"83 %...indicated they would like...to market...outside of the CWB."

**Burbert** · Feb 12, 2011, 09:39

I'm marketing 100% of our grain through
the CWB this year!

**stubblejumper** · Feb 12, 2011, 09:42

A Canadian Federation of Independent Business report does not reflect the views of all prairie farmers according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Wheat Board.

"It's a survey of CFIB agribusiness members. I think it was 411 people that responded. It's not clear to us that they were all farmers as opposed to other types of agribusiness community members," says Maureen Fitzhenry. "Is it a broad reflection of farmers' views? It could be. It may not be. It's just that these numbers represent less than 4 percent of wheat and barley growers on the prairies."

With the new CWB Board of Directors meeting this week for the first time after the 2010 director elections, the CFIB issued a report and sent a letter to the board calling for changes and a "new vision at the CWB." The report is based on the findings in the aforementioned survey of CFIB agribusiness members in 2010.

The CFIB says its hoping the CWB considers the findings when coming up with new policy and programming.

"We take these kinds of things into consideration but I can't tell you that we're taking the CFIB survey into consideration because of the problems that I've already cited," says Fitzhenry. "What we need to know is what the actual farmers of western Canada are thinking. That's why we have farmer satisfaction surveys, the annual producer survey, e-polls, accountability meetings, we collect feedback from our front line staff, so yes, we're very focused in looking at how our services are working for farmers

**blackpowder** · Feb 12, 2011, 09:55

Burbert: I applaud your lack of hypocrisy. The staunchest of supporters in our area (not just the aluminum foil hat crowd) typically seed 25-50 % max. board grains.

As for Ms. Fitzhenry's e-polling it's also an anachronism wrapped in an enigma. PPOs and storage programs.

**FarmRanger** · Feb 12, 2011, 10:07

Nothing makes a business strive for customer satisfaction as well as the freedom a customer has to be able to do business with their competition.

Something which is sorely lacking in wheat, durum, and barley on the Canadian prairies.

**blackpowder** · Feb 12, 2011, 10:17

Farmranger:

EXACTLY!

**ColevilleH2S** · Feb 12, 2011, 11:19

FarmRanger X2. You always seem to be able to boil all my thoughts down to one or two concise sentences. That's some powerful telepathy you have ;-)

**Burbert** · Feb 13, 2011, 17:34

Apparently, again, you's boys/girls are
votin wit your drills. Keep up the good
work, it'll soon crush the board and you
kin all be on the outside, in never never
land, or is that ranch?

**blackpowder** · Feb 13, 2011, 20:58

Every time I get a little envious of someones' geography allowing them to make a living growing one crop, I am reminded of the dangers of said geography.
Thank you Burbert!

"83 %...indicated they would like...to market...outside of the CWB."