Comment: The return of the Wheat pool? Australia still has a strong coop.

[blackpowder]

You weren't permitted to even "move" grain to commercial storage even if they had room regardless of your own situation. Haven't had grain lose condition or dug a pile out of snow or mud since. No more piles.
Gawd the list is endless. Prior to the 90s it was completely draconian if you can imagine.
The thread started out about co-ops and/ pool companies. The two not necessarily the same thing in our reality. It is still my belief the board created the environment for their demise either way.

[blackpowder]

New farmers co op would never work. In theory with some major tweaks they could be price competitive..BUT they have one majooorrr setback ( as do all grain companies and farmers)...

THE MONOPOLY of the train tracks.
that and the incredible lack of teeth by our govts to stop the monopolization of the grain buying companies...

A coop would probably be useful if done properly...but farmers are so far down eachothers throats ( see; rising land prices and rising rents) that 3 neighbours cant even get together and agree that the sky is blue. Never work when everyone secretly hates eachother.

And where can those two tracks going to the same place unload?
Which came first, the envy mentality or socialism?

[sumdumguy]

One CWB marketer told me that they would have a gala banquet and celebrate when they sold wheat below the cost of production. Now that is very heartening, Not.

[kANOLA]

One of the best days of my 34 year farming career was the day Steven Harper announced the end of the CWB at Robin Walde's farm.

Tom was there also. Pretty sure a couple others from here were as well.

I was there it was a wonderful day!

[chuckChuck]

Why are you still talking about the end of the CWB when coop grain handlers owned by farmers are still doing a lot of business in Australia and the US?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling business that saves you 15%? Than let the multinationals move toward even more of a monopoly that costs you more?

[TOM4CWB]

Your Troll posts are exposing the communist schemes of deception and evil. We sell grain through our farmer owned grain handler… when they are competitive.. competitive prices are a wonderful asset to our families and community.

Legislated Monopolies… The Great CWB Single Desk Deception … expropriation of our grain… has zero relevance to marketing grain in AU today.

Have a great day! Many Blessings!! Praying for you!!!

[kANOLA]

Why are you still talking about the end of the CWB when coop grain handlers owned by farmers are still doing a lot of business in Australia and the US?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling business that saves you 15%? Than let the multinationals move toward even more of a monopoly that costs you more?

Those big evil multinationals ,maybe we should take over our potash mines and our oil and gas industry.There all evil aren’t they, don’t even contribute to the economy.

[WiltonRanch]

Why are you still talking about the end of the CWB when coop grain handlers owned by farmers are still doing a lot of business in Australia and the US?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling business that saves you 15%? Than let the multinationals move toward even more of a monopoly that costs you more?

You’re comparing apples and oranges on purpose. Farmer owned coops like the pools ugg or ufa served a completely different purpose than did the cwb. You’re not that stupid! Enough with your bullshit troll posts. Go call Ritz names or protest something at coop mall. Thought you were smarter than this.

[blackpowder]

IF the question is; "why did co-ops survive in the US and Oz and not CA?".
Then someone who knows their history can answer. A good question actually.

[chuckChuck]

Wilton. You and some of the usual suspects are confused about the CWB and Coops.

Coops are voluntary options for producers. We don't need to discuss the CWB again.

But why wont you admit that coops can reduce costs as they do in Australia?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling system where farmers elect a board of directors and own and control the grain handling assets for the benefit of member farmers? As they do in Australia and the United States?

And guess what those farmer members aren't communists or marxists!

Or do you think we will be better off with our grain handling system owned by fewer and fewer multinationals who have no farmers on their board of directors?

[LEP]

Wilton. You and some of the usual suspects are confused about the CWB and Coops.

Coops are voluntary options for producers. We don't need to discuss the CWB again.

But why wont you admit that coops can reduce costs as they do in Australia?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling system where farmers elect a board of directors and own and control the grain handling assets for the benefit of member farmers? As they do in Australia and the United States?

And guess what those farmer members aren't communists or marxists!

Or do you think we will be better off with our grain handling system owned by fewer and fewer multinationals who have no farmers on their board of directors?

It seems many coops are run by shitty managers. Our local coop is where equity goes to die. As soon as they have alittle money they add on to something.

Grocery prices are the highest in town. Often their sale prices are higher than regular prices elsewhere.

SWP was run into the ground by Don Loewen and company. They had no business investing millions in Mexico, Poland and elsewhere when they couldn't run their Canadian operation. Heck, they even double paid for the the Polish terminal before they lost their entire investment.

Coops eventually become corporations which give you more of the same. Unless you have multinational reach a coop won't compete with a Cargill, or Bunge.

I guess this post is just a long way of saying, don't expect a coop to be a savior of farmers, just because it is a Coop.

[WiltonRanch]

Wilton. You and some of the usual suspects are confused about the CWB and Coops.

Coops are voluntary options for producers. We don't need to discuss the CWB again.

But why wont you admit that coops can reduce costs as they do in Australia?

Wouldn't you rather have farmers own the grain handling system where farmers elect a board of directors and own and control the grain handling assets for the benefit of member farmers? As they do in Australia and the United States?

And guess what those farmer members aren't communists or marxists!

Or do you think we will be better off with our grain handling system owned by fewer and fewer multinationals who have no farmers on their board of directors?

No problems with functioning coops. I’ll leave the cwb alone if you don’t intertwine it with coops. Tell me why did every cooperative grain handler disappear in western Canada? We were loyal SWP guys until we left in disgust and having a better option closer made the decision easy. I know hard times were had by all grain handlers for various reasons but how did Richardson P&H Pattinson and other smaller buyers seem to keep going? We should have made it shouldn’t have we?

I am purposely leaving out my thoughts for why they went bust until you give me your summation as you were a lot more in the know.

[WiltonRanch]

It seems many coops are run by shitty managers. Our local coop is where equity goes to die. As soon as they have alittle money they add on to something.

Grocery prices are the highest in town. Often their sale prices are higher than regular prices elsewhere.

SWP was run into the ground by Don Loewen and company. They had no business investing millions in Mexico, Poland and elsewhere when they couldn't run their Canadian operation. Heck, they even double paid for the the Polish terminal before they lost their entire investment.

Coops eventually become corporations which give you more of the same. Unless you have multinational reach a coop won't compete with a Cargill, or Bunge.

I guess this post is just a long way of saying, don't expect a coop to be a savior of farmers, just because it is a Coop.

You must belong to our local coop or it’s just the way they all roll.

[blackpowder]

Our local Credit Union and Wildrose Co-op rather successful and provide very meaningful competition.
I too have a theory why Western Canadian grain co-ops failed.
It is a socio type theory so won't bore you yet.
You won't get answers or theories from a fanatic. Fanaticism conveniently negates the usage of intelligence.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

You won't get answers or theories from a fanatic. Fanaticism conveniently negates the usage of intelligence.

Looking at our own resident fanatic and his intellectual deficit.
Which is cause and which is effect?
Could anyone with intelligence become a fanatic?
Doesn't actual intelligence preclude the the gullibility to fall prey to fanaticism?