Sask Pulse Growers

[just_wondering]

How much will the budget increase for SPG. They have a NON-REFUNDABLE 1% checkoff.
With Peas over $10
lentils 30 they will see huge growth in revenues.
Is this an example of how grower organizations should work, or is this a huge cash grab?
They did an Insightrix survey tonight and I agreed strongly on most of the stuff they are doing ,but WOW they are taking their pound of flesh.

[just_wondering]

some rough math
42 tonnes of Red Lentils at .32cent lb=
42 x 2204= 92568lbs
92568 x .32 cents/lb = $29621.71

$29621.71 x .01 = $296.21 a load in checkoff

All I'm saying is thats ALOT

[parsley]

They need to be thrown out the same window the CWB needs to be pitched out.


Landing on their heads a few times will smarten a few up, but generally speaking it's the attitude that will remain, a residue similar to the dirty ring on the tub.

A lot of folks want to download all rising costs on farmers and they think we are so stupid we'll not notice, and if we do, we'll do nothing.


Parsley

[kryger]

Grower org. must have a refundable levy. That makes them credible. If I don't agree with what they are doing, I can take my money back. With a non-refundable levy, they can do whatever they want, and farmers can't do a damn thing.

[food4u]

I have always been of the opinion that it should be refundable.Now is the time to push for it tobe so.Was not achieveable with the NDP in power.

[just_wondering]

I agree with having a refundable levy as well but what would you restrict them on In their survey I agreed that they should be working on market development ,new varieties ,weed control, you name it I agreed. Too have a who;;y refundable levy would leave you broke and spending a lot of time trying too fund raise, effectively taking money from other volunteer groups.
BUT exactly as Kryger says a refundable levy makes them that much more accountable.
I don't think they needed the new Taj-mahal they built and question how many staff they need.
Possibly reducing the levy to a per tonne dollar limit rather than percentage of sales?

I wish more pulse growers would chip in how does it work in other provinces?

[dave4441]

The issue surrounding the levy is that a large portion of dollars are invested in research and pulse breeding. Those items benifit all and hard to remove/ectract the value from farmers that pull back the levys.