Calgary Herald: Wheat board doomed without monopoly

[Incognito]

The Canadian Wheat Board might as well shut down if Alberta passes legislation aimed at breaking the board's monopoly, said Adrian Measner, the board's president and CEO. "It would have a major impact," Measner said Thursday of the private member's bill before the Alberta legislature. Alberta Premier Ralph Klein replied that Measner's admission that the wheat board would collapse in the face of any competition shows how little value it has. "If he thinks Alberta going to a dual supply system would speed the end of the Canadian Wheat Board, what does that tell you?"

http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=6c8eef4c-a55d-4e1a-a5b1-f2c09509a5cd

[cropduster]

Charlie ,is there any way we can find an icon to simulate TEARS in our eyes????????? I just can`t help but feel so SORRY for the board.

[boone]

Cropduster: There is an old saying, "When You Go For Revenge, Dig Two Graves"

[Incognito]

To test the theory:

Ask Todd Bertuzzi!....lol

[TOM4CWB]

Cropduster;

You would think the management of a $5 billion corporation would have a little more sense than to say what Measner (and Ritter on Wed. in Forestburg said) that the CWB cannot survive any competition, it will be destroyed.

Fear tactics are the order of the day, not logic, not common sense, pure emotional intimidation, alienation, and humiliation... of anyone who dares to speak against the monopoly.

King Ralph GOT IT RIGHT... no doubt about it!

[TOM4CWB]

Boone;

Who is exactly looking for revenge here, the Alberta taxpayer and people, or the CWB?

Measner and Ritter are the instigators of the fight, and are the ones that are trying to stop Alberta.

Constitutionally Preimer Klein is acting within the rightful duty of the Provincial government... to be responsible for Agriculture in Alberta.

Alberta taxpayers paid a huge price in the SPE Crop Insurance payouts, as did Alberta farmers... especially the farmers who did not buy this insurance.

CAIS will cause Alberta taxpayers to cough up even more, for 2003, as the 03-04 CWB marketing performance is almost as stellar as the 2002-03 boondoggle was on wheat.

On top, since Alberta kicks in $9billion to the feds each year... a large chunk of all CAIS is funded by this province for the whole CWB "designated area".

At the C and C meeting in December 03 the CWB was told in no uncertain terms, that their marketing strategy was wrong... and that prices were going up for wheat into early 2004. We were right, the CWB was wrong.

NOW we must once again pay for the CWB monopoly.

No wonder why Ritter and Measner say the CWB is doomed... the distruction is purely the CWB's responsibility... and the CWB should fess up to the truth.

[parsley]

Ontario has their own wheat marketing institution, and the sky hasn't fallen.

Whatt's the big deal if Alberta does the same, boone?

incognito,Measner certainly doesn't have much confidence in their ability to coax farmers to offer grain to the Board. perhaps they need to put more money into their communications so that folks like cropduster are a little more informed. Or buy more cells.

Isn't life wonderful?
Parsley

Parsley

[boone]

Post to etal: I have no problem with any and all criticism of the boards performance, but my zeal is measured by my pragmatic side of my brain, so sorry if I can't get excited about what Shirley and Laverne are going to do for wheat growers, they don't know $__t from Shonola snuff, about what will or won't be successfull in the grain industry, and Tom4cwb won't even be able to save them from themselves. CharlieP is going to try to keep them moving forward, but it won't save them. I hope your best guess is right for all of our sakes. However it would not be my choice to hang the future on a couple of fading stars. Beware the Ides of March.

[Incognito]

Geez Boone:

Are you plugged in well enough to predict what is going down on Monday?

I still believe the CWB is a pawn in a game bigger than we all see and will ever know unless the proverbial $__it hits the fan.

Who is going to blink first?

My guess it is health care transfers and equalization payments on the table - not the CWB; but hey, I'm just one CSI show away from oblivion.

The Feds need to learn this trick with our southern "nabers".

[cropduster]

Boone,would those fading stars be in Winterpeg????Seems like the only "pillar" left is `fear` and that`s showing big signs of woodrot.Doesn`t seem to be much fear showing in Alberta for bureaucrats from the east.......Funny how that seems to be the last Ace....FEAR of something different....

[TOM4CWB]

Boone;

It appears that the innovation for this year from the CWB, is to let farmers pay storage to the elevator companies... to get to a cash price... and allow us a goofy basis contract that is totally locked into the CWB pooling accounts.

There must be more innovation and change than this from the CWB.

1. A Cash price by contract for Barley... there needs to be no "cherry picking" when contacted grain is totally under CWB control at the outset.

2. Cash prices for Wheat and Durum, same as above, at a decent basis.

3. Shorter pools avaliable to those who choose them. Year long pools for those who choose this option.

We have been waiting since 1996 for these options..., it is about high time CWB excuses turned into action.

[carebear300]

Well said Tom I agree with you entirely!!!!! Time stops for no man, including the Canadian Wheat Board.

[boone]

Tom4cwb: I do not disagree with one thing you have said here, all I'm saying is look how far you have moved them. You have made a heck of alot of progress. You have the elephants attention, it is stopping, it is turning from side to side and looking what is required, get the two by four out of Shirley and Ralfs hand before they damage it permanently!

[TOM4CWB]

Boone;

Better to have the elephant stop and look at the 2 by 4... than have it charge over the cliff... without even noticing it was dead ahead....

THe Alberta Government could have picked an elephant gun... they did not.

To get the attention of a beast like this... the skin is so tough... it must know we are not just removing the flies and itching it...

To this point that is all I have been doing... itching the elephant... and it really enjoys the attention...

I see my black and blue feet... as it rubs against me... steps on me, and slobbers... all over me... YOU TOO BOONE

[rodb]

The Cwb is doomed anyway in its present form. If it does not start giving clear market signals we will get run over by the rest of the world. I had a chat with a friend the other night. He had just finished touring a group of Russians thru Western Canada. These farmers are on average farming 60,000 acres and they are business men who have made it in other areas and have been coerced by the Russian Government to become farmers. From the sounds of it they have the capital and other resources to make a go of it. There will be another Russian revolution if these fellows are successfulas the peashants that they will replace have to go somewhere as these farmers will have the best of Western farming technology.

They already have the capacity in soils and climate to compete with us plus the population closer at hand.

If we don't wake up and smell the burnt coffee, we will be insignificant players in our own market place, let alone HRS supplier to the world.