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

[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?

[blackpowder]

I can only speak for myself.
There is no shortage of excuses to not use fully what we have.
We take the easy path.