Is anyone else frustrated that ag money is going into every thing but

[ValueChainFX]

Another challenge we see with most of the spending is that in most cases it does not really help the producer. An ag ... grant ... funding ... gov money usually helps the processor, marketer, retail or consumer. The fees producers pay as check offs etc. go???? they are going to support marketers, retails etc. may be a little off base here, but I don't think so. Time these thing got a little more balance ... like on the producer side of things.

[lonewolf]

See this is what I am talking about. But the real problem is how do we accommplish this.

[ValueChainFX]

Lonewolf ... the only way a producer is going to accomplish what the processors, marketers and retails have accomplished is to act like them. These businesses are able to pull a group together, pin point the issues and making choices that will make them more money!!! I have discussed this point with many people throuigh out the supply chain and the standard answer is simple, "Producers are very hard to coordinate, get together and have them agree on any one issue, until we can easily communicate with them we will continue to focus on where we get the best results". WHO DO YOU SUPPOSE SAID THAT?

It doesn't matter we all know that statement is true. More and more however, producers are taking charge and pulling themselves together. We are working with tools that are designed to put more money in our jeans. The key is to be the processor ... be the marketer ... and be the retails. The answer I have heard to that most times is ....

I don't want to be a processor, marketer or retail ... Well you already are so what is that statement all about. Besides that the big marketing companies don't have one person that does it all, nor to the processors or retails, they have managers, coordinators etc. Well so do you, but to make all these people work for you, you have to get together, agree at least on some basics and speak with a producer voice. It is happening, producers are starting to do it, there are always going to be the negative Nigels, but hey there choice if they want to stay on the sidelines and watch. For those taking part, I believe they are the ones making history not watching it happen!

[cdunbar]

The above comments are all well and good. But it still comes right down to the grower. We have to change the way we do the business of farming. Complaining about the government not doing something, or the consumer not paying, or the media not getting the message out...are all examples of passing the buck. We, as growers, have to make the changes. Consuers will only pay more when the HAVE to pay more. Producers of many commodities have the freedom to produce whatever they want...but there is a big price to pay for this freedom. If growers could work together as a group they can get what they need out of the marketplace without blaming anyone. The buck stops at the farm gate. If farmers change the way they are doing business, positives can happen...that's the only way change will happen.