Canadian Fair Trade Ag Produce

[parsley]

The hip pocket also rules with those having a large disposable income.

In my ordinary everyday experience, dealing directly with consumers, the folks maing lots of money don't care whether or not they spend 2.3% ocf their income on food, or 2.6% of their income ion food, fbut the result makes a HUGE difference to my bottom line.

The MAIN point is that NO coerceon is involved here. It's a voluntary relationship. That's the concept that agstar cannot grasp. He wants jail and fines,and he wants to FORCE people to co-operate.

True organics is based upon my customer chosing to deal with me.

It's worked marvelously.And I'm glad Tom, that you understand the basis of a good relationship. Trust, willingness to co-operate, respect, and CHOICE.

This has never been the National Farmers' Union point of view.

Parsley

[agstar77]

Parsley, the organic " movement" is based on fear and ignorance .People with large disposable incomes can afford to satisfy their fears no matter how misguided . I give full credit to you for taking advantage of this . We should all learn to play on consumers basic emotions to get a fair return. Like I said before hunger has a way of extracting a premium. Good old supply and demand except we have not learned to choke off supply.

[grassfarmer]

Tom and Parsley, I'm in agreement with you on the basis of real fair trade - I also have a good relationship with real customers who as you say don't mind whether they pay a little more for good, healthy locally produced food. There is nothing incompatible between this and being a NFU member, several of my NFU friends run similar businesses to mine. This is why I pointed out the obvious parallel between Tom's post and NFU policy. Barleyman gives a typical reaction to mention of the NFU, that is the kind of half-assed drivel that drives me crazy - if you have a sensible argument to make fair enough but that comment was a waste of space. In the beef sector the producers and leaders with no vision are not the NFU members but the mainstream commodity organisations like the ABP and CCA.

[TOM4CWB]

Agstar77,

Please explain to me why eating Organic Food is any different than Driving a Volvo or BMW? They often have better safety ratings etc. Buying a LADA means you get That kind of quality!

Risk Management it is more like!

The "Fear" motive can be just as relevant on buying a JD... a IH, or Buhler Tractor. Cheaper tractors usually depreciate faster.

We won't sell any grain for food that we wouldn't use ourselves!

I choose not to buy your produce Agstar... and that of Burbert and Benny. If I buy my soup mix from Parsley... I know for sure I won't get any of your NFU grain!!!

[parsley]

agstar,

There are two groups in organics.

You, and the late-comers in organics pander to the "movement" folks. They are the 20% folks Patty Rosher and Donna Youndahl talk to and ramble on about how great the system in Cuba is. The CWB loves these folks because they believe in force and in government run systems.

The other group in organics actually formed on a VOLUNTARY basis with VOLUNTARY consumers, and VOLUNTARY marketing systems. It's called free enterprise.

The concept will be way over your head agstar.

Parsley

[parsley]

grassfarmer, Half-assed drivel you say?

Do you actually believe that any farmer who respects another farmer would approve of compulsory participation in a marketing scheme.

It is the very reason why I would NEVER buy a membership in the NFU.

Until they change their attitude towards their peers, I'm with barleyman.

Parsley

[Lifer]

Interesting concept. Tom and Parsley write about consumer choice and bringing new ideas to them. "Give them what they want". Excellent let's do more of that.

Use a different term then "Fair Trade". How will you choose fairly who will be part of this scheme? Can you be fair to everyone?

[Lifer]

As far as "True Organics" go.

I hear different definitions of what organics is about.

I understand true organics as being about repecting the soil and "tending the garden". This is at its heart.

Good work in marketing this out. I believe these roots need to be respected.

[grassfarmer]

barleyman quote "After more than 25 years of farming 1 thing that i know is that i will never listen to or follow anything or ever join the National Farmers Union. They are all about yesterday, and promoting going nowhere." It's half-assed drivel to me Parsley, what does it mean?

[TOM4CWB]

Lifer,

I believe the Maple Syrup growers in Quebec are on the right track.

They allow marketing by individual farms, to meet direct consumer demand, yet cater to commercial demand through the marketing board. I know it is not a perfect system, but it does show a recent example of co-operative marketing that meets many of the voluntary aspects we speak of... while having group discipline the place a "fair trade" price on maple products for the benefit of family farms.

Coffee and Chocolate hold the same issues of who should be a part of the program, and what a true fair price is.

The dry bean growers in Alberta have been working with these ideas... not calling it "fair trade" produce specifically... but because it is cooperatively produced... the opportunity to make the case for this kind of premium is avaliable to them!

As Parsley pointed out, I also favour, voluntary marketing... those who join may benefit... and this also allows difficult people who are not agreeable to be excluded from the association and services.

IMHO this is 100% of the CWB's problem. They don't have the grace to accept that people are individuals and have different needs.