Wednesday With White

[parsley]

Ian White,

I imagine you are still in Australia, but many questions await you.

The Board of Directors of the Canadian Wheat Board arbitrarily set the price of the buyback for organic farmers.

Did they get a recommendation from instant-organic specialist Patti Rosher to set a specific price? Or did the directors pull it out of the blue?

For example, Stuart Wells, Kyle Korneychuk, David Orchard, and Rod Flaman know ahead of time, what their buyback price will cost.

Will the Board of Directors also set that same price for conventional farmers?

Parsley

By the way, the CWB used to claim the buyback was to to be set BASED UPON THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WORLD PRICE and the INITIAL PRICE.

So all of a sudden, the formula hiccuped, and changed.

Whoof.

So, it begs the question, "What is the present buyback formula based upon?" Number of petals on a daisy?

This is an important question, Ian White, and one that needs to be addressed.

[parsley]

Ian White,

I pursue the buyback point because the CWB's buyback policy opens the door to possible corruption.

If the Board of Directors can:

-secretly set the buyback price for Group A at $1.00 per year, and

-secretly set the buyback price for Group B at $8.00 per year,

-and secretly set the buyback price for Person C at an "undisclosed amount until the sale is transacted", and

- secretly set the buyback price for Multinational X as SALE DISALLOWED,


all of a sudden, we have a situation where decisions are not made, based upon a responsible policy, but based upon whim.

"People whim."

It seems to me, an incumbant CWB director is more likely to "take a call" from me if I begin the converstation with, "Hi Gawd, I want to donate a thousand bucks for your re-election."

Anybody who doesn't think I have his attention is a liar.

So we presently have Directors making policy that either ALLOWS OR DISCOURAGES OR DISALLOWS doing business.

Think about that.

Sales are made based upon WHIM.

Whim is not partnered with reason.

So, Mr. White, exactly what kind of an organization are you running?

Parsley

[Fransisco]

Another week goes by and its time for another spot price check.

http://bottineaufarmers.com/index.cfm?show=11&mid=6&theLocation=1&cmid=1&layou t=1

In Bottineau North Dakota new crop spring wheat price is coming in at $7.89 USD.

The boards fixed price contract is offering me $7.02 CAD.

The dollar is pretty much at par so lets call that a wash. So the boards offer is 87 cents less a bushel.

On a 50 bushel per acre crop thats a loss of $43.50 per acre.


With winter wheat, the new crop bottineau price is $7.39 per bushel.

The boards fixed price is $6.07. Now we're talking $1.32 per bushel. Ouch!

On a 70 bushel crop that $92 per acre.

My question again Mr. White is in the context of these in my pocket price differences, what value does the board bring to me?

I would suggest that it is the opposite of value, it is a cost to my business not a benefit.

[Burbert]

Do you think that you anti-board types will ever git tired of talking to yourselves? Get over it! We need the clout that a big marketeer gives us. All of us competing against each other all the time, just won't work.

[Kodiak]

Sigh.

My Grandmother always used to say, "Better to remain silent and thought a fool, than speak up and remove all doubt."

[Fransisco]

Once again for the record I am not "anti-board" I am -pro choice-, there's a difference. I do not want to take the poolingcooperative option away from the Burberts of the world, I just want to sell my own grain.

[Fransisco]

And as far as "clout" goes according to the latest CWB annual report Canada is sitting at around 14% of the global market share of wheat. If we are looking for "clout" to get the job done I don't think a 14% market share is going to cut it.

[parsley]

Please don't feed the seaguill on this thread.

Parsley

[Kodiak]

Mr. White,

You have said that unless the single desk brings value to farmers, it is not worth keeping. Given the evidence we have, which goes back a long way, it is apparent the value you are seeking is not there. In fact evidence that means something (farm gate comparisons) is showing the CWB has a strong record of value subtracted , not valued added.

Mr. White, how long will it take, or rather how long are you willing to look for the value to which you refer, before you can reach a conclusion?

Your record speaks for itself. There is no doubt you are a smart and capable individual. Therefore I don't think it should take you very long. In fact I think you've probably had enough time already.

Do you see things as many, if not most farmers do - which is why they want real marketing choice?

Or are you ready to conclude that the value is there somewhere and most of us are wrong? If you are, I for one need to see the value and be able to verify it.

Just to re-emphasize - this musn't take too long. Either a lot of money is at stake, which needs to be captured, or this argument should be put to rest. It's been taking way too much of our time.