WBGA Meeting in Yorkton

[parsley]

Approximately 25 producers attended, which I was surprised at considering saw some farmers were seeding, enroute.

Tom Hewson chaired the meeting.

John DePape made a fine presentation on risk management. Al Morris spoke on about his firsthand experiences on malt/maltsters/barley.

Very knowledgeable, and interesting material.

I met two Agri-villers and was so pleased. Farming will be well and alive with fine young men like them.

Parsley

[ridgie]

John Depape also showed factual numbers that can be saved in the costs of grain sales and movements between the openly traded VERSUS the CWB traded entities...Durum cost about $70 per tonne while Canola Costs about $40 a tonne.
The open market squeases out the ineffitiancies that continue to cost producers money in CWB handled grains.
I know I have heard grain company employees state that they make more with CWB grain handlings than any other.
The CWB is not helping the producer in all cases.

[gregpet]

I was also at the meeting. I currently sit as a BOD for an independent grain terminal and I know for a fact that CWB grains are "easy" money for them. Easily the most profitable for the company with the largest margins on grain being wheat and barley. John DePape was bang on with the assertion that the open market lowers the cost to get the grain to export position.

[Burbert]

Grain companies make more money handling CWB grain???? Thats news to me, they are always pushing the open market at US therefore I suspect that is where the money is for their company. In fact that is what I've been told, up until NOW that is, Angriville is SOOOOOOOOO enlightening. The CWB seems to be totally to blame for every screwup in Canada's Ag industry at the moment. I really doubt that they are in fact, the EVIL empire that this forum makes them out to be. However if you say it long enough and loud enough, people will soon begin to believe the baloney!!!!

[gregpet]

Burbert. As I mentioned earlier I sit as board member for a grain terminal and have seen the margins to made on the different grains that move through the facility. CWB grains have the best margins all the time. This is a fact. If you choose to ignore it that is not my fault. You can try to discredit it without any proof, but if I can take a page out of the CWB code of ethics you will just have to trust me on this because I see the numbers and I know they are the most profitable.

I ask you to go to a few different grain companies and ask their managers which grains make them the most money. Why do you think ITAC originally came out in support of the CWB and then backtracked on it?

I'll tell you why, originally the grain managers were at the ITAC meeting and they all agreed to back the CWB since this is their best money maker. After it was made public and got back to the respective board members their support suddenly changed from pro CWB to neutral. Why you asked? I, like numerous other board members are also producers. As board members we received phone calls from other producers asking what the hell are you people doing. Lets just say it was a very interesting board meeting after ITAC went public with their statement. Shortly after, as I mentioned earlier, they came out as neutral.

As an outsider trying to look in Burbert it must be frustrating, but I know how you feel since the CWB is even more secretive. Hope this helps you understand my statement more clearly.

[chaffmeister]

Burbert:
Try looking at the data yourself.

Go to
http://www.quorumcorp.net/Downloads/AnnualReports/AnnualReport200405DataTableEnglish.pdf

This will download the last available Data Tables produced by the Federal Grain Monitor. Once you have it, save it to your hard drive - it'll probably be faster to look around once its on your computer.

Now go to page 147 (of 188). This is the first page of netback calculations - it's for 1CWRS shipped from Manitoba East. the next page is durum for the same area, then canola, etc. Each area has their own calculations, so find you area and take a look.

The Monitor doesn't report on barley but you can use their website to calculate it for your own location. When I did it, it worked out to about the same as 1CWRS wheat - about $60 / tonne ($20 more than canola).

The data is from the trade - the CWB stuff comes right from the CWB.

Makes me think of a quote from your friend that you posted a while back:

<i>Here is a quote from my friend. "The truth hurts" Wild Oscar.</i>

[chaffmeister]

Burbert, you have the information infront of you now, read it and learn. CWB grains have set fees attached to them, you can read the annual reports of SWP and AU (since thier public companies these items are publicly listed) that they earn more monies from CWB grains than non board grains. Hell of a lot more competition out there in handling non board grains which drives margins down.
Since board grain fees are set, the CWB can continue to work for producers as a marketing agency - with out assets - as the grain companies compete with each other. And entice farmers to deliver to them.
As for barley Burbert, I hope your somewhere close to Red Deer, I'm going to the barley meeting there tonight. Go to wbga.org and get the details, its at the Westerner grounds, Chalet I believe starting at 7pm. I encourage you to attend, enlighten yourself with more information, whether it changes your outlook or not. See how progressive barley farmers are and how they embrace inovation and expansion.
For your self it will show how the CWB can continue to work for yourself and your needs.
So will see you there hopefully Burbert!!
Erik

[Burbert]

Note the recent trend in barley prices, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, guess the free open market forces are kicking in. No malteys knocking on my door to date, guess I just have to wait it out, they'll be lining up apparently! Ho hum, twiddle dee dee, I'm sure they aren't going to overlook little old me?

[gregpet]

Burbert, I just checked out the CBOT charts for corn at

http://cbotdataexchange.if5.com/dataEOD_F_chart.aspx?symbol=C/F.CBOT

Corn also has a downward trend lately. I think this may be somehow connected to the barley prices and not the open market. Just a hunch but feed barley has had a dual market so this should be no surprise to you. Refresh my memory, has the price of grain never decreased under the CWB Burbert?

Funny though I never remember the CWB knocking down my door for any of my products, they would just tell me how much I could haul and when and then pay me a little now with the rest to come in a year or so. Oh, but that was for malt not feed. Can't recall ever selling any feed barley through the CWB. Not sure why, probably something to do with price.

Don't let the open market scare you, if you grow canola, peas, oats, etc. it is very similar. All you require is to have some patience and to think for yourself when you want to market and a what price, I think that means freedom, finally in the year 2007. Imagine that I can market my product however I want, thought I was in the Kremlin for a while.

[charliep]

gregpet

Leave the poor guy alone. Burbent should be encouraged to show his support to the CWB by contracting barley. He doesn't have to even deal with an evil maltsters because the PRO for malt barley ($192/tonne for 2row) and feed barley ($190/tonne on the "B" series) almost the same. The domestic feed market will pay at least an amount equal the PRO for both (cash on the day he delivers) and up to a $40/tonne premium if he lives in southern Alberta.

http://www.agric.gov.ab.ca/app21/fgrainprices

Burbent - didn't see you at the WBGA meeting in Red Deer. Good information. Positive farmers looking forward to a bright future future full of opportunity.