Clipboard Grain Company Goes Bellyup

[vvalk]

Burburt. What about the young farmer?
There just was a huge meeting in Ottawa about young farmers in agriculture. How can a young farmer get started when you can only deliver half your grain, get paid for 30 % of that 50% up front and hope for more ( still not knowing how much you will get for it) 18 months later. Take that to the bank and see if a young farmer can get capital to start up.

[vvalk]

As I think about this you could argue that the CWB is not equal at all. Growing single desk grain is only for rich/established farmers who have the cash flow/balance sheets to bank the customers they( wait. the single desk) sell to. For young or struggling farmers, growing single desk grain is not an option.

[SASKFARMER3]

How true. Burpfart explain that one.

[JDGreen]

vvalk BINGO !! and on top of that a big majority are worried that a young or starting farmer may receive more for their grain or have a higher profit margin through good management practices. Had some older farmers tell me last week that they didn't know how to market so therefore they supported the board. Doesn't matter what they receive or how the board performs it has their support. This is the biggest problem IMO. Ignorance and a lack of education will continue to prevail until this bunch of should be retirees are no longer capable of climbing into a tractor. With the average age of farmers approaching 59 I doubt we will teach the majority of old dogs to sit let alone roll over.

[agstar77]

The days of the young struggling farmer are coming to an end . Fewer can get in without a backer. Large corporate farms with shareholders and a manager. It is the way of the future. That is what government wants, that is what the consumer wants. Cheap food just like cheap TV's.

[parsley]

Brainwave from the Past:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/CommitteeBusiness/StudyActivityHome.aspx?Cmte=AGRI&Language=E&Mode=1 &Parl=40&Ses=3&Stac=3074064

Past:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?DocId=2842956&Language=E&Mode=1&P arl=39&Ses=1#Int-2010422

[JDGreen]

Agstar it is what they want, but they need be careful what they wish for. Food security is best left in the hands of FARMERS. We need to transition to farmers of the future and forget about the dead horses of the past. If we don't the corporates win and we all lose.

[agstar77]

Most of the future farmers will be employees rather than independent business. The trend is obvious and the consumers will get what they are asking for because they are in the majority.

[vvalk]

agstar whats your argument? "the market wants cheap food so lets keep the single desk so new/young farmers can't get started" what the hell are you talking about? Trying to deflect again? CWB counter argument 101. PATHETIC

[parsley]

This is a recommendation from the Report/Young People:

"Recommendation 3.6

The Committee recommends that, with the view that monopolies have been detrimental to Canadian farmers, the government look into other 33 models, including the U.S. model, that deal with competition and that allow the government to exert more power to break up, or otherwise manage, monopolies in the agricultural industry." Pars