Farmer Representation

[Misterjade9]

As most of you have figured out, I don't post on here all that often but I do read all the threads. I don't think I would be going to far out on a limb when I say that the two biggest concerns facing us as primary producers would be, as Bucket has stated.

1- Increase in cost of production
2- Lack of representation from all of the producer associations and councils.

I get that there is real frustration with our producer groups, whether it be with a lack of a voice or a voice that seems to contradict what most producers want.

Now I hear a lot of bitching about said groups but I have yet to hear anyone proposing any sort of a solution other than we want our checkoff dollars back.

So I am going to pose this question to everyone.

What form would you like to see farmer representation look like at a local, provincial and federal level?

Between Christmas and New years we went to California to my aunt and uncles 50th wedding anniversary. My uncle has been a member, as long as I can remember, of his county's Farm Bureau.
He has been the president of his county along with being a state director for a term. I had a really good conversation with him on how the Farm Bureau was funded, how policy was formed and enacted on all three levels,how much power the Farm Bureau had at the federal level, and how there are still individual farm producer groups that function as well and with the Bureau.

I know we have our producer groups , APAS, national farm groups, but it seems to me that these entities butt heads and contradic each other and can't form a united front. So do we need to start from scratch and have one single entity to represent us?

[bucket]

We need an Umbrella to cover all these producer groups....non partisan would be effective....

You can't have former WCWGA on boards that automatically discount the NFU position and vice versa ...it really plays into the government's hand of doing SFA...

We have saskpulse and Pulse Canada.....and half the directors of saskpulse are on pulse canada board...I think they could trim fat there...

Same with Canola..

Why not have a board that the current checkoff entities report to for Political issues...

As I watch everything from the Auto sector to Algoma to now geo thermal ...every capitalist industry is on government support except farmers who have no way of recouping costs....

****ing Saskpulse will watch all the handouts and won't make the ask for a trade payment similar to what the MFP is in the states...

We need people overseeing this shit with more vision than wanting a 4 year term on a board to put on their political resume.....thats all most of these positions are....

SARM people move into provincial politics....doesnt make Marit or Reiter any smarter ..it just gave them name recognition....

[SASKFARMER3]

We need real farmers that stand up for primary producers.
Not people who use it as a stepping stone to provincial politics for the golden handshake pension. Carrier politicians in Canada is a problem. Two terms and out on your ass no Pension. Get shit done and gone.

See a lot of these supposed farmer groups have no clue and when they get the first check they turn their brains off and shift to neutral. Get their first paid for a trip to someplace in the world and brain is shifted to neutral. Get a free be from chem company and brain shifts off.

Think they are better because they sit on a board. F#K$I sat on a board at rider games years ago and got splinters in my ass.

The, Me myself and I farmers are the ones who need to be off this shit. You are voted in to represent farmers not pick up a check.

[grassfarmer]

Whether you agree with their politics (or their name) or not the National Farmers Union is the correct structure needed to represent all ag producers. Provincial only organisations are largely a waste of time as are commodity specific groups. A national organization with a provincial and local presence is the way to funnel farmer concerns from the ground up. United behind one organization the Government would have to be more answerable to us.

[Braveheart]

As most of you have figured out, I don't post on here all that often but I do read all the threads. I don't think I would be going to far out on a limb when I say that the two biggest concerns facing us as primary producers would be, as Bucket has stated.

1- Increase in cost of production
2- Lack of representation from all of the producer associations and councils.

I get that there is real frustration with our producer groups, whether it be with a lack of a voice or a voice that seems to contradict what most producers want.

Now I hear a lot of bitching about said groups but I have yet to hear anyone proposing any sort of a solution other than we want our checkoff dollars back.

So I am going to pose this question to everyone.

What form would you like to see farmer representation look like at a local, provincial and federal level?

Between Christmas and New years we went to California to my aunt and uncles 50th wedding anniversary. My uncle has been a member, as long as I can remember, of his county's Farm Bureau.
He has been the president of his county along with being a state director for a term. I had a really good conversation with him on how the Farm Bureau was funded, how policy was formed and enacted on all three levels,how much power the Farm Bureau had at the federal level, and how there are still individual farm producer groups that function as well and with the Bureau.

I know we have our producer groups , APAS, national farm groups, but it seems to me that these entities butt heads and contradic each other and can't form a united front. So do we need to start from scratch and have one single entity to represent us?

The US landscape is also littered with different farm groups and associations.

As far as general organizations go, the Farm Bureau usually opposes everything the NFU (American) supports.

There are as many paradigms and political views as there are stars in the sky in Canada. There will never be consensus. Pick your poison and fight on.

[Braveheart]

[QUOTE=bucket;399887]We need an Umbrella to cover all these producer groups....non partisan would be effective....

You can't have former WCWGA on boards that automatically discount the NFU position and vice versa ...it really plays into the government's hand of doing SFA...QUOTE]
Somebody has to oppose the NFU. Their policies are usually so far out in left field ie. wheat boards, method of payment, opposing trade deals etc. The only thing they've done right is oppose endpoint royalties.

[malleefarmer]

We have state or provincial bodies.

National body of little use.

Each state works on there various issues and come together a few times a year.

http://ppsa.org.au/ http://ppsa.org.au/

National groups
https://www.graingrowers.com.au/ https://www.graingrowers.com.au/
https://www.nff.org.au/ https://www.nff.org.au/