Charting the path to marketing choice

[Incognito]

http://www.agr.gc.ca/cb/index_e.php?s1=ip&page=ip60908



Summary Report Prepared by MDA Management Services
Charting the path to marketing choice
The Government of Canada has committed to provide greater marketing choice to western grain farmers, while continuing to preserve a strong Canadian Wheat Board as one of those marketing choices. On July 27, 2006, it hosted a roundtable discussion about options for implementing this commitment.

This day-long policy forum, hosted by David Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary for the Canadian Wheat Board, was attended by about 60 people, comprised of farm organization and other industry representatives, individual grain producers, academics, Members of Parliament and government officials. Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Chuck Strahl participated in the afternoon discussions.

Mr. Anderson welcomed the invited participants and explained that the purpose of the meeting was to flesh out the approach to provide western farmers with marketing choice. The Government would use this input to develop a proposal for wider discussion with all stakeholders. Specifically, the day's objectives were to:

share views on the corporate structure that would allow the Canadian Wheat Board (CWB) to operate effectively in an environment of marketing choice;
identify additional financial and/or marketing instruments that may be necessary for farmers or for the CWB in a marketing choice environment; and,
share views on the steps to implement marketing choice for farmers to market directly to any buyer, including the CWB.

[AdamSmith]

What bothers me about this approach by the current government is that they have fallen victim to the

"it's all about the CWB syndrome".

What does the CWB need?, How do we make this work for the CWB? The CWB needs to be strong, blah blah CWB blah blah CWB blah bhah.

The government need to do only one thing and that is to remove the single desk provisions of the CWB or even better yet repeal the CWB Act altogether. If they do that, a free market is instantaniously created and as far as the poor old cwb it should be left up to them and their voluntary patrons to figure out what they need to do to survive and remain competitive.

Let's just say I'm not encouraged by the approach the government of Canada has chosen.

Can you say "Quagmire" boys and girls.

It's so easy to do the right thing here, that's why I'm convinced Strahl and company will surely screw it up.

[agstar77]

The right thing would be to leave the decisions about marketing to farmers, rather than try to meddle in the quagmire. I think we are all mature individuals that can make our own decisions about the CWB without interference from Mr. Anderson and his right wing views. Their efforts would be better spent on improving ifrastructure for grain movement in Western Canada whether it be for canola crushing or export of cereal grains. The Railways are bent on leaving a mainline for rail traffic and destroying everything else in an effort to make more revenue. A plan is needed for transportation in the future.

[AdamSmith]

Agstar you're right about leaving up to farmers, if you mean, INDIVIDUAL FARMERS making individual decisions.

If you mean, leaving it up to farmers to make a collective decision, that is what has created this quagmire within our industry in the first place. I am so opposed to the plebicite concept.

My fear is the government will bend to the pressure and have a plebicite and all that will mean is more divisivness and a greater dysfunctional industry.

I believe we are right on the verge of a tremendous age of opportunity in agriculture and we (Western Canada) need to be nimble and quick to take advantage of the opportunities as they arrive.

Waiting around for the majority to feel comfortable with the changeing landscape and new opportunities will only ensure we will miss every one that comes our way.

[food4u]

I will agree with you Agstar77, it is the the farmers decision on marketing but the way it is now with a compulsory CWB__THERE IS NO CHOICE.

[agstar77]

It's interesting to note that most of the so called free choice people say it was wrong to set up a marketing agency without a vote but it's allright to destroy it without a vote.

[TOM4CWB]

Agstar;

How long must we fight WWII... the reason the CWB got the monopoly in the first place...

The Single Desk was to subsidise the western world with cheap high quality wheat.

Performance should buy all the wheat the CWB can market... they already compete with 90% of the world's wheat production in an open market with them (the multi-nationals and every other grain grower globally outside the "designated area")...

Many times the CWB sells our quality by discounting prices to move our wheat and barley... because they can... and no body is man enough to stand up to them and say enough!

ANd we are being a hero by defending these cowards?