Harvest

[charliep]

Must be a rainy day like Edmonton and people are crabby/itching to get harvesting. tower suggested Lee and I have some power over the site (which we don't - that is the job of the Agri-ville mayor) but we can highlight when things go a little off course. Not looking for perfection (would be boring) but at least some common courtesies.

I used the example before of the skill involved in a competitive hockey game versus the promoter who took hockey to the basics and just put two goons on the ice/let them duke it out (I don't even think there was a puck on the ice). Hopefully the skill of debate is the objective here and not trying to put someone down because they differ with your view point.

[parsley]

cotton, read again, but set your anger on the chair before you begin.

The title is Harvest.

Agreed?

And then you state, "Your missing the point my dear,a thread about harvest progress. "

I disagree, and agstar's statement is my reason.


He talked about progress,yes, but he also jumped into marketing dollars:

Agstar states:"We will need that rumoured 10 for canola to cover costs."

I can only presume he meant 10 was $10.00. Agreed?

Now, all of a sudden, his thread is not only about progress, but about value.

So, it becomeds fair game to debate value.

I also presume I am the "dear". Unless of course, it is your yearned name for Fransisco.

Your initial anger was illegitimate.

Parsley

[parsley]

and no...I do not get paid to manage/comment/enforce/violate/ignite this site.

By anyone.

Parsley

[parsley]

and no cotton, you are not the best via declaration: there are two people that I personally know on this site that could out-trade you in a New York minute.

Dollar for dollar, you simply could not compete.

and an addendum....just as a beautifully stunning woman does not need to remind everyone that she is beautiful, good traders don't need to re-state their ability to themselves or anyone else. It advertises lack of confidence in one's ability.

Parsley

[Fransisco]

Geez cotton, who took a dump in your corn flakes this morning?

There is nothing off limits about pointing out how ridiculous a wheat board directors arguments are. And how even the most die hard single desker can't even begin to live by their own principles. Free marketers, choicer's whatever you want to call us -can- and would do so in a heart beat given the chance.

[Fransisco]

There are farmers this year that will lose money growing board crops not because the market isn't there. But because thanks to directors like agstar the board is preventing those farmers from getting to that market.

And your ticked because he's getting a little razed about it?

It's time to grow up cotton, get some perspective and maybe try a little decafe now and then.

[Fransisco]

And no I'm not here because someone is paying me, right now it's a labour of love.

But that's not a bad idea if anyone is looking to sponsor Fransisco's agri-ville time I'm all ears.

[agstar77]

So this is why this site is called Angriville. Even the most innocent question is twisted to suit someone's agenda.

[Fransisco]

Oh yeah, like you single desk directors have no 'agenda'.

Please!

[padron]

You know, sometimes a topic can just be a topic and not another new category to rehash the same old political ideologies - left or right. It appeared to me that Agstar had initiated an interesting subject that would have interest for any and all readers but once again the discussion denigrated into philosophical positions. Too bad.

I don't share Agstar's point of view but I respect that he has one. More to the point I am learning more about and witnessing the core of the problem in Canadian agriculture as I read these various threads on Agri-ville/Angri-ville. (Clever).

We Canadians just like to argue with each other. In other countries they shot each other and blow up innocent people to express their differing points of view so our disputes are safer at least but what time we are wasting in combating ourselves when the real opposition is anyone who competes for end users of our agricultural production surpluses.

I've copied a piece from the new CEO of the George Morris Centre, Jim Oehmke who has replaced Dr. Larry Martin after 17 years as CEO. Jim also observes the huge opportunity before us. I'm not sure I agree with everything he says but it's his opinion.

Ladies and gentlemen, the enemy is not someone posting their views on this bulletin board. They are "out there" and we need to steer this ship in the same direction if we are going to survive and thrive. Jim Oehmke thinks we have a pretty good natural advantage.

Quote

Canadian Agriculture Needs to Aim Higher

By Jim Oehmke

Commentary
Jim Oehmke is an economist and, until recently, a professor in the Department of Economics at Michigan State University. The website of the George Morris Centre is www.georgemorris.org

As a new Canadian resident, I can’t help but be struck by the amazing agricultural resources of this country.

A rich land base, vast stores of energy and water, and also tremendous human resources, both on the farm and in the agri-products processing sector. And unlike my native U.S., this country isn’t as fixated on profit, and takes its environmental and social responsibilities more seriously.

Given these resources, I think Canada could be a model for the world, showing that environmental and social stewardship can co-exist with efficiency, profitability and inventiveness. But, so far, Canada has not lived up to that potential.

In fact, when you look at Canada on the world stage, you wonder if Canadians realize what they’re capable of. Rather than worry about tariffs and quota allotments, we need to look at the big picture.

In the big picture, global food production has led to massive environmental degradation. Canada has great expertise in environmentally sustainable agricultural practices. We need to build and leverage that strength.

In the big picture, a global shortage of clean water has massive implications for food safety. We have the ability to efficiently produce large amounts of safe, uncontaminated food. That is a foundation that should be built on.

In the big picture, our vast supplies of both renewable and non-renewable energy combined with our expertise in food and agri-product processing give us an advantage few countries can match. We should build on that, too.

But so much of our potential is unrealized. We need policies that anticipate the future and set new challenges for ourselves. Our focus shouldn’t be on just preserving farms and the agricultural processing industry as they have been, but on developing them to their full potential.

The world is looking for a leader that can take pieces of the puzzle – the environment, food safety, enterprise and innovation, and social responsibility – and put them together to create a new model in global agriculture.

If it has the vision and the will, Canada could be that leader.

For CBC commentary, I’m Jim Oehmke, CEO of the George Morris Centre in Guelph, Ont.

Unquote

Let's look for some common ground and build on that.