How do we increase returns 35%?

[furrowtickler]

Good post Tom.
Ahhh.. the "age" old question, who supports the CWB? eh willie.
Sure would be nice if someone could give an honest direct answer to charlie's question.
Burbot, the CWB is too late to pull any malt barley from from anywhere. The CWB should have done something to the PRO's back in nov/dec.
winwin, keep it up your killing me,lol.

[charliep]

wilagro

Why are you still holding barley? A support for the CWB by an action would be to sign a "B" pool guaranteed delivery contract as soon as possible and deliver early to deposit the current high international feed barley prices in the pool.

Why do you assume your business needs are the same as all your neighbors? Maybe you can afford to accept $1.40/bu with a promise (not a guarantee) of an additional $1.60/bu eleven months from now. The numbers for malt would be higher but there is still a gap. There are likely those that participate in this marketing discussion that have operating loans still to be paid off from last year (maybe high interest rate trade debt). There are likely to be cash rents that need to be paid over the next few months. For sure everyone needs money to buy new crop inputs. A farmer should at least have the option of full payment at delivery.

Does the current system meet all farmers business needs? If it doesn't, then what modifications do you think need to be made to the CWB?

[JACKFLASH]

Tom glad to have you back. I see the Three Stooges [WinWin,wilagro,and Burbert] were just laying in wait for your first post. Which they transformed into a personal attack on you.
Of course after some pointed questions from charlie p.,Larry,Moe and Curly could not substantiate a concrete answer. You might as well gave us the CWB's 1-800 number while you were at it.
Keep up the good work Tom.

[wilagro]

charliep: I didn't say that the barley WAS 6 years old. Parsley presumed that it was. I didn't say that I didn't produce any for 6 years. Circumstances change. Some land that I had in forage for too long had to be ripped up and cropped. Crop rotation is an integral part of farming.

Incognito: My father believed in private enterprise and self sufficiency but he always believed in co-operatives (wheat pools AND the CWB), as they gave farmers collectively more control of marketing grain. He saw and experienced the robber barons control of the grain trade and their effects on farmers incomes and their viability. Don't disparage age, some day you might even get there yourself.

[silverback]

I was taught that a co-operative usually starts as a voluntary idea of like minded individuals.

Please explain how this applies to the cwb?

Please also explain why someone who produces feed barley once every couple of years would sell it through the cwb?

[parsley]

Let me get it right this time, wilagrow.

1. In April, 2001 you argue for keeping the single desk.

2. You say CWB policies don't make sense for some sectors.

3. You say producers have to demand the changes the CWB does make.

4.You did not have taxable farming income, and you didn't grow Board grains.

5. There was no money in CWB grains.

6.You are now over seventy, and with your life experiences, your hindsight, you are recommending that young farmers continue on the same marketing path you took.

7. You currently own a bin of barley which you grew sometime during the last 6 years,

8. You still support the CWB's ability to make money for you.

9. Would you agree that you are a prime example as a textbook case, and, as the poster-boy, for the Canadian Wheat Board?

Parsley

[wilagro]

parsley: I don't agree with much that you say.

Let's just leave it at that.

You make too many conclusions with too little evidence.

For your information, I love the farming life. I earned my money OFF THE FARM...How else could I have paid CASH for my farm and the equioment to farm it with? I retired at the age of 52 in order to farm. I still have money that I earned. Life is great.

[parsley]

Move over, ex-poster boy Flaman, I rest my case.
Parsley

[parsley]

Wilagro, I'm actually glad I did find out your age. I can totally understand why you are opposed to a Dual Market System. You are 70, and possibly only want to farm 5-10 years, and don't want to learn all this new rat race on marketing. I totally understand, you and my Father are not much different. But Wilagro I am 28 and want to market my own grain, because I have the know how.

Don't forget in a Dual Market System you can still use the CWB, and I can go my way. But in all seriousness I really do understand why you are against it.

[FarmRanger]

So, someone explain to me why the wilagros can't pool with the CWB and the snappys can't sell to whoever they please? Make all the wilagros sign a long term contract, and force all the snappys to stay out for a few years.

If the CWB is doing a good job then all the snappys will be clamoring to get in. If not, then the wilagros won't be renewing their contracts.

The problem right now is that we have to rely on information that is biased one way or the other? Surely there are enough farmers who would sign long term pooling contracts with the CWB to keep them in business long enough to find out the truth, one way or the other?
Sort of like a no BS performance evaluation?