Farmers Get United.

[Steve]

Large food processors will never take over grain and cattle production because they don’t like Mother Nature as their competitor. The processors don’t really care about the price as long as it is stable, but need a reliable supply of products to process.

The farmers should stay in control of production and demand a fair price for their products. The only way to accomplish this is to start an farmers association and stop competing against each other in the market place.

This association should be voluntary and on an honor system, because if we start with too many rules it will never get off the ground for reason we all know. The organization’s main objective should be to establish cost of production and pricing producers products and not interfere with farming practices or GMO products.

The farmers should ask a fair price for their products and let the marketplace set food prices and the Government can subsidize people that need cheap food.

Most farmers would like to get a fair return on their investment to produce grain, oil seeds and livestock and not have to compete with processors and stores.

The added value that some think is going to make more money for producers, really only puts you in competition with the big processors and Safeway. We can all look at our little co-op stores that can’t compete and most of them went broke. Farmers could promote large global processing companies to setup plants in Canada and we will guarantee them a good supply of domestic products to be processed, but the price would be tied to production cost and a fair profit to the producer. The farmers association will set the rules and not the Government. Yes farmers we can easily accomplish this if you stay united and this will also be a wakeup call to a lot of people.

Global companies can export access production worldwide easier than farmers and with less Government interference.

There will always be room for small farms that like to go their own way and sell eggs veggies or home made bread at the farm gate, but that is not the wish of the majority.

Farmers now stop and think who is promoting this value added, experts that never made a living on the farm and government people that think this will create more employment, but at who’s expense. We still need to market these value added products so we will be back cutting prices to once again compete with Safeway.

All this value added will do is load the farmer with more risk to manage. The concept in controlling the food chain from producer to the end user is hard to establish and is also very competitive. Farmers you have Mother Nature to compete with so lets not get more competition than we can handle.

[carebear300]

I agree with you wholeheartedly but after thirty years of farming I am almost positive it won"t happen. Farmers are too independent and stubbornly hold on to the illusion that they can make it on their own. Even I have finally realized that but it took me thirty years and nobody will listen to somebody with that kind of experience so they are destined to have to try to do it on their own. I sure wish I could be more optimistic about the situation.

[ianben]

Totally agree Steve.
How do we convince the numbers needed to make something like this work?
Just the small numbers who contribute on this site have such differing views on what is the problem let alone the solution.
I thought simple and straightforward rules based on honour should work but seems there is alack of trust and confidence.
Have you any ideas on how trust and confidence can be generated???

[countryguy]

Steve,as nice as the thought is we will never get farmers to unite.Just look at these forums for example.Everyone has their own opinions;rarely do two people agree on anything.

Another prime example is the CWB.After how many years in existence we still cannot decide if we like it or not.I am even torn between two opinions in myself.I like the job the board is doing but in some circumstances I can see a benefit to it being gone.

The best example of all is a couple srings ago I had a land rent deal to renegotiate.Because of the rough ride we'd been having in the area I was trying to get the guy to lower his price.Then comes along my neighbor who would always stop by and state how bad farming was and that he didn't want anymore land swoop it up from right under my nose!

Farmers will NEVER be united.NEVER.It is just the nature of the beast.Farmers hate their neighbors.They can't wait for them to go down so they can reign superior.That's just the way it is;around here anyway;but I can't imagine it being any different anywhere else.

[pandiana]

I guess this is the cup half full or half empty analogy. Although each farmer is coming from a little different perspective with many differences in goals, I see a common thread throughout these discussions. We need more MONEY for our products.

Why won't farmers work together? If 'farmers' are so independent and will never unite, how did we get our marketing boards off the ground. There are many farm organizations out there but I agree that many are involved with specific issues related only to their sector and therefore are often in competition from other sectors.

I think Steve has summarized what could be a beginning in coming together with the leverage needed for primary producers to be heard.

[ianben]

I think united is perhaps the wrong word. It gives the impression we are all going to be on the same team perhaps even buddies.
I dont believe we need to go that far and obvously most farmers dont think we can.
But how about if we destroy the myths and learn a little about how much our competitors need.
Todays prices are where no farmer in the world wants then to be. Even the supposed lowest or most subsidized producer is hurting.
Car manufactureers, supermarkets,JD etc are not quite all united yet. Competition between them is quite strong till you hit the price where they know none of them can make a profit.
This is what we need to do compete AFTER we make a profit
Lets find these prices for our comodities and countries; get them on the web and hope the 99% of farmers who are good on commonsence take the appropiate action
We will never be united but perhaps we could be enlightened.
Got to be something better than CRAZY!!!

[ValueChainFX]

ianben ... you are right, to say united is the wrong word, although when you look at the supply chain you really do need to see everyone in it as a customer, communication from top to bottom and back again could be a great help to us all!

[Steve]

You guys are right, associated farmers should be the topic name, because I don’t like unions in the first place. The word united is not the real issue, and I tried to point out that farmers should work together and not compete against each other in pricing the raw product. But I do believe we should all compete in quality and service along the complete food chain.
Anyone reads my opening comments please change the word to associated in lieu of united, thanks and sorry.

[Deb]

Steve, have you read "Writing Off the Rural West" yet? It's edited by Roger Epp and Dave Whitson. Tell your library to bring it in. Read the one about what's happened to small farms in New Brunswick. I finally realized the enemy's game plan.

[pandiana]

After spending my free time reading threads on this forum, I have little time for more in depth reading. Can you summarize the game plan you refer to Deb? It sounds as though it would be interesting.

[pandiana]

Ianben, I agree with your perpective on competition. It will always be there and so it should.

Too often it is the tendency of people to focus on differences instead of similarities. If an organization could be founded that concentrated on a single goal of equitable pricing for farm produce I think it could work. Keep it simple!

[Deb]

Pandiana, I will summarize it later next week. I am swamped for the next week. This is such an interesting issue and consumers have no idea how important solidarity with farmers would be.

[ianben]

Steve
I too thought united was fine till I read some of the comments.
Putting my ideas into words others will not misunderstand frustates me.

One of the things I find most difficult is to explain is how the idea of knowing the value of what we produce and each others cost of production would be so helpful when we come to market or even decide what we produce.

Most of all how the internet gives all farmers throughout the world access to the same information with one click of a mouse. This I believe is how we can be associated/enlightened and able to compete in this global world yet retain our independance.

Pandina

Yes simple is the key.
Hope we dont need to big an organisation. Bet the moderators on these forums could produce figures for Canada. In fact I bet the figures are available for most countries already just need someone to collect them and translate them into words we all understand. Most of what is out there I find meaningless to the individual.
A good web site and we are away!!!!

I am sure there are still plenty of doubters out there.
Money works, a piece of paper we all agree has a value, different values in different countries not perfect but an improvment on barter.
A system based on trust and honour universally accepted without us being united or cooperating more than we want.

If we can all trust a piece of paper for our money.
Following mutually benificial advice should be easy!!!!!

[ValueChainFX]

This is such an interesting topic for me and timely as well, I am working towards a system that ties each level of the supply chain together. These individuals are tied together with common threads that they can relate to, mostly in money and data from the products. The business format would probably be that of a new age style coop with a franchise twist to it. This is the closest description that I can come to the business operational description but no fear, I have many smart people helping to put this plan together and it is looking good both from the excitement of those participating and those organizing the system. I am finding one of the main keys is we all seem to relie on each other in the structure and get valued feed back from top to bottom.

Will keep you up dated on this

[Steve]

Ianben ; you are right any success in developing a farmers association takes trust, commitment and confidence that the plan will work. I think it is possible and not easy to achieve, but it is better to try and fail than do nothing at all. It may come down to like being an alcoholic, hit rock bottom before joining the AAs.

The latest news “ Consolidation of Benson Quinn- Growers Marketing and PCTS” is the writing on the wall that farmers should take note and realize standing alone and competing against your self will not improve our survival rate.

I think that most of the problems are inherited from our fathers “ stay on the farm, work hard and be your own boss.” Globalization took that idea away years ago.

We have to start by convincing people that the old days are gone forever and change is necessary for farmers to survive in this new fast world.

I think that all farm experts if they are sincere in trying to help farmers should take a good look at a farmer association concept and incorporate the idea into their seminars.
At the present too much is focused on promoting marketing alternatives as to forward pricing in risk management strategies. The way I see it is not working for the majority of the farmers and maybe part of the time for debit free FARM MANAGERS. All this promotes is stay independent and screw your neighbor. ( I mean this as constructive criticism and not slander.)

Start promoting the farmer association concept to existing farm organizations that the right price for their product is essential for the survival of all farmers and ranchers.
A stable fair price for grain is also good for the livestock producer because it would stabilize input costs. We all retain our independence and compete in quality and service, but not in pricing our primary farm products.

We have to make it very clear to all participants and may they be individuals or farm organizations that this farmers association is on a voluntary honor system and our only objective is to stabilize producers input cost and fair price for their raw produces. Any diversion from this topic at meetings will not be tolerated.

Suppliers providing farm products should be invited to meetings to participate in helping each other in stabilizing input costs and making farming a sustainable business. ( what is good for the goose is also good for the gander.)