Director Elections

[parsley]

MEDIA RELEASE



Olds area farmer Jeff Nielsen runs in CWB election


(August 5, 2008) -- Olds area farmer Jeff Nielsen announced today he will run for director of District 2 in the Canadian Wheat Board’s (CWB’s) fall elections.

Nielsen will run on the platform that marketing choice can and will work for farmers – and for the CWB.



“Marketing choice is a goal of mine not just for District 2 but for all of western Canadian wheat and barley producers,” says Nielsen. “I have been encouraged by many of my farmer colleagues to run for the CWB director position and I look forward to the opportunity to serve the farmers of District 2.”



Nielsen adds: “I personally support more choice for farmers and if elected I will work hard at the board table to achieve that objective while also preserving the CWB. I believe that the Canadian Wheat Board can continue to be a successful marketing alternative, just as the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board (OWPMB) is for Ontario producers, even though the OWPMB doesn’t have monopoly powers.



“It is time to move forward and I will bring my experience to the CWB board table in advocating for policies and programs that will achieve marketing choice while also preserving principles of the CWB, like pooling, for the benefit those producers who want that option.”



In his years as director of both United Grain Growers and Agricore United, Nielsen worked with proactive farm leaders to represent the needs of farmers in District 2. If elected, he will continue to represent them.

Nielsen operates J. E. Nielsen Farms Inc., a 1,350-acre grain and oilseed farm near Olds, Alberta and is currently the president of the Western Barley Growers Association. He has also been on numerous trade missions to the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland, promoting more trade liberalization to provide the grains, oilseed, pulses, pork and beef producer’s better market access and returns.

For more information contact:

Jeff Nielsen

403-556-0408

or

Doug McBain

Campaign Manager

403-816-0645



Jeff Nielsen, your first choice for a progressive Canadian Wheat Board Director in District 2!

[agstar77]

We know how well the UGG and Agricore story ended.

[parsley]

Nielsen is a successful farmer.

Probably there were also successful farmers who were Sask Wheat Pool loyalists, but look where SWP ended up. Hard to finger one individual SWP delegate for SWP's financial and farmer-confidence failures.

The good thing is that Nielsen has both corporate AND farming experience, and he seems to be not afraid of either change or improvements to a failing system.

Parsley

[agstar77]

He may be all you say, however trying to maintain the CWB and allowing the open market to compete will prove untenable. We have the situation now where companies arer locking in production contracts with lure of incentives on inputs. Don't you think they will lock in contracts with offers of financing and cuts in input costs the CWB can't match? Once those contracts are done you will be locked into them more tightly than the CWB ever did.

[parsley]

Last I heard, the Ontario Wheat Board and the CWB work side by side.

Parsley

[chaffmeister]

Agstar77:

You gotta think outside the bin.

What would stop the CWB from negotiating partnerships with grain handlers so their financing & input "incentives" go to those in CWB pool accounts as well?

Instead of the CWB having “accredited exporters”, perhaps it’ll end up with “accredited handlers”. I can see a future where the grain handlers and/or terminal operators vie for CWB handle – on a much more competitive basis than we have now. Partnering with the CWB on programs is one way of doing that.

You are right about one thing- the CWB will never survive if its management & directors think it won't.

In a market with a voluntary CWB, the CWB needs to think real hard about it wants to be when it grows up.

[chaffmeister]

Sorry - last line in previous post should read:

In a market with a voluntary CWB, the CWB needs to think real hard about what it wants to be when it grows up.

[silverback]

If the CWB holds such a influential position in the worldwide sale of wheat and barley, and they return such great premiums back to farmers, why did they never think that they should do the same for the input side of designated area farmers AS??

Why have they been so content to sit in Winnipeg and sell grain day after day after day...???

[cropduster]

Chaffmeister...your comment to Agstar about thinking outside the bin cracked me up!!Especially since the guy lives in a quonset!!!!!Doesn`t get much better!!!!

[mcfarms]

I was going to run but my handpicked campaign manager when asked said he doesn't want to give up his cushy job (lol)