WESTERN CANADIAN WHEAT GROWERS!

[AdamSmith]

Well SASKFARMER3, You said

"why is a group of 100 or so making policy."

what's your point? The WCWGA shouldn't consider, develop, and promote policy?

Or are you asking why should the WCWGA be listened to?

Is there a membership numbers threshold that must be met in order to have your voice heard?

I as an individual, I sent in a submission to the Task Force. I woke up at 5:30 one Sat morning with a mission and by 1 PM I had it sent to Howard Migie the task force chair, but I suppose because the membership of my farm is only 2, you may think I had no right in doing that.

Did you send in a submission to the task force?

[chaffmeister]

SASKFARMER3 –

What a great idea – “Let the CWB open the books to farmers and show us if they made money…”

Wish I had thought of it…

[chaffmeister]

I sent in an email submission to the Task force as well - and I'm not even a farmer. I think it's ok because a farmer I know asked me to do it.

[SASKFARMER3]

Mister Smith at 5:30 Im out making money and no I didnt make a submision.
My problem is it seems that the Govt of the Day which I voted for is just listening to one group a little to much and some of us out their were sick of this group years ago and now their back.

[Braveheart]

SASKFARMER3, your original question of why are we listening to the wheat growers on CWB reform: The WCWGA is the only organization that ever tackled the mechanics of how a voluntary CWB would work. That is not "if" but "how". I remember their convention in Winnipeg in the late '90's where one of their directors made a presentation on how the CWB would function without the monopoly. He spoke on how contracts and commercial arrangements between farmers and the CWB, the CWB and grain co's, and shippers and railways would make a voluntary CWB work. The WCWGA was constantly developing solutions. Often though, the media ignored the solutions offered by the WG'ers and focused on the rhetoric from WG'er detractors like the NFU and yourself.

I find your comments (about WCWGA) rather amazing and ironic. Your talk of hard work and innovative thinking is a personality trait of the wheat growers that I know. The only thing that differs is that they spell better.

There is a lot of anger in your writing, and anger is driven by fear. What are you afraid of SASKFARMER3?

[wedino]

Adam, Are you captive to KAP or can you get the checkoff refunded?

[NeilS]

The KAP checkoff works on a reverse onus basis. That is, farmers get the checkoff deducted at point of sale of product unless they provide in writing a statement to KAP that they do not want to be a member of their organization. This action must be taken every two years.

I believe KAP provides a list of all opt-out farmers to grain buyers. Membership costs $130 per year.

[AdamSmith]

Yes, what Neil said.

They still have my membership.

Back when it was institued I did write a letter to UGG and requested them take me off the KAP list. But dummy me I didn't do this at MB Pool(I didn't sell them any grain) but when they merged they obviously used the MB Pool system and thus I was back on.

I've reluctantly kept my membership since then. But I think now is the time for me to write the letter and withdraw my membership.

[Braveheart]

AdamSmith, I agree. I belong to KAP because I feel their ALUS program was a good policy idea. But their approach to the CWB has always bothered me, and it's time to pull my membership back.

[katoe]

According to public accounts the WCWGA and the western barley growers were heavily supported by the AB GOV'T in the 80's and early 90,s.

[wilagro]

YES...the Alberta government has been INTERFERING using MY tax dollars for years already.

In the last year alone they have blown over a million of OUR tax dollars in an effort to KILL the CWB.

[charliep]

How much has the CWB spent in counteracting the Alberta Market Choice campaign? There are likely those who would say this is money not well spent (that came directly out of farmers pockets and not the tax payer). If the Alberta and others had not put the preasure on the CWB, would farmers have the number of producer pricing options they have today? They have their flaws (I notice you do not participate in these discussions) but they are a vast improvement from the lack of any choice in the past (notice an Alberta government guy used choice in reference to a CWB pricing tool).

[wd9]

Sure Charlie, swim downstream.

[TOM4CWB]

Wilagro;

The AB Gov. is directly responsible for safety nets in Alberta.

If proper risk management and pricing tools don't allow growers to price at profitable levels... the AB Taxpayer pays the bill through safety net programs.

THE money on "market choice" spent by AB AG is small pickings compared to what we have lost in the grain sector over the past 10 years from CWB mismanagement. Plus... AB grain growers paid many millions to have the CWB praise it's ego... with no productive result.

It is about time the CWB EARNED our grain... not just took it!