Crop Production Show

[lakenheath]

Many farmers in my area this year are boycotting the Crop Production show. These are some of the top notch farmers in the area that have gone religously for years. Why? They are fed up. I know I pick on poor old Monsanto all time, but these producers see sponsors like Monsanto declaring record profits in light of disasterous economic times for farmers. Maybe it is time to tell BASF, Monsanto, Syngenta, Bayer and company that we have had enough. Imagine if they opened the doors and the parking lot was empty.

I realize valuable information is at these shows and they are put on for the farmer, but we have power and political clout in numbers and we must us it.

Imagine if every farmer stopped at a fertilizer company or chemical company booth and said, "bring your price down and we will talk", then walk away.

I talked to a former accounting co-worker and friend of the mine last winter (currently the controller of Philom Bios). I asked him how their year went. He told me that they had record profits. Earlier, late January 2005, I went to price out my TagTeam innoculent for the coming year. And guess what, another 10% increase. I told him to his face that what they are doing is wrong and walked away.

We are too nice to to our local reps. We bitch and complain to one another, but do nothing about it. It is time to get ornery and mean.

[charliep]

Just checking to see how many Albertans will be going to Farm Tech this year. The reason I like to go is to re-new friendships and to participate in the seminars with Alberta's top grain farmers.

On the comments on input pricing, how many of you participate in community based groups that negotiate as a group for large volumes/bulk buy product from suppliers?

[silverback]

Is there any major supplier out there that has not had record profits over the last couple of years?? Agrium is practically wiping our faces with the money they are making for themselves. Considering all the natural gas that is getting sucked out from under our tractors and turned into very expensive fertilizer, maybe we deserve a tax credit of some sort for the fert we buy. What am I saying?, the price would just go up to cover it wouldn't it?

[Jman]

Lets go to the farm shows, its a chance to meet up with a lot of people we dont get to see for a year at a time.

With that said it's up to us to voice our concerns with the way profitablity is distributed through the whole farm to retail chain.

Now is your chance to challenge all the sales reps that will be there representing their companies. Ask them the tough questions, find out why we as producers need to expand to increase our productivity, while they consolidate the industry, for "efficieny" reasons, yet their product costs somehow increase 10% per year (i.e. canola seed, fertilizer, etc).

Show your concern and frustration with them, dont be a lemming.

[melvill]

Here, here, Jman. One of the things that I hear much too often from many, but not all, producers is that we just have to take what we're given. That we may as well give up 'cause we can't do anything. Taint so!