The Future

[ValueChainFX]

Rural Issues are always a hot topic! With the new global economy and our present agriculture position, I ask how do you see the future? Also what ideas are out there that may make the future better?

[dkrasko]

If there is a group called farm corp marketing international ltd coming to your area to have a meeting I urge you and your friends to go. They have a very good program.

[chas]

ValuechainFX: Well it been and interesting trip this winter through the perils of marketing and the hell of price discovery. But it hasn't replaced going to Arizona as a winter active I hope.
I could see the future alot better for agriculture if we could elimate subsidises world wide because it actually reduces prices of communidities on the world market. Secondly lets go to a domestic open market and keep a farmer directed CWB for export of wheat and malt barley. The CWB will not be allow to dump grain back into the domestic market unless it deemed an emergency.
Under this good management will survive and industry and employment will develop where the advantage is naturally profitable rather than artificially created by subsidises and political bias.
I fully believe that Rural Western Canada has been stripped of an agriculture future for it young people by greed and polices of Eastern Canadian governments creating wealth on the backs of Westerns.
We're not to late in turning it around
yet as we are an optimistic lot or we would not be farming. Chas

[oobe]

Chas said: "I fully believe that Rural
Western Canada has been stripped
of an agriculture future for it young
people by greed and polices of
Eastern Canadian governments
creating wealth on the backs of
Westerns."
Farmers have done more to seal
their fate by continuing to support the
transnationals that purchase their
production than any act by any level
of government. Two questions: Do
you have Shreddies in your
cupboard? Do you continue to
purchase herbicides, pesticides and
fertilizers from transnationals, or are
you willing to change, fundamentally,
the way you farm?

[monaco]

After 30 years of this industry , I am exiting . My sons ( and I have three ) are all doing very well in their chosen fields and have no interest in the agricultural industry . Our beloved Federal Minister has no ear for western Canadian agriculture and I am tired of seeing my equity being eroded . The western Canadian grain industry is a dying one my friends . I am taking the advise of a very good friend who told me to quit bitching and get on with your life . Best wishes to those of you who remain . Monaco

[dalek]

Hey Monaco I have a secret for you: the minister of agriculture doesn't listen to eastern Canadian farmers either. In fact, he doesn't even listen to farmers in this area who live in his riding and have known him all his life. Even if he did, the PM doesn't listen to him anyway because right now what we have in this country is pretty much an elected dictatorship.

[ValueChainFX]

I have spent much of my time trying to work with many groups that say they want to help the agriculture industry! It may be just me but I have taken on the responsibility to combine the knowledge I have gained in my 35 years in the business from the farm through each sector of the supply chain with new technology! I believe that the only way we are going to see change is for the agriculture industry to pull together and come up with our own strategies, markets and future. I have spent the last 10 years on supply chain management including off shore exports. I also believe that we in the west have many things going for us right now to take advantage of. I have worked for major retails, wholesales and not for profit groups. You want a future then time to pull together and make it happen! I am ready to do my part and have plans for implementing phase one of program before the end of this year and would welcome questions or inquiries from anyone that may be interested in looking at the possibilities! valuechain@home.com

[nakodo]

There is a very good summary report now posted on the Western Agri-Food Institutes web site called "A new agriculture - Making the connection", it is avaialbel for free as a download but I encourage you to become a member to allow them to continue to do this kind of international research and then writing a report that shows the trends impacts locally in Western Canadian farms and communities.

www.westernagrifood.org