9550 canola

[GrainVac]

Gee, the last time I looked at how the "vision and future" of well-run company was determined, it listened to what "thousands" of stakeholders had to say. We all got to vote basis our interest level. IE one share one vote. The elections should be weighted to represent the actual acres of CWB grains in each book, just like public company ownership. One person one vote only applies to politics and that's the biggest problem in agriculture. Why do you guys want to keep going that route? Because there's been so much good come from it already?
Why should a permit book have any impact on GOV programs? The CWB spends lots of money doing pointless paperwork and accounting for "non-CWB grain" producers

[PureCountry]

Very true, but it's a shame that none of our gov't reps seem to pay attention to the rate of encroachment.

[parsley]

GrainVac

I agree with the general idea of "how many shares you own is how many votes you hold".

Unfortunately, the CWB holds more power than a corporation because it is not only a player/marketer, but it is also a regulator via the CWB Act.

An example would be if Prairie Elected Directors voted to deny the ONtario Wheat Marketing Board export permits. (A not so-dandy way to stop competition from Ontario farmers!)

(They actually did this once but the Feds stepped in and made them hand over the export licenses)

The main function, nationally, of the CWB, is as a license issuer, but if the Feds take this duty away from them, I would be more inclined to support the value of user-votes.

Parsley

[GrainVac]

I wasn't trying to make this an EAST/WEST debate or one about liscensing, by "pointless accounting" I was refering to the huge number of permit book holders that do not market any CWB grains and only do the application "in case" there is a per acre government program using seeded acres from the permit book. Everyone in this industry has been slashing costs, where does empty permit books fit in on top of getting a vote for something that is of no concern to them?

[charliep]

Just to clarify, the suggestion is being made that only people who deliver grain to the CWB should be allowed to vote in elections? Given the impact of CWB regulation/influence on logistics for all export grains and oilseeds, aren't all crop farmers stakeholders in the CWB organization? If the CWB moves to a self financed pooling system (no government guarantees) and participation/delivery may mean some type of farmer equity position in a contingency fund, how will this impact farmers ideas about governace? What would the impact of a situation of a market where the CWB is not compulsory but lives along side an open market - farmers have some form of choice in how they market their export/domestic human food wheat and barley?

[WoolyBear]

The elections should be weighted to represent the actual acres of CWB grains in each book, just like public company

NO it should not. There have been MANY producers in the last number of years that because of drought, floods, hail or other marketing opportunities didn't have grain to sell to the CWB. We don't disagree with their policies, and even if we did, wouldn't a common 1 farm/1vote be a fair way to progressively change the system if something has to be changed?

If you aren't happy with selling milling wheat through the CWB, then find a miller that will buy your "Feed Wht" from you for a substaintial premium.

[parsley]

Haven't got a permit book.
Haven't got a cash advance.
Have millers wanting grain.
Have legitimate buyers.

Deals fall through because I have to go through the Board and the profit is then gone.

The Board has complete say over the elevators, grain companies, the terminals and containers. Everyone I need to do business with.

The CWB affects my business and yours.

Should I have a vote?

Parsley

[WoolyBear]

CWB probably already has all the info that a permit book would provide anyway.

Fill it out, and file it away where no one sees it. You'll have your vote.

[TOM4CWB]

WoolyBear;

A few years back I tried to sell all our wheat and barley off-board without a permit book.

I had off-board feed contracts; the CWB told the grain companies I did the contracts with to stop accepting deliveries.

I was told not to go near any elevator until I filled out a permit book.

The elevator managers were told to report me to the CWB if I went near any elevator.

I had to have a permit book; no choice.

Now if I have seeded grain acres in my permit book, why should it matter which grain it is; since the CWB effects the handling and transport of all of them?

If I farm more grain seeded acres in a high productive output area; of course the CWB effects my farm more: more invested means I need more opportunity to express the needs and aspirations of our farm business.

If the CWB monopoly is ended then you can do tonnage, CWB planted acres; or what ever other criteria you like... then it (the CWB)is supposed to commercial and should be run in a manner appropriate to commercial functions.

Obviously this is not the case when the CWB has a manditory monopoly to stop me from even delivering off board grains!

[wd9]

No parsley, you shouldn't be able to vote, because the CWB is owned and controlled by farmers. Excellent question and don't have an answer.

The biggest deception is that farmers think the board does most of the grain sales. Parsley, do you know the percentage last year of actual sales made by the exporters and grain companies?

[TOM4CWB]

WD9;

As the US ITC ruling clearly proves that the CWB does not extract a premium in US markets, in fact it discount prices and sold #1 for LESS than #2CWRS...

My assumption is that the Canadian grades are screwed up (clearly expressed by western CDN exporters and farmers alike at the time) and that the monopoly is simply a nightmare designed to keep domestic milling prices low.

Farmers in the "designated area" can't even ration the domestic market as happened in 2002 in Canola & feed grains... as the government tops this dead in its' tracks.

Plus parsley is stopped from profitable sales, and must give back value to subsidise domestic and off shore sales if really good sales are made.

No wonder the CWB voters list includes 43% non-growers!

Any wonder the monopoly continues?

THis CWB brainwashing machine is very effective and literally wins big awards in advertising and media by spreading the "bull" around in Liberal applications!



WHy are we voting at all?

[RandyH]

Intresting to see all the comments. I agre with the concept everyfarmer has the right to vote providing you are an active farmer. The question to be answered is how many of the 43% are still active and how many are retired who still vote based off past beliefs and not current Market needs. When you see 43% of the voter (in some district it is even higher) didn't suply a bushel of grain it makes you wonder who they are and do they even exist. Sounds like something that happens in a banna republic not in Canada. When the CWB is changed into a voluntary Co-operative they I can subscribe to the 1 person 1 vote, but until this happens then there has to be a mechinism that ensures all farmers have a base vote, but the Farmers who grow CWB grains must have a larger say in the organization because the econmic impact on them is greater than on a smaller operation or an operation that doesn't produce CWB grains.
I question if any of the existing directors really have the authority to be there with a voting list such as this?
I have seen this report (thanks to the NFU) and it is full of intresting statistics and I would encourage the moderator to get this report from the CWB and post it for everybody to see

[parsley]

wd9,

I don't know the percentage last year of actual sales made by the exporters and grain companies. Do you mean for all of Canada or just the DA?

You've asked an interesting question with the answer dependent upon if the exporters/company were 1. outside or 2. within the Designated Area. Or 1 plus 2.

If you are an Ontario company exporting pearled barley , you are still supposed to apply for a CWB license. Should only the Wooly Bears in the West vote on Board matters?

Should only Western farmers have a vote to determine what happens across Canada?

Should only large scale DA farmers be the only voters?

For example, every livestock producer in Canada can buy feed grain directly from DA farmers.

But the Board table will not allow the farmers to sell that same grain (that Ontario or Alberta feedlots buy),directly to the USA.

Should cattlefarmers be able to vote? They do now.

Sure effects their livliehood because Canadian cattlemen enjoy buying cheap local grain with no competition from international markets.

Parsley