$50 million in check Off Dollars from farmers are we getting our moneys worth.

[SASKFARMER3]

My answer is No I want to know what other farmers are thinking.

We give in Check off Money some 50 million to organizations that are supposed to have our best interest.

Then the budget comes out yesterday and articles are all Ag organizations are happy.

Happy about what its all about vote buying in Quebec and nothing, nothing at all said about the 1 Billion in Lost income to western Canada from a Prime minister and useless liberal gov. Thanks to India and China.

Sad.

Can our organizations we basically hear PEEP.

Some we can ask for money back but some no hope in hell.

FArming is not rosy its a Disaster.

[Wheatking]

The smaller commissions like barley, oats etc... I will give a break to as they work for the most part as volunteers. I think last time I had a commission melt down I calculated that one person on the board of the likes of the canola growers makes more than the entire board of the smaller commissions. The waste of needless meetings for both the boards and staff is unconscionable. Yet when we have a disaster like we have going on now, crickets. I honestly expect the board chair and manager etc... to have been on the first flight to Ottawa to lobby/update the ministers and staff involved in the seriousness of this. What do we get, complaining that the ag minister skipped Sask, which shouldn't of mattered because they should of already been in ottawa briefing her staff etc... on the importance of this to the canola industry.

This is the exact situation I pay checkoff dollars for. If they cant even be bothered to be giving the appearance of trying to resolve this issue in any way, then it's time to ask for my money back. They have some good people on the canola boards, but they may be in over their heads.

[grassfarmer]

.......FArming is not rosy its a Disaster.

Well just quit farming then and away back to Disneyland and save us all having to listen to your incessant whining. What is it - 2 days? since you got home from your 4 months holidays and already you're at it. Spare a thought for those of us who work at it 365 days a year and are enjoying and gratefully anticipating the arrival of spring and another season after a long winter. I've never heard anyone so spoiled, so well off, complain so much.

[SASKFARMER3]

Grass name one crop that will make money in 2019. With the cost the way they are and the shit show happening in ag?

Your smart I think or maybe goofy.

[SASKFARMER3]

Here is your answer grass I can see what’s happening to farming in canada and don’t want to go backwards.


Real simple!

[Herc]

Hmm one guy says farming isn’t that rosey, another says go to disneyland and quit. Wtf is going on.

I quite enjoy SF3’s posts but the continual need for him to explain himself and his situation is getting old.

[Herc]

Sorry my last post wasn’t written as best it could be, didn’t want it misinterpreted. SF3 shouldn’t have to explain himself to anyone, but others feel he should.

But back to the original post no I don’t feel my checkoff dollars are being used to their full potential. Ship me to disneyland....

[seldomseen]

Do you think farming would be any worst off if there was no commissions and check off's. I don't think so.

.

[SASKFARMER3]

No, I don't because they really do shit all.

Sad why we can't be more like the farmers in France.

Enough is enough.

But no in peace-loving Canada we say sorry right till they guy pulls the trigger and wonder on the last second why we failed.

Really sad.

Talk to an equipment salesman or mechanic or salesman for anything ag-related. Lean years are here.

[westernvicki]

Many boards contain recycled members, directors who go from one board or commission, to the other for the perks, & the conventions. There is indeed lots to learn and the knowledge and association has benefit.
In the long run, there are differences in the precise needs of each commodity but not enough to warrant a separate group in every separate province, and then a national group. It is all good but each of these boards need an Executive, & staff, and this ratio is detrimental to results & efficiency.

We need to do like Australia, reduce and focus, invest the money strategically & include in the mix of professionals advise from other professions, who have a proven record of entrepreneurial achievement.

It's time to revamp the associations: amalgamate.

[Misterjade9]

WesternVicki is correct it is time for us to have one single voice for us as primary producers. The question is how to do that, can we take an already established entity such as APAS and with some tweaking turn it into a Farm Bureau. The only reason I use APAS as an example is because it seems to me to be an organization that represents all areas of ag, not just specific commodities. If one organization had all the money that is now collected in all of the checkoff dollars there would be enough to hire policy writers, lawyers and good lobbyists so that we had one unified voice in Ottawa.

On a quick side note I went to a spray clinic put on by Coreteva, ( or whatever they are called this week), at a local RME dealership, so of course they have a new sprayer there to show off. What I am getting at is there was off course the store manager and the sales men, but on top of that there was the sprayer product specialist, the software specialist, and about 4 more people related to the sprayer division. Even I am old enough to remember when there was a salesman and the blockman. SF3 is right the amount of jobs that are directly attributed to us as producers is staggering. Now as he would say some of those jobs are parasitic, and I would believe he is right.

[bobofthenorth]

It's time to revamp the associations: amalgamate.

Equipment manufacturers have consolidated. Fertilizer manufacturers have consolidated. Chemical companies have consolidated. Equipment dealers have consolidated. Input dealers have consolidated. Farms have consolidated. Meanwhile associations have proliferated.