Regardless of what line of work you’re in, it’s your duty and responsibility to maximize returns to your operations as best you morally and legally can, using all the tools at your disposal. Your farm or business does nobody – you, the community or the sector – any good unless it is thriving and financially sustainable. When you suffer, so do your suppliers and customers.
This idea that multi-national grain cos don’t give a damn about farmers is just plain stupid paranoia. Executives with these firms know that the best way they can maximize their returns over the long haul is to work toward a vibrant and prosperous industry. Trust me, the last thing they want to deal with is a struggling farmer. Yes, they will do whatever they can to get the best deal for the company as possible – but they also expect each farmer they deal with to do the same.
Whitney MacMillan (of the family that owns Cargill) once told me that his goal in running Cargill (he was CEO at the time) was to employ as many people as possible, providing them with a decent livelihood. And he knew that the way to do that is to be as sharp a businessman as possible and run as tight a ship as possible – to be as successful as possible. Profits sustain growth and growth provides more and better services to the sector. This philosophy also applies to suppliers (farmers) and customers (including farmers). Good businessmen want to do business with other good businessmen.
Cargill and other multinationals do well because they are good at what they do – not because they rip a few cents a bushel off farmers.
Do you know any successful farmers? Are you a successful farmer? Even in tough times, do you know farmers that seem to do better than others? Don’t you all deal with the same companies? If they’re ripping off farmers, why is it that some farmers are still “successful” and others struggle? Could it be that the successful ones are good at what they do?
I call it an abundance mentality; and this is – IMHO – what is behind the movement to change the CWB. Entrepreneurial farmers know that they can do as well as or better than the CWB – because they see things that make them question the CWB’s value and all they get from the CWB is a patronizing pat on the head. They want to do the best that they know how and the CWB is in the way. They see it as their duty and responsibility to themselves and the community to employ the best tools and techniques possible to enhance their bottom line, ensuring their vitality and sustainability. For them, the CWB is unproven and appears to be a costly partner.
This idea that multi-national grain cos don’t give a damn about farmers is just plain stupid paranoia. Executives with these firms know that the best way they can maximize their returns over the long haul is to work toward a vibrant and prosperous industry. Trust me, the last thing they want to deal with is a struggling farmer. Yes, they will do whatever they can to get the best deal for the company as possible – but they also expect each farmer they deal with to do the same.
Whitney MacMillan (of the family that owns Cargill) once told me that his goal in running Cargill (he was CEO at the time) was to employ as many people as possible, providing them with a decent livelihood. And he knew that the way to do that is to be as sharp a businessman as possible and run as tight a ship as possible – to be as successful as possible. Profits sustain growth and growth provides more and better services to the sector. This philosophy also applies to suppliers (farmers) and customers (including farmers). Good businessmen want to do business with other good businessmen.
Cargill and other multinationals do well because they are good at what they do – not because they rip a few cents a bushel off farmers.
Do you know any successful farmers? Are you a successful farmer? Even in tough times, do you know farmers that seem to do better than others? Don’t you all deal with the same companies? If they’re ripping off farmers, why is it that some farmers are still “successful” and others struggle? Could it be that the successful ones are good at what they do?
I call it an abundance mentality; and this is – IMHO – what is behind the movement to change the CWB. Entrepreneurial farmers know that they can do as well as or better than the CWB – because they see things that make them question the CWB’s value and all they get from the CWB is a patronizing pat on the head. They want to do the best that they know how and the CWB is in the way. They see it as their duty and responsibility to themselves and the community to employ the best tools and techniques possible to enhance their bottom line, ensuring their vitality and sustainability. For them, the CWB is unproven and appears to be a costly partner.
Comment