checkoffs opt out question?

[gustgd]

DMLfarmer not saying that I have the perfect answer, and privacy is definitely a concern.
Consider the proposal a call to action, to start to think about how research is funded. I am open to counter proposals.
If anyone out there thinks that the GRDC model is not being looked at. THIS IS YOUR WAKE UP CALL!!
For those of you that want to tie this into socialism and the CWB, maybe the Aussies are as far ahead of us on research funding as they are on cereal marketing?? I don't know, but at least I'm thinking about it.

[wmoebis]

It seems to me that there is a lot more value in all grain after it leaves the farm gate. Maybe the R&D should be funded in whole from top down instead of bottom up. They tell us what they want us to grow and they benefit the most. At least my returns tell me that is the fact. They can pass the cost on to consumer for better product.

[gustgd]

wmoebis see the wd9 comment on money being matched 20:30 X If farmers don't participate don't be surprised if we get results we don't like.

I'd suggest rereading his whole post.

[checking]

Did our 60-70 million freight overcharge (you'll have the exact number) get matched 20:30 Xs. That was a significant checkoff. What did you do with our money, Mr. G?

[parsley]

What I can't figure out about you gusty, is why somebody that looks like Brad Pitt, also talks and writes and makes political statements like Hugo Chávez?

[parsley]

Excerpt from Standing Committee of Agriculture Proceedings, Ottawa, Ontario, May 1, 2014

Farmer Ben: "You said only $1.00 a tonne on canola in 2010!"

wd9: "You are correct. The checkoff amount I wholey approved of began at $1.00 on canola and I agree it is now $16.00 a tonne on each and every crop commodity due to inflation, but how else will research projects be continued and completed? Do you want them to stop dead?"

Farmer Ben: "I am hardly making any profit now. But to put a research levy on my bales will put me out of the cow calf business."

wd9: "Times have changed. It is a matter of fairness. The cattlemen are all being freeloaders expecting other farmers to pay for commodity research"

Farmer Ben: "Look, Mr. Chairman,if this bale checkoff plus wild pasture area checkoff is made compulsory the cow calf guys are done like dinner."

wd9: "As I suggested, Farmer Ben, I am working hard to have all the checkoffs in Western Canada put under one umbrella to save farmers money. One official government department. I'v spent considerable time studying APAS in Saskatchewan. APAS is municipality based. My proposal, DAACCA, is Designated Area based."

Chairman: "On that note, let's break right now, and then after lunch, as Designated Area Research Funding Chairman, wd9 can bring us up to speed on all the checkoff research projects that have been completed in the last four years, with the phenomenal number of scientists now employed in Ontario due to the grains checkoff. Then we'll meet with the focus group on wd9's new Designated Area Acre and Commodity Checkoff Amalgamation proposal. Quite a mouthful. DAACCA "

(laugh)(all titter and twitter)

"He's been working closely with the CWB and CIGI on it. Be back at 14:00 hours?"

"Adjourned."
(bang goes the gavel)

[checking]

I envision the day where all this stored checkoff money sitting in bins will be demanded to be paid upfront by Mr G's group. It will be looked upon as it isn't fair that those forced to sell grain at poor prices to meet loan payments pay their checkoffs while others are able to delay sales.

Write this down MR. G., as it's your precedence. It's being done by the federal government on producing mineral rights. Ofcourse, you have to die first for it to come into effect. Perhaps WGRF can do some research to speed that part up!!

[dave4441]

Agriculture is a business, competes with other suppliers. Lowest price or highest value gets the business. Business must be innovative and research is required to be innovative. Who pays for the research without a levy Parsley? Hugo Chavez? Give me a break. A industry that, as a primary producer of raw goods, that beleives an investment in research, to further their industry is socialism is so far removed from reality of actual business that it is unbeleivable. Get out of the house. Do you think the oil industry, believes that research into production techniques, which just increase the supply of oil and decrease the price, are avoiding investments in their production practices? Or uranium, or coal, or any producer of any good?

Gustd-i do not have the answers to your question. When growers state that they do not see value in a particular levy (and if 50 cents/MT makes or breaks you operation there is another discussion that needs to take place) it is because they generally have not a clue what their levy is used for. How many projects have been funded for zero-till research from different organizations and how many of those reccomendations are used today? We use the research results paid for with levies and we do not even know where that info comes from. A chem rep or equipment dealer passes the info on, and it shapes our business and we do not even know it. The bigger problem is communication of research results, and you could spend half the dollars from an organization, trying to communicate these results and people would still say they do not know what value is being brought from the levy. Please excuse the rant, but i am tired of hearing about people not knowing what levies do for them, because they take so little interest in it and do not take the time to be informed.

[dave4441]

Take a look at lentils, US is ramping up production of lentils. What happens if the US farm bill is gone due to budget issues? How many large green lentils from USA went into the indian market in 09/10 vs 08/09. Way more. In fact much less demand out of Canada this year then was hyped and way less then last year, in part due to cheaper US product. People want to eat our lunch and that is life. We have to be ahead of the curve with transportation, breeding, science, nutrition.

[parsley]

Sometimes it's difficult to disengage from self-interest, isn't it.

So, let's compare your theory to a parallel natural resources industry to test both soundness and palatability.

A Farmer: primary grain producer
Chemical companies: Research needed for competitiveness

B Farmer: Primary oil producer
Petro Companies: Research needed for competitiveness

So, would you also be saying to checking, or any primary mineral rights holders, that they should be paying a research levy so that an oil company can be competitive?