Any good buyers left?

[Bushpusher]

There are 4 grain terminals East of Regina right on the #1 and not one of them has a buyer that isn’t greener than grass. Why are all the good experienced buyers leaving? I’ve asked these new folks some questions to feel them out and I either get a blank stare or some bs answer that they think makes them sound smart. I finally hired an marketing advisor this year. Been thinking about it for a while now. Can’t afford the grain cos to train people at my farms expense

[bucket]

I think G3 has scooped guys with long contact lists.

[Blaithin]

All the experienced ones I know jumped ship to new elevators.

[walterm]

There are 4 grain terminals East of Regina right on the #1 and not one of them has a buyer that isn’t greener than grass. Why are all the good experienced buyers leaving? I’ve asked these new folks some questions to feel them out and I either get a blank stare or some bs answer that they think makes them sound smart. I finally hired an marketing advisor this year. Been thinking about it for a while now. Can’t afford the grain cos to train people at my farms expense

Good points but you have been for a long time not only in buyers office but on the grading bench too! It is only going to get worse as some farm groups and the last gov't have turned the quality control to 3rd parties and self regulation. Farmers have chosen to go it alone against multi national companies if they can't make a profit in one area they will in another.

[Bushpusher]

Good points but you have been for a long time not only in buyers office but on the grading bench too! It is only going to get worse as some farm groups and the last gov't have turned the quality control to 3rd parties and self regulation. Farmers have chosen to go it alone against multi national companies if they can't make a profit in one area they will in another.

Good luck locking me out of the grading office again is all I have to say. The Canadian Grain Act states that it’s my right to watch my grade and dockage being assessed. So they can either let me in, or they can remodel their damn offices with a window off the driveway where I can stand and watch. Oh, and make sure the protein tester and scale are where I can read them myself. And make sure your dockage tester is turned so I can see that it’s set properly. The more of us who challenge that stuff, it’ll be easier for all of us.

[walterm]

Good luck locking me out of the grading office again is all I have to say. The Canadian Grain Act states that it’s my right to watch my grade and dockage being assessed. So they can either let me in, or they can remodel their damn offices with a window off the driveway where I can stand and watch. Oh, and make sure the protein tester and scale are where I can read them myself. And make sure your dockage tester is turned so I can see that it’s set properly. The more of us who challenge that stuff, it’ll be easier for all of us.

Totally agree 100% I've spent a lot of time advocating that grain grading should be an apprenticeship trade with everyone that is going to asses quality for human or animal food has to have a certificate just like any other area in the food industry or most any other industry as far as that goes. Farmers need to get on the phone or email and push their representatives to demand accreditation and enforce the regulations we have in place.

[jamesb]

I sure agree that many of the CSR's at many of the elevators are green as grass. With time they many will do well but as in any business some are duds. We will sell regularly to several plants and there is only one or two with what I call a old time type of grain buyer. It is definitely on us as the farmer to make sure things are done right as these young people just don't realize the problem. Funny thing today is grade doesn't seem to matter anymore, its all on price. What is my grain worth net to me? Doesn't matter whether they call it #1 or #3, what is the net price? When some outfits use different grades and protein spreads for their base grades , I always have to ask what's my net price. I think a year like this those with uncontracted grain to sell will be far more in the drivers seat. I'm sure there are is going to be more times of price increases at certain elevators just to finish off a train. I think the "merchant" buying grain that are above the local CSR's for several elevators are going to earn their paycheck this year.

[Bushpusher]

I sure agree that many of the CSR's at many of the elevators are green as grass. With time they many will do well but as in any business some are duds. We will sell regularly to several plants and there is only one or two with what I call a old time type of grain buyer. It is definitely on us as the farmer to make sure things are done right as these young people just don't realize the problem. Funny thing today is grade doesn't seem to matter anymore, its all on price. What is my grain worth net to me? Doesn't matter whether they call it #1 or #3, what is the net price? When some outfits use different grades and protein spreads for their base grades , I always have to ask what's my net price. I think a year like this those with uncontracted grain to sell will be far more in the drivers seat. I'm sure there are is going to be more times of price increases at certain elevators just to finish off a train. I think the "merchant" buying grain that are above the local CSR's for several elevators are going to earn their paycheck this year.

The “merchant” at one of the places I’m talking about has no previous grain experience other sweeping the driveway. How can I trust that person when I’ve caught mistakes made by them on the driveway? Now they’re the one watching the others? Makes zero sense. I asked who they learned from, the names I was given…I laughed. One was the current manager who yet has to leave the safety of their office to talk to me when I’m there. Never seen this person outside of their office once. Just a joke. The other was an idiot, was trying to buy my grain and seemed scared to come to the farm, couldn’t talk farming if his life depended on it, now I hear he’s got a big promotion. This year I’ll be asking to see grade inspector certificates, I want proof that the people grading my grain are actually trained. Or they accept my third party grading cert, or I go elsewhere. Game over. I’m
Not playing anymore

[Blaithin]

The “merchant” at one of the places I’m talking about has no previous grain experience other sweeping the driveway. How can I trust that person when I’ve caught mistakes made by them on the driveway? Now they’re the one watching the others? Makes zero sense. I asked who they learned from, the names I was given…I laughed. One was the current manager who yet has to leave the safety of their office to talk to me when I’m there. Never seen this person outside of their office once. Just a joke. The other was an idiot, was trying to buy my grain and seemed scared to come to the farm, couldn’t talk farming if his life depended on it, now I hear he’s got a big promotion. This year I’ll be asking to see grade inspector certificates, I want proof that the people grading my grain are actually trained. Or they accept my third party grading cert, or I go elsewhere. Game over. I’m
Not playing anymore

Just as a Devils Advocate here, as one of those people on the driveway, I know dick all really about the merchant side. You may notice that in my market posts, of which most are questions. The terminal staff at elevators, in general, have nothing to do with contracts or sales.

Conversely, the merchants rarely have anything to do with the actual grain. Do not expect them to grade or know the processes or the equipment or be of any use out in the terminal.

An idiot can just be an idiot, but just because someone was shitty in the terminal doesn't mean they can't be a good merchant.

Also realize that the people above the merchants you're dealing with on the front lines, the sales reps for the companies who are finding buyers for the grain from the elevators, very rarely have grain or farming experience. They're marketing graduates who've gotten the job, not rural people who've been promoted up to head offices. In the business models for marketing, they don't seem to require a knowledge of grain or terminal processes in order to be merchants.

[Bushpusher]

Just as a Devils Advocate here, as one of those people on the driveway, I know dick all really about the merchant side. You may notice that in my market posts, of which most are questions. The terminal staff at elevators, in general, have nothing to do with contracts or sales.

Conversely, the merchants rarely have anything to do with the actual grain. Do not expect them to grade or know the processes or the equipment or be of any use out in the terminal.

An idiot can just be an idiot, but just because someone was shitty in the terminal doesn't mean they can't be a good merchant.

Also realize that the people above the merchants you're dealing with on the front lines, the sales reps for the companies who are finding buyers for the grain from the elevators, very rarely have grain or farming experience. They're marketing graduates who've gotten the job, not rural people who've been promoted up to head offices. In the business models for marketing, they don't seem to require a knowledge of grain or terminal processes in order to be merchants.

I appreciate your comments, but it sounds like
You’re not familiar with how places work other than the one you’re at. I’ve seen location merchants working on the driveway cause they have grain experience, they grade cars. But now, they’re hiring idiots who don’t know anything. To do hedging, I agree that you don’t need grain knowledge. But to do shipping, grading, talk to farmers, you better learn what you’re doing or not one of your customers will respect you.
I’ve dealt with a lot sales people who didn’t grow up on a farm but were willing to learn, and they were great reps. What I’m saying is the 4 terminals I’m talking about are hiring people who don’t know shit from brown paper.