Richardson Pulls funding

[bgmb]

I think at 11 bucks flax is a not even close to profitable. It has been there for a few years. Production is a fraction of what it was 20 years ago. There is probably a small somewhat profitable food market.

[farmaholic]

I sold for $12.85 picked up. Considering last year's poor yields... Not real profitable.

[blackpowder]

Yup, I've been to commission meetings for producers and thought a waste of time occasionally.
Last one I was at, I left early. Leave all the (older) wieners snivelling over minutiae to themselves.
Yes, the WCWGA is voluntary. Not too sure where all their money comes from but i wouldnt think they spend a big pile.
I do think there is value as a voluntary member of a lobby group. One that does get called by ministers.
And spending a couple days BSing with American producers farmer to farmer, as reps of their own lobby groups has value.
Lobby groups that have full time offices in D.C. Wheat alone has 2.
They'll send reps to meetings up here too. There is a level of the govts ear that some of these provincial commissions dont seem to fit into. At the very least one seems focused more on production issues, the other on trade.
Or we can let Cargill, JRI and Paterson do all the talking.

[blackpowder]

Further to the occassional silliness at Commission meetings. I don't blame jri for pulling out.
Huge bank balances already from rail payouts. Corporate funding better spent elsewhere.

[bgmb]

I sold for $12.85 picked up. Considering last year's poor yields... Not real profitable.

Yeah I cant get flax to pencil on our farm. maybe at 3-4 dollar premium to canola it would start to look ok. But it is a miserable crop to harvest in this area as well.

[MBgrower]

JRI, Cargill, Vitera, Paterson, etc develop canola markets, not the canola council. With JRI pulling out, looks like our check fees might be going up so to support all the meetings in palm springs.

[blackpowder]

Do believe changes necessary.
They seem to be floundering.
But also know of an instance where a trade delegation benefited from the presence of a producer on a board being there.
I dont think grain cos negotiate tariffs etc.

[Klause]

Do believe changes necessary.
They seem to be floundering.
But also know of an instance where a trade delegation benefited from the presence of a producer on a board being there.
I dont think grain cos negotiate tariffs etc.

Problem is these producer organizations run over to other countries, make promises we can't keep, and make our whole industry look foolish.


If you've never direct marketed, traveled (not as a tourist), and talked to buyers (our customers) in other countries, you really have no place on one of these boards... No experience, no clue... Have to understand the culture of your buyer before you can make suggestions on how your product 'fits' into it.

[tweety]

Yea these groups better get their shit together and realize they represent farmers first

SaskFarmer, its an industry organization, farmers are just a tiny part of it.

Do you really thing the Prime Minister fixed the dockage issue? Or was it the CCC?

Farmers are of no real concern as long as they keep making canola.

[Quadtrack]

It’s debatable whether there is any point trying to counter some of the views in this thread.
Clearly some have not much history in farm issues and farmers that drive change for the betterment of the whole industry.
Don’t want to pay a levy for that industry support and goal of improvement? Don’t grow pulses! You would not be anyway if not for the investment in aschocyta and powdery mildew resistance. You likely get a refund from all the other check offs anyway. And of course would view running for and holding a board position a waste of your time. Oh right, refunder, can’t.
We went to the funeral of a long time canola industry leader a few weeks ago. 18 years he donated to trying to improve the markets, agronomy and system for all of us-many things we take for granted now, obviously. At least half of that time was completely donated including all expenses driving from Meadow Lake to meetings in Stoon or wherever. A true leader.
Check back and see how big the US market for canola oil and meal was 25 years ago. We hosted the very first tour for US based dieticians back about 25 years to share what we knew about canola-did that for a dozen years or more, all voluntary I might add. Did that make a difference to lead where we are now with entire restaurant chains using canola oil? Not exclusively for sure, but it had some impact.
Richardson has some points of merit in their withdrawal - a convention doesn’t need to be held in some fancy place -there are areas that should be trimmed-but there are areas where the involvement of Canola Council certainly have impact and benefit -the dockage issue for one, blackleg/port access issue another, and a fair bit of the Chinese market in the first place.
Some just want to whine and complain and cut down a system that although not perfect, has been a benefit.
And if you think there should be change, leave your levy in and become a board member to influence change.