[ShepherdsDog]

supposed to be above 0 by midweek for us. The school is having a "culture week" next week where the kids get taken out ice fishing and shown how to set traps. It`ll benice for that

[Regina]

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

supposed to be above 0 by midweek for us. The school is having a "culture week" next week where the kids get taken out ice fishing and shown how to set traps. It`ll benice for that

March 10th is "supposed" to be 7C here............but we'll see.

[Robair]

Here's a one sided article that better explains what I'm talking about.

I say one sided, because it isn't a press piece, or government propaganda. It comes from a group of farmers.

[Public_Domain]

[DrCaleb]

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Canada's Economic Inaction Plan!®

fixed to reflect reality

Their project to brighten up the Canadian landscape with green billboards has been a smashing success

Don't you feel better about Canada's Government now?

I guess we'll have to do with the excess wheat and barley what we did with the excess cattle after the Mad Cow scare. Turn it into beer and drink it!

[saturn_656]

Beer? Capital idea!

[andyt]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

fixed to reflect reality

Their project to brighten up the Canadian landscape with green billboards has been a smashing success

Don't you feel better about Canada's Government now?

I guess we'll have to do with the excess wheat and barley what we did with the excess cattle after the Mad Cow scare. Turn it into beer and drink it!

Beef Beer?

[Regina]

Robair Robair:

Here's a one sided article that better explains what I'm talking about.

I say one sided, because it isn't a press piece, or government propaganda. It comes from a group of farmers.

I have no horse in this and I still have relatives in the west who farm for a living. Since the CWB only looked after wheat I can see why the alliance will make the arguments they do. There are also other grains that are grown but they aren't saying the same and have never had a "board" to look after them.
The CWBA states that the old CWB "was exceptionally efficient at getting the right grain to the right customer" but rail transportation this winter has been a disaster for everything. I'm not sure the CWB staff a wheel barrow to move wheat so how would it get to the customer any sooner? There was also record crops which to me would magnify the problem?
"Most of the time in the last ten years the CWB paid no net demurrage for keeping ships waiting" What does "most of the time" mean statistically?
The ones that I know in the industry which include grain handlers, farmers and a friend who's family owns about 50 grain terminals in the west. They all have a wait and see attitude and see positives in both but say it will be a years to see it shake out.
But I really have no idea and am just tossing this all out there.

[Robair]

Wheat and barley have a huge export market. We don't export a fraction of that volume with any other crop. Not even a small fraction... hence the wheat and barley only thing.

Like I said, the wheat board would have faced the same obstacles per the railroad, but the railroad isn't the only problem. We certainly would not have had to wait on the speed of the federal government to take rail companies or ports to task. The board would have been all over that while the crop was still growing. As soon as the bumper crop was forecast.

One entity overseeing almost all crop exports vs many private entities trying to send the grain they've purchased from individual farmers to the ports owned by that entity... ...are you really saying you don't see the problem here?

The wheat board was turffed with no plan to pick up the way they have elevated Canadian grain to best in the world status for quality and timely delivery. No plan for getting grain to port in an orderly fashion.

[Regina]

I get that there are different people with different financial interests in the market now, and it is quite possible they are gouging. What I don't see and understand is how the former CWB could put in place a plan that wouldn't involve the entire rail industry which has been totally fucked up this winter. So to me taking them to task would just be lip service?
I'm all for the farmers making loads of cash and rightfully so, but all the arguments seem to fall back to statements like the one you just made. How can an organization who does not own the transportation companies claim they would do a better job? If there's an current argument that doesn't involve the movement of grain being the problem, I'd agree with it 100%.
Not trying to be argumentative or suggesting I'm right, but the rail system which moves the product is seeing stresses they've never, ever experienced. Yet there are statements being made that somehow Ottawa's pressure would have made a difference. That's sounds political and is what I don't get.

[Robair]

Ottawa steps in to ease grain backlog

So, about a year too late, the government steps in with legislation to apply late penalties.

In the good old days, the wheat board would sue the railways to recover late fees incurred at the dock. This smartened the railways up right away as you can imagine.

So now, you the taxpayer, get to pay to enforce new legislation that was not required when we had a farmer funded wheat board.

enjoy.

[andyt]

As you say, the wheatboard would have forseen the bumber crop and taken steps then to ensure movement of it. The cold weather could not have been forseen, so there still might have been some snags, but less than this.

This govt just shoots itself in the foot for ideological reasons. Same with them cutting support services for childmolesters who have been let out of prison. Those programs worked to reduce recidivism, ie prevent further victims but I guess the Reformacons just don't think that way, just like to be tough on crime after the fact.

[Gunnair]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Public_Domain Public_Domain:

ShepherdsDog ShepherdsDog:

fixed to reflect reality

Their project to brighten up the Canadian landscape with green billboards has been a smashing success

Don't you feel better about Canada's Government now?

I guess we'll have to do with the excess wheat and barley what we did with the excess cattle after the Mad Cow scare. Turn it into beer and drink it!

We were drinking cows?

What, heiferveisen?

[Count_Lothian]

An Ontario Dairy farmer explained to me exactly how he was controlled in not being able to turn a profit.

The Dairy Board controlled the amount of cows he could own and operate.

It was 10 cows away from breaking even and he had to go with hat in hand every year and borrow against the 150 acre farm in Georgetown.

I think the wheat farmers might be up against the same.
There is a lot against the farmer at turning a profit on any Canadian Farm.

the banks worked with the Dairy Board of Ontario according to that farmer.

His conspiracy seemed quite sound and was the same conspiracy shared by all of his farming community.

[Count_Lothian]

Also it's amazing how oil is moved with no problem from the train people but Wheat!!!

it rots for 8 months.