THE CWB AND ORGANIC GRAIN

[TOM4CWB]

Parsley,

That was an amazingly good explanation of what the situation is, from a practical standpoint.

If the CWB does not soon fix problems like organic grain, someone else soon will.

I believe we are at a watershed point in the CWB's history.

Either the CWB quits denying the problems that they are creating, by going beyond the authority of parliament, or one of the parliamentary authorities will fix them, as in the provinces.

Much is made about agriculture being a shared jurisdiction when aid payments are made to grain farmers.

What the CWB is doing also goes into provincial agricultural jurisdiction.

How far is the CWB willing to push this line?

When will one of the provinces in the "designated area" object, and opt out like Ontario did?

[parsley]

Cam, you asked why the CWB doesn't treat organic producers like they do seed wheat. They could if they chose. They could simply issue them export licenses at no cost. They did just that with the seed growers. They did just that with the millions of bushels of wheat and barley that they chose not to market and instead told the feed mills it was okay if their big companies did the marketing!

The CWB can issue a license or not. And the Directors at the CWB, under advice from the staff, chose to deny no-cost licenses to organic farmers.

Random denial, with no consistentcy, at some point in time, becomes discrimination.

Parsley

[wedino]

Parsley, You state >>Organic Farmer Pierre, in Quebec, skips all these steps. Producer Pierre gets a no-cost export license from the CWB. The big feed mills get no-cost export licenses. The pedigreed seed grower gets no-cost export licenses. <<

What's to stop Organic Joe from shipping his grain to Quebec (as I understand most organic grain is cleaned, bagged & shipped via container) & completing the sale from there? (Other than chains & leg irons) Of course it would have to be headed in that direction or freight charges would eat away at any profits.

just a thought..........Cam

[parsley]

In interprovincial trade, the CWB requires an interprovincial-export license from producers. So if they move #1 Barley for pearling to Ontario...they need a license from the Board....Guess what Cam....
do they grant
or
deny?
Can you guess? I'll ask if that is your final answer.
Parsley

[TOM4CWB]

Cam,

The CWB makes the Quebec farmer sign a statutory declaration stating and swearing that the grain was produced in Quebec.

Then the no-cost export license is granted.

Same goes for B.C. outside the "designated area".

If a people are dishonest, many things can be done, the sad part in the CWB system is that dishonesty is rewarded, and telling the truth costs big time. THis is what started my battle with the CWB!

Don't you think it is time things changed?

[parsley]

Good Morning ,

Cam...I posted a report on the thread CWB Director Meetings...it's down quite a ways....but I thought you might be interested in the organic part of it.
It's second hand because i didn't attend.

Parsley

[wedino]

Parsley,
This is the best news. Halyk finally sees the light. I see 8 board members favoring no cost export permitts for organic grain. (Of course I'm counting on the appointees)

>>Rees asked if Halyk would personally support a recommendation that would urge the CWB to grant free export permits to organic producers. When Halyk responded that yes he would support that recommendation at the Board table, the audience of 125, composed of mostly conventional farmers and 4 organic farmers, burst into applause. The farmer-reporter was surprised because it indicated that conventional producers overwhelmingly supported the organic producers' request for no-cost export licenses.. <<

[parsley]

8? Let you count the ways.

Parsley

[Vader]

You realize of course that at present there are only 4 appointed CWB Directors on the Board. Jim Stanford retired from the CWB Board last month and has yet to be replaced. Do you still count 8?

[CWBRules]

<Tom, Ken Ridder, at the supper meeting in Weyburn, stated "Regular grain is switched for & sold as organic grain in the USA & thereby competes with grain the CWB is marketing into USA">

Wouldn't all those hippies in the city love to hear about that one.....cause the last thing we need are protesters trying to figure out how to chain themselves around a wheat plant in protest.

*I shudder at the thought*