rolfpennerforcwb.com

[RolfPenner]

I've found through the years that different people sometimes define things differently, agstar, could you give me your definition of a "grain broker"?

As far as the 'Canadian grain brand' goes I'll have to agree with Zaphod, I don't see our oats or our canola suffering from some kind of a 'brand' problem. In fact now that I think about it canola acreage has been trending up in Western Canada while wheat acreage has been trending down. Maybe some of that is due to the Canola Councils branding efforts.

And I'm not sure if you're aware of this but most of the barley and about half the wheat that the CWB handles is already being sold by the grain companies who are registered as accredited exporters or as agents.

As far as market development goes, I look at how other grains do it. Again, lets look at canola, there's a check off which goes to a general industry organization like the canola growers who then look after it. Maybe there's a greater role for CIGI in this. I think the Alberta Barley Commission has done a good job of this as well. So there is a number of different ways this could be done.

Marketing and market development are two different things, I want to see the wheat board focus on marketing and maximizing returns to producers. I think that one of the problems at the board is that there has been too much focus on too many thing that have nothing to do with marketing.

You asked, "Would you see the current grade system changed to the U.S. system?" The answer is no.

[cottonpicken]

And why has legislation not been put forth?

Blah,blah,blah,blah

And the gun thing

blah,blah

income trusts

blah,blah

smaller budjets

blah,blah

good luck crack team of think tanks i might have a few questions.

Bye the way will wheat be higher or lower one year from now?

[mcfarms]

cotton

yes

[agstar77]

Canola branding is done by the Canola growers , with their big checkoff. I suppose you would be proposing we hand over branding to the wheatgrowers creating a new bureaucracy and another checkoff, so much for saving money. I am not a user of forward pricing, while I believe they are useful for some to lock in prices, it seems like it has distracted the CWB from its primary function. In order for me to put a 1 beside your name you would have to go into the CWB with an open mind about yielding the best return for farmers as opposed to a dogmatic view of marketing. Making an assumption that dual marketing will work is like jumping into a pool without taking swimming lessons. Dubious outcome and no second chance. Thanks for stating your reasoning, it is always useful to have all opinions expressed.

[parsley]

Rolf, It suddenly struck me when I was writing on my blog this morning, something I should have said yesterday, and that is Congratulations for letting your name stand. Lots of whiners but few candidates. Good luck. Pars

[AdamSmith]

Yes, congrats Rolf for committing yourself to a possible four years of teeth knashing, pulling your own hair out and banging your head against a brick wall. It's good to know there are optimists out there who believe what they are doing is important enough to put themselves through the wringer of public scrutiny. Good on you Rolf.

On the subject of market development and "branding", whatever that is? I do believe Canola is making great strides on that front.

One of my weird quirks is that every now and then I like watching the food network. The grilling shows mostly. There is Rob Rainerford (sp) Matt Dunigan's (the ex quarterback) Road Grill and Bobby Flay. I'm getting hungry just writing about it.

Anyway back a few years I remember commenting to a MB Canola Grower director that what you need is to have these TV chefs and grilling guys use Canola oil. Every time they make their stuff they seem to be only using olive oil and they say it a hundred time a show. If you want to increase demand for Canola oil in the US have Emeril (the Bam guy) or Bobby Flay use the stuff on their shows. Well low and behold I'm watching Bobby Flay (he's a New Yorker) about a week or so ago and here he is using Canola oil in his recipies. And every time he adds ingredients he says so, " ... a bit of CANOLA OIL..." He didn't say American canola oil or Canadian canola oil, just canola oil. But that doesn't matter because now Canola was on the big stage. There is zero difference between the two just like flower made from high protien Canadian wheat is no different from flower made from high px American or Aussie wht.

Wheat isn't wine or even g****s for that matter and Canadian wheat isn't Australian Shiraz. There is no distinctive taste or consistency between our wheat or any other wheat.

Long story short, I just don't see the value in "branding" Canadian wheat. There is nothing special about it once it's in the bakers bowl.

[AdamSmith]

Right on cotton,

legislation put forward and passed is the issue.

my only concern with trying to do things internally is the friggen lawyers will be hovering over a majority choice board of directors like vultures. Everything they attempt will be a lawsuit.

Repealing the Act is the only thing that can cage the vultures. Once the Act is repealed, they have no legal recourse.

[Zaphod]

The branding comments are not just about saving money, but about directing it properly based on farmer and industry needs. Take a look at the funding sources for the Canola Council. Only 18.5% comes from farmers. Close to half comes from levies on crushers and exporters. Sask Pulse Growers surveyed members to ASK about establishing a check-off. They also have an annual meeting every year that discusses priorities. Did the CWB ask farmers about spending money on grain storage research or on anything else for that matter? And why is grain storage a priority for the CWB? Oh yeah, so they can force farmers to hold grain off the market and swallow storage costs. How's that for accountable?

[parsley]

In the eighties, I was invited to fly down to Arizona for a few weeks. While I was there, I had lots of free time, so I donned my gleamingest earrings and went to every grocery chain in Scottsdale, and politely asked for "canola oil". btw, We didn't grow canola either, but the canola growers, aka K Lewis in those days, were trying hard.

Every grocer wrote it down.

A good tactic for every farmer to try.

Pars

[RolfPenner]

Agstar you said,

<blockquote>"In order for me to put a 1 beside your name you would have to go into the CWB with an open mind about yielding the best return for farmers as opposed to a dogmatic view of marketing."</blockquote>

What measurement or series of measurements do you, yourself use to determine how the CWB gets you the best return?

Which is a good question for everyone else here as well. What measurments do you look at?