Competition

[CptnObvious]

Good luck mbratrud, I'm with you but we might be lonely in a big hall. It seems against their religion for many farmers to work together.

[bucket]

I never hauled to WIT because of distance but even some dumb ass like me could see the benefit of it staying independent.

Never did understand how the guys that started it vision's could be forgotten so soon?

Probably been nothing but a gold mine or a money printing machine for ph ever since.

A turnkey elevator for what 90 million?

They didn't even get their replacement cost out of it?

[bucket]

Mbratrud and captobvious


I would be willing to come for coffee and spew briefly. Need it before seeding though.

[OneOfMany]

Yes! mbratrud agree with you 100%

The Parrish, Heimbecker, Patterson, Richardson, etc families of the grain world are all very well off. They have never had to go to the markets to issue shares to raise capital.

We pay the freight, handling, cleaning, inspection and every other expense they can think of and they throw us a few crumbs.

Oh Yeah, didnt we pay for protein testers and grain cars also.

It is very unfortunate the loss of the independents.

[bucket]

In reality WIT should have bought unit trains and controlled their exports like the new potash producers are doing.

Too bad but it's done.

[samhill]

It's apparent that there are people at this site with experience and understanding of farmer owned terminals, which I admit I'm not familiar with.
I have seen these farmer owned operations operate successfully on a smaller scale, but not anything large enough for the prairies since the wheat pools disappeared. The Americans have done it successfully with ethanol plants, so it can be done.
Long term enterprise and a lot of us are long in the tooth.

[mbratrud]

Just to be clear, my post was not to dwell on the past and I don't want to lay blame Instead look at the future, and an opportunity for renewal be learning from past mistakes. We need to talk about the past to be successful in the future.

[bucket]

Mbratrud

Agreed. The new system should look different than the past.

Do we need cement elevators?

Maybe it's time to look at other industries successes in movement of product.

Maybe farmers on some scale need to own the logistics chain because the current system of leaving farmers scraps won't work too long.

[farmaholic]

mbratrud, like I said its come full circle, 360 degrees. Sounds like you might agree.

[binthere]

bingo bucket. unfortunatley farmers have allowed the forces to be to steal the tools required to do this . in hindsight it has become a realization but to many are to proud to admit or still under the illusion that they can compete with the major players or are just apprehensive of the possibility that they will only make the same as there neighbor. theres still time to reinvent the wheel again.