Charlie & Agri-ville Friends,
There are real and valid concerns about costs increasing for farmers... that keep returns "low" and hurt our communities. Here are some issues a Task Force needs to address.
1.) With the 35% rise in the Canadian Dollar; have we seen the market responding with a drop in our costs?
2.) "Property Rights" of manufacturers in the industrial sector, Rail sector, Even the recent consolidation of grain handling in western Canada point towards a clear reduction in competition for my business. Profits are way up in many cases.
3.) The capitalisation of the "Boom" in Canada...is well underway in land and infrastructure cost... the 35% increase in the value of our currency... means our costs are up 35% plus the 5% per year since 2003.
4.) How do we close the gap between what growers are given for produce... and what consumers pay in our domestic and North American markets... become better supply chain managers and capture efficiencies that could help us overcome problems like our currency issue?
5.) Regulation is needed and a fact of business. Safe food and Ag Produce is absolutely critical to a profitable Ag Sector.
However...
a) we MUST streamline the Regulatory system like the Ausies have done... Harmonisation in regulation with the US should be a relatively simple and acceptable change our consumers can live with. How do we implement and effectively return a reasonable portion of these efficiencies to grain growers?
b) Competition laws are much stronger in many parts of the US, and support the family farm and communities better than Canadian Fed/Prov. regulations. Where and What can we do to harmonise to "level the field"?
6) Biofuels and Consumer support for Ag energy participation in the energy sector appears to be better transfered to the bottom line of grain growers in the US. How can we participate in this opportunity... which includes lower cost energy "by-products" to supply our livestock sector with competitive inputs for them?
7.) The Tax yield for the Fed/Prov. CDN Govs from our concentrated high profit system... pads the coffers of both Provincal and Federal Governments. Investment Tax Credits have been offered in the US on Equipment, are still in place in Quebec and eastern Canada @ 10%... why are we in the west still second class citizens... to implement more efficient and energy reducing technologies in growing our produce... Capital is expensive and depreciates quickely.
When will our "Operations Field" be leveled allowing us to pay down debt and encourage our next generation to prosper & participate in the primary business of our Country... safely feeding a hungry world?
I would welcome others to add to this list, and make suggestions in an effective way to get this study implemented... through buy-in from the bottom up... so we don't just spin our wheels and have no changes that help our AG sector. Conversion to AG bottom line returns MUST be the #1 priority of this process!
There are real and valid concerns about costs increasing for farmers... that keep returns "low" and hurt our communities. Here are some issues a Task Force needs to address.
1.) With the 35% rise in the Canadian Dollar; have we seen the market responding with a drop in our costs?
2.) "Property Rights" of manufacturers in the industrial sector, Rail sector, Even the recent consolidation of grain handling in western Canada point towards a clear reduction in competition for my business. Profits are way up in many cases.
3.) The capitalisation of the "Boom" in Canada...is well underway in land and infrastructure cost... the 35% increase in the value of our currency... means our costs are up 35% plus the 5% per year since 2003.
4.) How do we close the gap between what growers are given for produce... and what consumers pay in our domestic and North American markets... become better supply chain managers and capture efficiencies that could help us overcome problems like our currency issue?
5.) Regulation is needed and a fact of business. Safe food and Ag Produce is absolutely critical to a profitable Ag Sector.
However...
a) we MUST streamline the Regulatory system like the Ausies have done... Harmonisation in regulation with the US should be a relatively simple and acceptable change our consumers can live with. How do we implement and effectively return a reasonable portion of these efficiencies to grain growers?
b) Competition laws are much stronger in many parts of the US, and support the family farm and communities better than Canadian Fed/Prov. regulations. Where and What can we do to harmonise to "level the field"?
6) Biofuels and Consumer support for Ag energy participation in the energy sector appears to be better transfered to the bottom line of grain growers in the US. How can we participate in this opportunity... which includes lower cost energy "by-products" to supply our livestock sector with competitive inputs for them?
7.) The Tax yield for the Fed/Prov. CDN Govs from our concentrated high profit system... pads the coffers of both Provincal and Federal Governments. Investment Tax Credits have been offered in the US on Equipment, are still in place in Quebec and eastern Canada @ 10%... why are we in the west still second class citizens... to implement more efficient and energy reducing technologies in growing our produce... Capital is expensive and depreciates quickely.
When will our "Operations Field" be leveled allowing us to pay down debt and encourage our next generation to prosper & participate in the primary business of our Country... safely feeding a hungry world?
I would welcome others to add to this list, and make suggestions in an effective way to get this study implemented... through buy-in from the bottom up... so we don't just spin our wheels and have no changes that help our AG sector. Conversion to AG bottom line returns MUST be the #1 priority of this process!