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Promoting domestic usage rather than always promoting exports

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    Promoting domestic usage rather than always promoting exports

    I was blogging on the CBC website and there is this douche bag who goes under the alias Deforest who I swear comes straight from the political commisars of the collectivized farms of the Soviet Union in the 20s and 30s. He says that we are an export nation and that more than 80% of our wheat is exported while in the US it is closer to 50%. I would like to ask, why do we always try to export everything rather than try to use or process it here?

    For example, minus the subsidies which I disagree with on an economic level however, I think the US government spends less money subsidizing ethanol than they would to protect their energy supply and sending money to pieces of crap like Hugo Chavez, but giving back to their farmers as increased demand for corn. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.

    Right now, the US price offers for corn are about $15 to $20 higher than what can be bought from the Black Sea region and South America which has hampered thier exports likely due to the strength in the US dollar and the severe weakening of the currencies in those regions. The US doesn't have to rely on the export market like we would if we are in that situation because they have many local users of corn in the feed and the ethanol business that can't get enough corn right now at these prices and the basis is very strong. They also have lots of uses for wheat other than exporting because they actually have a vibrant milling industry and from my opinion due to the fact that wheat millers in western Canada can't manage their own price risk because they can't contract wheat with farmers and grain companies directly or buy years in advance, they can't offer flour or any other products our competitively because they have to buy back at the whim of the CWB which if you have ever tried, stifles any farmer who wishes to buy anything back.
    People who export things are moving things from where the price is low and there is an abundance of supply to where the supply is low and the usage is higher. Why don't we try to help our domestic industry by reducing barriers to entry like wheat boards, monopolies on exports, quotas, fight against things like COOL,etc so that we can have less supply to fill the export markets with. THis way by increasing demand at home, we will all benefit from extra jobs and more money for grain. Interested in your thoughts on this.

    #2
    Classicalliberal We have 30 million mouths to feed in Canada, in the U.S they have 300 million. Our Domestic market is Our most important and reliable market for our wheat, unfortunately we consume very little of the chickpeas, lentils or peas that I grow but we are working on it .
    Now unless you and I and everyone else who produces grain that is now exported Decides to leave land fallow or grow unthrifty varieties or not fertilize . then Deforest is right.

    We export

    Comment


      #3
      Isn't there something about Wheat Board buy backs that completley destroys any oppertunity for value added processing on the praires. Funny you didn't mention that in your post along with your chickpeas, Lentals, and peas Mustardman

      Comment


        #4
        HFL The processing is where the Population is . Location Location Location.
        And No the "processing plants" for my chickpeas lentils and peas are Simply cleaning plants with a fancy Name.

        Comment


          #5
          Simply cleaning plants with a fancy name? that employ people here and redistribute their wealth here. How terrible they do not create some high paying useless jobs, say at Portage and Main in Winnipeg, that would be much better. No bagging or cleaning just export at a reduced price.

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            #6
            Of course we export. We can't eat it all. But can't we export flour instead of wheat, malt (or beer) instead of barley, oil and meal instead of seed, split peas and lentils instead of seed, beef instead of feedgrain or cattle? Why not? The benefits are huge.

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              #7
              Grepet these so called "processing plants" are no different than the inland terminals that buy and "clean" your wheat before they export it- same idea -except instead of a hopper car to ship out its a rectangle container

              And yes we should process some here before we export it. But before we blame the wheat board for it Again. Don't Forget we have a Mentality here in the west of Exporting (hewers of Wood and Drawers of Water- so to speak)

              I have 6 natural gas pipelines running past my house that head south into the U.S
              #1 line will be converted to carry 150,000 barrels a Day of Unprocessed crude from Fort Mac to southern U.S Why not refine here and ship out refined?
              Must be the wheat board stopping us.

              Comment


                #8
                OK, let's not blame the wheat board. But ask yourself which industries are just starting to boom. Look at the numbers. Canola crushing, oat milling, pulse splitting, ethanol. Notice anything missing? Uh, that would be flour, pasta and malt. Coincidence? You be the judge.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Mustardman,

                  "No.. "processing plants""

                  SO the fractionation plants in SK and Manitoba... that make different pulse fractions don't count?

                  The many pea and lentil splitters are just inland terminals?

                  Where do you think the future of our pulse industry is... it is in fractionation and further processing!

                  Low glycemic index flours;

                  Gluten free products that don't tear up people's intestines.

                  DId you know there is already a $1B market for these Celiac/Diabetic products!

                  www.kinnikinnick.com

                  If we had any brains... instead of buying gold/stocks... we would be part of this... the most exciting industry... going forward... ever!

                  ANd the CWB doesn't have a clue... once again.

                  When asked to supply these products... to one of the major Asian Tiger countries... The CWB sales staff just were angry... cause it was going to 'steal' the wheat market from the CWB!

                  This is who we have working for us... at the CWB.... people who are so stuck on the 'single desk'... that they have forgotten about the health of those they supply!

                  The CWB 'single desk' system is just plain immoral... and wrong. We need our marketer to be competitive... and selling/processing all our crops... to maximise our families farm assets!

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I guess that is the point of this blog is to question why we are more geared toward exporting raw, unprocessed product, rather than refining our own oil, shipping processed products. I can see why we don't do well in the manufacturing industries because we have labour shortages that increase the price of labour significantly, hence if you can chew gum and walk at the same time, you can make 100k in the oilfields which is the price that the labour market will bear here. Our auto industry has been significanlty damaged by the unions and their un-reasonable demands and now they have to be bailed out while the other car companies still make money or lose very small amounts. Maybe we can't be competitive to other places because our cost structure is too high.

                    Comment


                      #11
                      ClassyLiber;

                      I Disagree.

                      The point is... why should the 'establishment' (flour mills/food processors) have the right to stand behind an 'export license' system the CWB 'single desk' depends upon... to survive.

                      No competition to force innovation.

                      No leverage to expand capacity or produce better healthier quality.

                      No opportunity to challenge the 'status quo'.

                      The CWB system thrives on monoculture CWRS... any thing else (other wheats)virtually is an abomination to the purposes... and at cross purposes of the 'single desk'.

                      And then... less the CWRS... the better it is for the 'single desk'...
                      Cause then it is a license to price discount every other board wheat crop.

                      THEN On top... if the CWB managers... can convince 'designated area' growers the PRO should be 'low'(comparatively to competitive wheat products), then the CWB managers are rewarded with bonuses.

                      The CWB managers have millions... of court appointed... 'designated area' grower's money... to convince CWB voters... the lie is true.

                      THEN...

                      What CWB Agent... who is given access to this (low cost high quality)supply... would NOT think... this is a great system? Guaranteed access to the best high quality grain... at rock bottom prices.

                      "Satifaction guaranteed!"

                      My gut is churning Parsley!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        I definately agree. The only thing that I see as a role for government in agriculture is:

                        1. fighting to rid the world of subsidies and if that fails, match those subsidies (if we get an elected senate, it could happen because we would have a much larger say in MB, SK, AB).
                        2. Ensuring that they promote competition and free enterprise, limiting restrictions to entry into the grain business, or all business for that matter. Not allowing people like Viterra to buy out the rest of the grain industry, etc.

                        3. Enforcing contract law, property rights, etc, not taking any one side, producers, end user, grain company.


                        There might be more but I just can't think of anything. If the government thinks they can market things better than the free enterprise, I have a three letter word. "MTS." As soon as it was privatised and they had some competition, prices came down and service levels went up.

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