checkoffs opt out question?

[gustgd]

If you think people are into Ag policy for the Money, the term delusional comes to mind. With the Wheat Growers its ZERO per diems plus expenses. If we submit. I usually submit for airfare and hotels. I cover ground transportation. With the WGRF I think it's $180 a day, might be $200. Last time meeting was in Saskatoon we stayed at the travel lodge and ate at Tony Roma's la de dah. You know what happens at home. Either work doesn't get done, my family picks up the slack or I pay someone to cover for me.
Anyone who goes into Ag policy does it because they hope to do better for the industry.

As for farmers not being able to afford research. That's asinine, we are in a competitive worldwide market, and you want to spend less??????

I'd rather call research a tax that everyone should pay. Although in this proposal you get the chance to get your money back. It's just that you have to face the community.
If some want to call it stealing they just don't get it.

Parsley we'll have to agree to disagree on this before you start to look more out of touch.

[freewheat]

Well, I for one would care less if my name was available for veiwing on that list. Most of my neighbors could care less either. Some areas have had such poor farming years for so long that yes every 200 bucks makes a difference. I know many of my struggling buddies would GLADLY allow their names to stand on that list. In fact if they missed me somehow, (should I choose a refund someday) I would request they list my name. I find it a wierd idea, it's not like checkoff's and the research they fund, are near enough and dear enough to every farmer's heart, to care about the non-funders. If my neighbor withheld his checkoff, more power to him, he produced the crop, it's his money. I don't opt out. If I did, I wouldn't feel like a freeloader though. If my neighbor opts out, I don't think he's tryin to get a free lunch either. I would say it is up to him, and if he doesn't beleive in it so be it. I want to opt out from the CWB because I don't beleive it offers benifits to my farm; if the CWB put up a massive poster with my name on it, saying I don't support their uncouth ways, I would be proud, just like my neighbor who decided he sees no real or perceived benefit from his checkoff dollars. A free lunch? Of what? Many guys would like a list of the big hurdles that their checkoff dollars have helped to clear, as many guys have no idea what their money does. I think the charitable checkoff receivers need to let us know more clearly every month for example, what our money is doing. If they publish this, with positive developments, then we as farmers would feel more in touch, and less likely to be prone to cynicism, doubt, and we would then have a reason to be excited at what our checkoff dollars are doing.

[gustgd]

freewheet I am just floating some alternatives.
We could go to end point royalties like in France. Standard royalty rates for all commodities you declare the variety, the company (private or public) gets the money.
I believe Charlie new the answer when he asked Mallee about the GRDC in Aust. 1% of gross sales goes to the pot.
As far as your area. That's why, when someone suggested phone numbers. I wrote against it. Nobody knows your situation but you if you can face your neighbours thats all I need.
Your CWB example is a good one! I too would opt out, and put me on a list as actively working against the monopoly.

As for not knowing what what your check off dollars are doing for you. That's where organizations fall down. In my mind its a money saving technique. Mail outs are not cheap and people have to be hired to write all that content. In any group I have seen driving down admin costs, and lean operating are always a priority. What do you think it costs the CWB for their daily e-mail as well as the envelope stuffers sent with every piece of mail that goes out?

WGRF has a list of Varieties that they have contributed to here is the wheat list http://www.westerngrains.com/index.asp?id=1210101&gfx=&ts=0
and specifically The wheat midge trait (sm1)

here's a canola example

http://www.canolacouncil.org/news/1999/resistant_varieties_add_to_clubroot_arsenal.aspx
you get the idea.

On a side note what traits would you like to see?
How do you want to get there?

[ajl]

You do have to remember that the benefits of research accrue to consumers not to producers. Farmers research how to produce more and consumers benefit by be able to access the production at a lower cost since in ag you can't pass your costs on. By and large there is very little value to farmers in a lot of what the commodity groups do.

[charliep]

Here is information on the Austalia's GRDC levy. They also pay end use levy's on seed.

<a href="http://www.grdc.com.au/director/about/levyandfunding">GRDC levy</a>

[parsley]

"Nobody knows your situation but you if you can face your neighbours thats all I need"

Need? LOL So glad you have an approval system in place. LOL

Can't you just hear gusty gauging: LOL:

"How much did freewheat give to the Cemetary fund in memory of old Joe?"

"Forty-dollars"

"Well, I guess I'll let it pass this time, but I'll mark it on the chart."


The Applied Benevolence 120 class has been the best part of my mornin' LOLOLOLOLOLOL Pars

[parsley]

"you think people are into Ag policy for the Money, the term delusional comes to mind"

Tut tut, don't stamp your feet in indignant self-indulgence, gusty, actaully some farmers restrained themselves from doing so when you called them a bunch of them cheapskates.

As for your tantrum, it should actually read like this:

"you think people AREN'T into Ag policy for the Money, the term 'slow' comes to mind"

You see, gusty, ag policy decides where the money goes. Who gets a piece of the money pie.

Why gusty, there are even ag policy directors/reps/intersests/associations/corps who think ag policy is so important, they hire fulltime LOBBYISYS to deal with AG POLICY. Yup.

Google it. Lobbyist. LOL

I shouldn't actually be posting but sometimes I just gotta chase the rabbit, just like I can't resist driving the hell out of the Rhino. The devil makes me do it. LOLOL
Pars.

[parsley]

If any one of these farmers below were in favor of mandatory checkoffs, (seeingst they are sitting on the Western Grains Research Foundation representing the CWB as your elected farmer directors,) well, if it was the good old days, they's be dragged through spring sloughs on a stoneboat to clear the Ontario cabbages growing solidly out of their ears. All three would already be aware that CIGI money is heading East to compete with the CWB.

Taking more yet Western money through force would be more dirt in the ear, wouldn't it.

Here's 3 CWB fellows who would be sitting with you gusty. All farmers:


**Western Grains Research Foundation Board Member Cam Goff

**Western Grains Research Foundation Member, Wheat Advisory Committee Bill Woods

**Western Grains Research Foundation Member, Barley Advisory Committee Kyle

[hlg]

Fuel for the fire, why should our check-off dollars be used by companies that patent the seed. Is there one web site that lists who gets check-off dollars,should`nt be that big of expense.

[neveragain]

Always was a supporter of many associations when they had to work to earn my respect and my dollars.

Not a big fan of checkoffs, after the stunt the National Sunflower Association of Canada pulled off.

Before they could spend more money on staff and fancier offices they had to increase my checkoff by 12x. It is amazing that they took 3 tries at a vote to get the Province of Manitoba to allow them to get their hands in my pockets, but at a very poorly attended general meeting they unilaterally removed the cap and doubled the amount of the checkoff.

Never explained why they needed the money, just took it.

<a href="http://www.sunflowercheckoff.com">SunflowerCheckoff.Com</a>

What really took the cake was the Prairie Oat Growers Association after having the producer vote go against them several times talked the Manitoba government into giving them a checkoff even though they didn't have the producers support.

Interesting how the Oat industry flourished when it was released from the ultimate bureaucracy of the CWB, and then these wanna be somebodies think they need an association and that farmers should pay for it as always.

And to think KAP Keystone Ag Producers wants my checkoff so they can continue to lobby to support the CWB.

We made it a company policy to request ALL checkoff dollars to be returned and we invest those dollars into RESP's for the kids on the farm.

That will give us a much better long term return on investment for our limited dollars.

Dwayne MB