,to get them to touch the panties, and finally discover panties will not harm them or render them dumb.(ah, your IQ comment, agstar...is it indicitive of some deep-seated fear?)

So, maybe every Western farmer should send a pair of well-worn gotch to the CWB Directors. Preferably ones that you have worn on the tractor, cleaned grain in, and ones left in a heap in the shop, when the house was, er, too far off.

The Directors will open, touch them, and discover they have not been rendered helpless by their fellow Western farmers, and maybe they can finally lay their superstitions to rest.

Worth a try? Should be an exercise the present Directors can relate to. lol

Parsley

[bucket]

I said it on other threads and I will say it again.

Pay the bills with other grains and wait for the cwb come up with something that's inline with the world.

When they can't fill ships and the grain is not contracted with them - what are they going to do - expropriate?

I would like to see them go to the government and ask for some money to top up the price to get the grain flowing. What do you think mr. Harper will ask for as a concession?

There is a big problem with this year's crop. The cwb always forced farmers to keep some in the bin. This year farmers are sweeping out bins. The cwb spent to much energy on the pissing match with Ottawa and haven't been watching what they are supposed to be doing - marketing our grain for the premium price not giving it away to Iraq and Iran (for $333 a tonne).

[wilagro]

parsley: I don't know what you are smoking lately, but if I were you, I would stay away from it from now on.

What's with these comparisons between the CWB and Burmese dictators and the CWB and Mugabe all about? They don't even remotely ring true. You and Francisco must be smokin' the same dope as you are stretchin' it a bit.

Do you not see ANY merit in the marketing of wheat and malting barley through the CWB? Can they not handle some of the onerous international trade negotiations on your behalf so that you can do what you do best...that being the growing of quality product?

Do you want to spend all of your precious time on the phone or computer arranging complex trade agreements with the problematic financial risk that is involved? Do you have a banker and lawyer in your family to assist you?

(Yes, you probably do)...but not everyone has.

[Fransisco]

I can only speak for myself, not for parsley. What exactly am I streching Wilagro?

I'll answer your questions below.

[Fransisco]

First off it was Tom that was making the comparison between the CWB and Mugabe not me. It was the Star Phoenix making the comparison between Harper and Mugabe that got me going. I believe both comparisons are out to lunch.

[parsley]

Well, wilagro, as I see it the CWB is a dictator. If they don't want to be called a dictator by me, then they should quit acting like one.

There are ZERO compromises by the CWB. My way or jail. Policy changes are made according to the weather of the day.(ie. "Farmer Hank is bitching too much in the Globe & M , so give him a break on the buyback for a month or two until it dies down.")

Forced participation by real and exhibited force is the principle underlying the Board.

Economic thugs in suits with fingernails and hands kept clean by handing over the dirty compliance work to others.

Unaccountable, arrogant single desk crusaders who's only stated policy purpose is to get themselves more money.

Take away the jailing component and see how many single-minded adherents are left standing guard.

That being said, ranted in this case, and proud of it, a Western co-operative selling, and buying, and market intelligence agency can be very valuable for farmers in terms of money, influence, a sense of pride, and binding farmers together.

An agency who would gather data FOR ONLY THE CO-OPS USE could be invaluable.

An agency who would work to sell for the HIGHEST privce, to countries they choose, could be invaluable.

An agency who would work to get farmers closer together instead of working to rip them apart, could be invaluable.

An agency who would work to get farmers's investing in projects instead of working to keep them from value-adding could be invaluable.

An agency who would earn farmers' good will instead of contempt and disgust, could be invaluable.

An agency who would RECOGNIZE the supreme value of the individual, instead of demeaning how stupid he is sitting in his kitchen on-line, would be valuable

Farmers with contacts, each individually applying their talents and skills,spreading throughout their contacts and friends all working towards a, could be invaluable.

I maybe shouldn't say this online, but I will take his wrath if he should deem it deserving, but did you know that Director Jim Chatenay's great grandfather was the President of Switzerland at one time? How do we know where influence and public relations can reach?And who's influence?

You seem to think ONLY employees of the Board are talented. That is very small thinking.



IF the CWB became voluntary, I think you would find people would work towards making it better. It all hinges on force versus voluntary. And be bloody damned to hell and back if that principle can be compromised.

Parsley

[Fransisco]

Wilagro these are fair questions thank you for asking them.

<blockquote> Wilagro said "Do you not see ANY merit in the marketing of wheat and malting barley through the CWB?"</blockquote>

Not as long as it is mandatory.

If they were to actually compete for my grain I believe their could be some merit. But as it currently stands the CWB single desk violates my property rights and as I have shown through numerous price comparisons it nets me lower returns than I can get myself on the open market. That's two strikes too many for me.


<blockquote>Wilagro, "Can they not handle some of the onerous international trade negotiations on your behalf so that you can do what you do best...that being the growing of quality product?"</blockquote>

Why do you presume to know what it is that I or anyone else can do best? Why can one not be good at both production and marketing in the same way that someone can be good at seeding, spraying, harvesting and a number of other farming activities?

And I do not see anything particularly onerous for me on the international trade front when it comes to non board crops like canola, oats, soybeans, perennial rye or my hogs for that matter. So I'm not really sure what you are talking about here. Maybe you can clarify the question?

<blockquote> Wilagro said," Do you want to spend all of your precious time on the phone or computer arranging complex trade agreements with the problematic financial risk that is involved?" </blockquote>

Yes, I agree, my time is precious, and so is the grain I spend all summer growing. That is why what I choose to do with my grain and how I decide to spend my time is my business, because it is so precious. And quite frankly I enjoy following the markets, doing research on the computer and making deals. If you do not that's fine as well there are all sorts of people more than willing to help you with that. And if you think the CWB has been doing all of that for you for free or at some kind of a discount rate you are sadly mistaken. There is no such thing as a free lunch Willagro.

And just for comparisons sake I also like to do my own bookkeeping, many farmers do not and instead hire it out. A lot of farmers like to scout all of their own fields, I prefer to pay a cropscout to help me cover more ground in less time. These are choices that I make that work for me, other farmers make other choices that work better for them but their choices do not effect me and mine do not effect them. If the CWB worked this way I would be fine with it, but unfortunately it doesn't and that is why it has to change.

<blockquote> Wilagro said, "Do you have a banker and lawyer in your family to assist you?
(Yes, you probably do)...but not everyone has." </blockquote>

No I don't, but even if I did I would not assume to ask them to work for me for free. My banker, my lawyer, my accountant and many, many other people provide valuable services that add value to my operation. Those who provide value deserve to receive value in return. You seem to think other wise, why is that?

[bucket]

I am just curious - how do my peas, and flax, and canola get sold around the world. Sure the grain companies take some for their risks but they still offer prices that can be checked to see if they are stealing too much. Who takes care of the trade arrangements?

When you have the flamans reporting that the cwb has made substantial sales at the high prices, you start to wonder why the farmgate prices are keeping pace.

[parsley]

They aren't keeping pace.

Given the statement by a director, and comparing it to cheques the farmer recieves, the descrepacny is there, so could it mean the CWB is:

lying

or

they are laundering money

or

they are in unknown debt

or

they have accouning departments leaking,

or

they have a plump savings account they forgot about

or

there is a secret slush fund account

or

there is someone with sticky fingers



or ??? any other suggestions.

Put em all on the table.

Anyone on AV recieved a BIGGGGGGGGGGGGGG CWB cheque out of the blue, and cashed it?

Gotta be a reason for no money in farmers' pockets.

Parsley

[wilagro]

Hmmmmmmm...perhaps the CWB does need some "modernization".

From what I read of the many comments on this forum, I would say that a comprehensive "re-hab" would still leave the CWB as a valuable marketing organization. Perhaps one should elect directors who espouse your sentiments. I would think that time is of the essence before the CWB is totally destroyed.

It is good to hear of what others have to say about their experiences and I will keep an open mind about the CWB in the future and watch for genuine efforts to change this most valuable agency to serve farmers better.

[Fransisco]

You are right time is of the essence and the longer the CWB waits to become voluntary and truly a competitive and commercial enterprise the more likely it is that it will permanently go down the tubes.

[bucket]

Parsley and others

I missed a word in the my last post

Last sentence should have read " ...,you start to wonder why farmgate prices are not keeping pace!!!"

My mistake.

To carry on. The cwb has a big problem with their pricing. 30 years ago it was easy to steal farmers grain when they had a 50/50 farm which consisted of wheat and summerfallow. With the rotations now those other crops might put the cwb in a pickle to secure supplies. The board and management have to start paying attention. Flax at 19.38 and from what I am hearing its not going down soon, may pay alot of bills on my farm so why would I waste my time hauling in 6.50 initial price wheat???

Marketing means you evaluate the competetion to ensure value. This doesn't fall into the cwb job description.

[Fransisco]

I'm with you bucket there are many other options out there right now other than board grains, all of which can make me money right off the combine this year, without all the board BS.

Heck, my winter wheat might just all go into the feed market if things keep rallying the way they have this week.

[bucket]

And competetion doesn't mean other exporters around the world (that have no grain) it also has to include other grain. I grow hrs because it works in my rotation. I may not be a marketing genius but I have to decide which crops move and since I have not signed a cwb contract except for a 20 tonne 10.74 fpc they may have trouble convincing me to haul. I'll let the board supporters fill the low priced sales contracts.

Why the board has not caught onto this is beyond me.

[Jay-mo]

quote - Do you not see ANY merit in the marketing of wheat and malting barley through the CWB?

The problem is they market my grain while holding a club.
Let them compete in the real business world.
Let them win farmers business.
Where when they do well they are rewarded with more business, when they screw up they should suffer.
Now when they screw up they need to fire up the propaganda machine to convince us otherwise.