Canada's Agriculture Brand has Fizzled

[farming101]

2016 wheat export values for countries that export at least 1 MMT


https://comtrade.un.org/data/ https://comtrade.un.org/data/


The world wheat market today is not your Grandpappy's market.

Yes there are a lot of costs to get our product to market. The price Canada receives at port doesn't trickle down to the farmer very well, but that's our problem. The world's top wheat importers couldn't care less.

I think Joe's comments at the end of Mr. Pilger's column are very good

[GDR]

The tiny premium offered and the need to use certified seed ate up a good part of that pathetic "premium". Elevator companies probably netted more per tonne extra than Producers.


Klause..... "we're not listening"????? The more you pay me the more intently I will listen! Pay me well to grow any IP crop they want. Make it worth my while and not some insulting minuscule amount of money above generic commodity grain....I will listen. And if the the production practices they demand mean lower net returns over general commodity production, they have to pay up. And if my land becomes infested with weeds or mined of nutrients....who pays to replace the nutrients and clean up the weed mess.

Everyone wants to dictate but not pay.[/QUOTE]

I think what Klause is suggesting isn't really change practice to capture a premium over normal prices but rather meet the demands of the buyers or risk the "normal" price falling below market value cause our product is no longer wanted.

Not saying I appreciate being told what to do or how to do it but that is unfortunately reality. Look at history, McDonald's forced change on egg layer barns and pig barns because they control such a large part of the market and said do it or else. There is a beef sustainability program going on now too that sooner or later if you aren't on you are gonna be forced to sell for less. Livestock have mandatory rfid tags and require tracking of movements and age. New rules requiring a prescription from a vet to access drugs for animals. Those are just a few examples how consumer has pushed for change without paying more for a product. Coming to a grain farm near you!

It's best to get out in front of the curve and lead the requirements to something that is doable and affordable instead of doing nothing and having others dictate what has to be done.

[farmaholic]

No one has offered me a premium for my swather desiccated CWRS yet.

[bucket]

No one has offered me a premium for my swather desiccated CWRS yet.

Thats because the premium is you don't have to pay for drying on paper blending...lol.

[Klause]

The tiny premium offered and the need to use certified seed ate up a good part of that pathetic "premium". Elevator companies probably netted more per tonne extra than Producers.


Klause..... "we're not listening"????? The more you pay me the more intently I will listen! Pay me well to grow any IP crop they want. Make it worth my while and not some insulting minuscule amount of money above generic commodity grain....I will listen. And if the the production practices they demand mean lower net returns over general commodity production, they have to pay up. And if my land becomes infested with weeds or mined of nutrients....who pays to replace the nutrients and clean up the weed mess.

Everyone wants to dictate but not pay.

I think what Klause is suggesting isn't really change practice to capture a premium over normal prices but rather meet the demands of the buyers or risk the "normal" price falling below market value cause our product is no longer wanted.

Not saying I appreciate being told what to do or how to do it but that is unfortunately reality. Look at history, McDonald's forced change on egg layer barns and pig barns because they control such a large part of the market and said do it or else. There is a beef sustainability program going on now too that sooner or later if you aren't on you are gonna be forced to sell for less. Livestock have mandatory rfid tags and require tracking of movements and age. New rules requiring a prescription from a vet to access drugs for animals. Those are just a few examples how consumer has pushed for change without paying more for a product. Coming to a grain farm near you!

It's best to get out in front of the curve and lead the requirements to something that is doable and affordable instead of doing nothing and having others dictate what has to be done.[/QUOTE]


Bingl!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Klause]

No one has offered me a premium for my swather desiccated CWRS yet.

No... But you can sell it.


Oats there's almost no market for dessicated crop now.

Actually p and h will no longer buy any dessicants oats, I believe yorkton Mills is the same.


Prominent flour mill has said they are looking at ending the practice also...

It's not a matter of premiums. It's a matter of no longer having access to markets or if you do, at a discounted rate.


I.e. durum no longer going to the eu

[bgmb]

Going to play the other side as usual here... but is the Durum thing a non tarrif trade barrier or a legit concern. I personally think it is a convenient way to block imports kind of like the India thing. About 30 seconds after there is a shortage of Durum in the EU watch the durum flow freely again.

[grassfarmer]

....... Those are just a few examples how consumer has pushed for change without paying more for a product. Coming to a grain farm near you!

It's best to get out in front of the curve and lead the requirements to something that is doable and affordable instead of doing nothing and having others dictate what has to be done.

Bingl!!!!!!!!!!!![/QUOTE]


It's often not the consumer pushing for change actually - case in point the McDonalds sustainability program for beef - that's a case of corporate greenwashing in my opinion. It's a business decision taken tactically by McDonalds playing on public opinion. What a joke - we get audited by McDonalds for sustainability while they still hand out their made in China plastic toy with every junk food kids meal. Who is auditing McDonalds for sustainability?

Talk of being ahead of the curve is all well and good, the beef guys thought that too. The inevitable result whether the farmer wants to participate willingly or grudgingly is that you will all jump through the hoops the processors/retailers tell you to and you will achieve commodity price, no premiums - not compliant production will be discounted or unsaleable. As producers we have no leverage - that was all given up through corporate concentration.

[WiltonRanch]

Bingl!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's often not the consumer pushing for change actually - case in point the McDonalds sustainability program for beef - that's a case of corporate greenwashing in my opinion. It's a business decision taken tactically by McDonalds playing on public opinion. What a joke - we get audited by McDonalds for sustainability while they still hand out their made in China plastic toy with every junk food kids meal. Who is auditing McDonalds for sustainability?

Talk of being ahead of the curve is all well and good, the beef guys thought that too. The inevitable result whether the farmer wants to participate willingly or grudgingly is that you will all jump through the hoops the processors/retailers tell you to and you will achieve commodity price, no premiums - not compliant production will be discounted or unsaleable. As producers we have no leverage - that was all given up through corporate concentration.[/QUOTE]

Exactly!
Same as the misconception we have about gaining social license or doing environmental farm plans to appease enviro wakkos. It never satisfies the squeakiest wheels. The majority wants affordable reasonable quality food. Granted there is a growing trend for organic, sustainable, natural etc stuff. Corps buy into that fear with these requirements to be first to market to out compete others at our expense. It’s like hormones. There’s no proof they make boys grow tits but there’s so much misinformation out there that even some farmers have doubts. Even some believe the earth is only 6000 years old but that’s for another day.