Sask. pulse growers

[just_wondering]

At a recent event I was talking to some out of province pulse growers and they were talking about how in their province, Manitoba (I'm from SK.) the pulse levy was less .05% and refundable while in Sask we are 1% non refundable.
some stats from their website FAQ
www.saskpulse.com
1984 voted in non-refundable checkoff
20,000 growers
1984-2004 25million in check off dollars
in 2003 study done by Richard Gray and Terry Scott(this scares me)
. How does the pulse check-off compare to our competitors?
Sask Pulse Growers: 1.0% non-refundable
North Dakota: 1.0% refundable
Idaho: 1.0% non-refundable
Washington: 1.0% non-refundable
Australia (all crops): 1.0% non-refundable
Alberta: 1.0% refundable
Manitoba: 0.5% refundable
The goals of Pulse Canada are to:
1. Explore potential markets and conduct promotional and servicing activities conducive to the expansion of pulse export markets globally.
2. Act as a network of market information and intelligence.
3. Act on international market access and trade barrier issues.
4. Provide a signal to Canadian researchers based on market demand.
5. Take a leadership role in the coordination and expansion of pulse research on a national and international scale.
6. Be the voice of the Canadian pulse industry.
7. Lead the sector in market readiness initiatives.

Now the question is is this a model for all Canadian grains? or
should I be mad about having to belong to another group that forces involvement and financial commitment IE:CWB,APAS. Does the same hold true for the Canola checkoff as well?
Sask pulse is also a member of other umbrella groups like Canada pulse and Canada special crops how many staff do I pay for?
more to follow!
Is the emoticon I picked the one that says what the H__L?

[parsley]

You are prudent to be concerned about the aggressive role Pulse Canada is taking. Are they heading towards a CWB model, paving the way with Marlene's report in Saskatoon?

Will pulse growers end up simply growing for onerous deductions, and with little other welcomed input?

The pulse industry does not belong to bureaucrats.

Parsley

[wd9]

Just_wondering, I was wondering, when you read thru the annual report of the pulse growers, do you feel:

They are providing a value for the 1% you are giving them?

Would the pulse industry be better off without the growers association?

Is there another group that would be better suited to be doing the strategies they are undertaking?

[TOM4CWB]

just_wondering,

Alberta has a 1% checkoff, that is refundable the same as MB.

We at this time are running less than 5% refunds.

Alberta contributes the same % of revenue per $1 collected as SK does to Pulse Canada.

I believe Pulse Canada is doing a superb job of meeting the challenges our pulse industry faces, in a responsible manner.

Gordon Bacon is an excelent CEO, and works harder in a more organised manner than any other industry leader I have ever known.

Western Canadian Pulse growers should hold their heads high, for globally we are known for our organised well implemented strategies... efficiently developing our industry.

[mustardman]

I would agree that we are getting good results from our pulse levys.

Our industry would not have grown so fast and so far without the levys from producers.

[parsley]

just_wondering,
Alberta has a refundable producer check-off, according to their website: "The service charge is refundable to a producer on request of the producer." So Alberta has a whip, Tom4CWB.

Saskatchewan's is compulsory! And with go-to-jail or farmer-cash EXTRACTION policy in place, there is, for example, no real surprise an ultra-luxurious Annual Report was selected and printed. Wow! No hold-back here.

Meantime, Saskatchewan's 2005-2006 full-colored-lexus Annual Report seems to have a lot of minuses on the financial page if you are remotely concerned about who-pays.

Saskatchewan was hoping to get $5.200,000 in checkoff money and they budgeted for this amount in 2006, but only got $4,852,436. Does that mean the compulsory checkoffs will go up?

They can legisaltively sock it to producers. And considering the Directors did not implement refundable levies, screams attitude.

Just look at the number of staff in Saskatchewan. There two ways to get non-Government cash here....cash from the checkoffs, and cash from the new varieties released.

just_wondering,good for you for asking questions about what your money is used for. I hope our 2007 Motto will not be: "Head for the barn. It's milking time."

Parsley

PS Tom4CWB. go on the Canadian Pulse website and direct me to the staff-on- hand page please. I'm having a little trouble finding out who is hired and what they do. I'm probably not looking in the right place.

[just_wondering]

I do feel that the pulse growers and pulse Canada do a necessary job and that we do need a levy collecting body, but does it have to be non-refundable? Would it be better for growers to be able to withdraw monies if they thought that the group was not performing up to standard, would that not make them more accountable to their ratepayers? For example I am a big fan of the breeding programs that we as producers are involved in, but I would ask more questions of their involvement with FRCC, for instance.
Also their new center that was just built is that completely necessary or is that just taking heat off the Feds and provinces who are cutting back funding to Ag research?

[parsley]

Good questions just_wondering.

Absolutely essential questions.

Compare the leadership by the Alberta Directors with the leadership by the Saskatchewan Directors and tell me which ones have farmers' interests at heart.

One is voluntary and one is force. The policy embraced best describes a Board of Directors.

The ONLY financial-burden safety valve farmers have is refundable levies.

Parsley

[just_wondering]

Parsley
re:
The ONLY financial-burden safety valve farmers have is refundable levies.

This is my thought as well, in all farm policy and as a matter of life, That I will choose who I will do business with.
Tom with all due respect to your position we in Sask. are just a smaller designated area.

[parsley]

just_wondering,

Did you examine the financial sheet of Sask Pulse? Slow downloading.

Parsley

[just_wondering]

never got to the finacial sheet but the anual report was tough to read but my computer is slow so probably my fault.

[just_wondering]

I'm off to watch telemiracle 31 now they are over 4 milliion and going HIGHER

[parsley]

The PDF's should be made user friendly for working farmers in a hurry.