Canadian Fair Trade Ag Produce

[parsley]

First of all, agatar , you say:


1. "Good old supply and demand except we have not learned to choke off supply."

So obviously you want to stymie production.

Then, of all ridiculous things, you say, " People with large disposable incomes can afford to satisfy their fears".

So you want less food, and who is going to be able to afford it, agstar?

You currently seem to resent rich people paying a premium to organics, so if there is less production, the rich can afford to pay more, but what about the rest?

Or are you also planning on selecting the people who are allowed to purchase that limited supply?

Catholics can starve, Baptists get to eat, tall people starve, shorties get to eat, men starve, women get to eat, Nigerians starve, Saudis get to eat.

Hey, you're on a roll, agstar!


Here sits agstar, legs crossed in yoga position, daisy in hand, "It's like..man... picking petals on a daisy...he eats, guess she doesn't, ... theys eats, guess thems donts...."



2. BRANDING is the CWB's hot new vision. You used the word. Branding.


3. Safety issue: You want to have a debate on the food safety issue? I thought the topic was Canadian Fair Trade.

I'm not afraid to wade into that debate, agstar, but I don't think this is the appropriate thread.

I will make one statement about it.

Ask any person in Canada this question:

"Do you prefer food grown with or without pesticides?"

For organics, the consumer, the eater, the food preparationist, the parent, all of them, are always right.

Listen to your consumer replies and quit being an obnoxious peer.

Parsley

[parsley]

And remember, agstar, your favorite consumer probably lives in Somalia.

Mine is a high income family in North America.
We cannot be business partners, agstar. We don't even talk the same language.

Parsley

[Lifer]

Can you be fair to everyone?

The CWB continues to work to be fair to all wheat growers in western Canada through pooling. Have they been successful? (now that is a rhetorical question)

What is fair?
Calculations made for one farm do not necessarily apply to another. Each of us may look at it differently. One might think I should make more then a hockey player because I work harder then a hockey player.

[TOM4CWB]

Lifer,

We know the CWB Buy Back is not any answer... stopping a 40t sale at a $2000 premium that is paid mostly because of higher risk, more work, to in turn distribute to pooling folks in a 12mmt pool... is insane and does nothing for anyone.

We should look at what coffee and chocolate people do, as well our Supply Managment folks have some good ideas as well!

[TOM4CWB]

Agstar77,

For the saftey of food, Perception is reality... as it is for 99% of physical/economic things here on earth!

DO you understand the perception the CWB has created... and that you did not deny here... that the CWB is not being a responsible member of our sales team...

The perception that the "single desk" gets in the way of: making a tighter more efficeint supply chain, fair trade prices, and personal relationships that build trust!

I understand you are going into a CWB Strategic Planning Session this week, what practical strategies are you going to create, to become facilitators that build strong relationships... between growers and end users... to fix the above noted problems:

1. The CWB Stopping the flow of producers produce to end user consumers;

2. The perception on Malt barley that the CWB works to procure barley at discount below cost prices... for the profit and benefit of multi-national brewers;

3. That the buyback scheme in reality stops business between growers and end users... adds a barrier that stops profitable relationships from developing, and adds an insignificant amount to the pool accounts (less than 1%) thereby failing on all counts its' objectives.

Agstar77, if respect for the individual, a fair price grain policy, and the long term bests interests of the CWB Corporation are the objective of your Strategic Planning session...

You have a big job in changing the CWB Managers/Directors perception that the "Single Desk" is the reason the CWB exists... to a service oriented corporation that facilitates the needs and aspirations of growers for a profitable human consumption wheat product, and fair return on investment.

What practical strategies are you going to bring to the CWB Strategic Table to meet these priorities?

Why is the CWB in Federal Court, the 25th of July in Calgary, working directly against these priorities?

[grassfarmer]

You are at it again Tom, "We should look at what coffee and chocolate people do, as well our Supply Managment folks have some good ideas as well!" Aren't the supply management commodities in Canada the model of Government controlled, regulated marketplaces that you constantly want to do away with? Once again I see you are backing the NFU stance of retaining supply management. It seems you really are seeing the light!

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer;

All systems have good points and bad points. I believe the best system possible will combine the best strengths of the most productive systems to meet the objectives we are responsible to acheive.

PM Harper didn't buy 2 Ice Breakers that cost 5 billion, he bought 3 that cost 3 billion, yet acheive the principals that need to be met.

I couldn't be plainer in my example of Maple sugar... supply management; and the good points their system in Quebec has in allowing a measure of personal responsibility and the ability to prosper individually.

This should be all about balance and practical economics...

The NFU has a big problem on the CWB issue. So does Wild Rose in Alberta.

Can we be mature people and resolve our differences... work together for the betternment of our future generation of farmers? I think we owe them no less. Now grassfarmer... how did your statements help build the bridge to make this a possiblity?

[grassfarmer]

Tom "Can we be mature people and resolve our differences... work together for the betternment of our future generation of farmers? I think we owe them no less." ....fair comment I'm all for that, in unity is strength after all!
But as to how did my "statements help build the bridge to make this a possiblity?" that's a bit hypocritical coming from someone who spends all his time ranting on this site about destroying the CWB and by implication attacking it's supporters at every opportunity.

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer,

You said:

"coming from someone who spends all his time ranting on this site about destroying the CWB and by implication attacking it's supporters at every opportunity."

I catch it at home from my better half for trying too hard to save the CWB.

From what I have posted here... how do you get to this statement...? You are accepting the CWB "single desk" deception... which I know will in the end destroy the CWB faster than any other single factor.

We reap what we sow. I strongly believe the rewards the CWB will reap by earning growers business... will strenghten it...

Where as the maintance of the "single desk" as operational now... will mean the CWB's demise within 5 years.

The worst possible long term strategic outcome for the CWB Corporation... from the July Federal Court hearing in Calgary... is if the CWB barley monopoly is ordered back into force August 1 2007.

[TOM4CWB]

Grassfarmer,

^~Grin~^

DId you not see my July 12 post on the CWB Wheat Storage Program?

"Charlie,

The wheat can be delivered into the 06-07 pricing system, or 07-08. A preferential delivery of and equal amount is offered. For instance, if 100t is offered to the storage program, the CWB will allow a 100t delivery authorisation... to help with the storage.

A minimum of 80t is required to sign up to the program.

Much better deal than we started with... now I think it better reflects the costs/risks involved with reasonable compensation!

The CWB CAN learn... it is possible!"

I was raked over the coals on this one by Benny and the crew earlier this spring!

Can you honestly claim I am only a detractor and don't care about the CWB?

<~Grin~>!



I know I know... you just like to rub it in! Kind of reminds me of the Pravda Joke!


A man recently returning from the west goes into an upscale restaurant in Poland and orders supper.
He orders Borsht, a steak, ice cream, a coffee, and a copy of PRAVDA.
The waiter takes the order and says he can't get a copy of the Pravda any more.

The man eats his soup, as he finishes it, and the waiter asks if he wants his steak now. He says yes... but he really wanted a copy of the Pravda as well. The waiter tells him they don't publish it any more... the communist people that were there are no longer in power...so he can't have a copy of it, and gives him the steak!

The man likes the steak, finishes it, and then calls the waiter over and asks for his desert, a coffee refill, and a copy of the Pravda. The Waiter is very frustrated about the Pravda paper and goes into great detail about how the politics have changed... and why there was no more publication of the Pravda paper... and then gives the man another coffee and his ice cream.

As the man finishes his meal... the waiter comes over and asked how he enjoyed his meal. THe man is really enthusiastic... thanks the waiter for the great meal & service... but that he is still waiting for his copy of todays Pravda Paper!

THe waiter is really frustrated by now. He asks Why do you keep on asking about this paper, and all the Communist people who ran it, and why don't you understand things have changed and there is no Pravda any more?...!

THe man gives the waiter a $50US tip... and says... I just couldn't resist having you tell me about the demise of the Communists and the end of Pravda... over and over again! Each time you told me it sounded better and better... so I just couldn't resist hearing you say it over and over again!"