February 2012 Archives

I had one reader who didn’t necessarily agree with my thoughts on all the new vibes floating around over the new CWB (see February 17 blog).  Blair Backman of Saskatchewan figures it will be a step backwards. Blair explains his point quite well and a couple things he is quite correct on, I know nothing about economics or the beef industry.

(Photo caption – Your’s truly vaccinating cows Feb. 18. About the only thing I know for sure about beef cattle is which end that eats, and which end doesn’t.)

Also in his comments, Blair refers to Al Hingston who use to be a livestock specialist in Saskatchewan and is now a consultant and writer out there in the greater world somewhere. You can find Al’s blog at: www.dablogfodder.blogspot.com

Here are Blair Backman’s comments:

Lee: I make a solemn promise- if you will refrain from speaking about economics, a subject of which you appear to know so little, I will refrain from commenting upon your articles on livestock production, a subject of which I have only been connected with as a mixed farmer for the past 50+ years.

The loss of the CWB will be a monumental setback to the Canadian grain farmer who has operated on a playing field severely tilted against him by the US farm program. There will be no backfill from the US treasury for the loss of market power for the Canadian farmer.

The wheat farmer will be just another pawn to large American grain companies, just as the Canadian cow/calf producer has borne the burden of BSE and Country of Origin Pricing (labeling).

I never knew that you had a blog to spread propaganda until I came across my buddy Al Hingston's blog that includes a link to your site.  I guess my friend from Conservative party politics failed to rescue you from the kool-aid.

With sorrow,

Blair Backman

Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com

Here was something you don’t see everyday — at least not in the last 70 years or so….the president of the CWB (Canadian Wheat Board, for those out of date), and three leaders of the Western Barley Growers Association (WBGA), all in the same room, all wearing CWB caps and everyone on friendly terms. It was almost a life changing moment.

But that was the scene Thursday afternoon at the WBGA annual conference in Calgary. Ian White, president and CEO of the CWB had just finished his presentation to producers and industry leaders, and Brian Otto of Warner, Alta. outgoing WBGA president, Doug Robertson of Carstairs, WBGA vice-president and Doug McBain, of Cremona, Alta., a director were all wearing CWB caps and applauding White’s remarks. 

At previous conferences, I have seen these three farmers clap after which ever CWB representative gave a presentation, but I suspect then it was more about “polite applause”, or clapping because they were glad the presentation was over, not necessarily because they agreed with the message.

In fact I have talked to all three of these barley growers at different times over the years and they’d get so riled talking about “the board” and its monopoly for grain marketing, I was afraid they might have aneurisms. But not this year.

That’s because White, in a very clear presentation told farmers in essence “it is a new era, and the new CWB is here to work with all producers in an open market, to help them achieve the best value for their crops.”

He talked about price pooling. He talked about forwarding pricing and futures market marketing opportunities. He talked about working with all the grain companies to secure handling facilities. He talked about malt barley production contracts. He talked about good cash flow. He talked about flexible delivery. He talked about using the strength and marketing expertise the CWB has developed over more than seven decades so the CWB can stand as a viable marketing option for producers looking to market their crops. He talked about finding ways to connect with all farmers — both the old board and non-board supporters — to earn their trust in this new marketing era. What one hell of a good message.

Unless White is growing something in his Winnipeg backyard that isn’t barley, it appeared the CWB president was of sound and sober mind. It was a message of working co-operatively with producers and other industry players in a new marketing era.

Along with being impressed with his presentation, the other thought that ran through my mind, is why farmers couldn’t have heard this message from The Canadian Wheat Board for the past year. The writing was on the wall after the May 20, 2011 election that the government planned to change the CWB to an open market system. Instead, since last May, there has been all this grinding and grief, and fear mongering and whining that the world would come to an end if the Canadian Wheat Board did not have it’s single desk, marketing monopoly.

White hasn’t changed. He has been president of the CWB since 2008. What did change, after new legislation was passed, was the old 15-member board of directors was replaced with a new five-member board. What did change was the will on behalf of the board to find ways to make an open market system work.

I didn’t hear White say all the long-time Canadian Wheat Board supporters were now hooped, that they’d be stranded now with a new CWB in place. Quite the opposite. The new CWB would do it’s best to provide a wide range of marketing opportunities for all producers. The new CWB would market wheat and barley, but may also move into other commodities as well. And why stop at the Manitoba border— they could market crops across Canada.

It was a very optimistic and progressive message in a very optimistic and progressive meeting. Yes, there are changes ahead, and still plenty of unknowns of exactly how everything will work, but overall it WILL work and there will be new opportunities for all producers.

Abraham Lincoln said “most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be” and I am not sure who said “where there is a will there is a way”, but both those old quotes seem to aptly apply here.

Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com

If you have any thoughts on the pros and cons of Roundup Ready alfalfa the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is looking for input. The actual deadline for submitting comments for an upcoming report has just passed, but I bet if you sent your thoughts in over the next day or two they would be considered.

I haven’t heard a lot about Roundup Ready alfalfa lately, although my general impression in listening to producers over the years is they consider it the devil’s handiwork and should never be allowed in Canada. Although a few have voiced support.

The newly formed Canadian Forage and Grassland Association is having a look at the issue. Working with the Saskatchewan Forage Council they hired a long-time animal health/animal nutrition consultant, Doug Yungblut to study the subject. The CFGA says they are looking for an unbiased, fact-based assessment on the potential impact of Roundup Ready alfalfa on Canada’s forage industry.

Yungblut is studying the literature and collecting input from the forage industry. As I mentioned, the deadline for input is here now, but even if it misses the report it doesn’t hurt to fire off your views to the study leader at: doug.yungblut@sympatico.ca or 416 659-7765 or SFC at  office@saskforage.ca or 306-867-8126.

The final report for this project will be available on the CFGA, SFC and other provincial forage council websites in April, 2012.

Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program (CAAP). In Saskatchewan this program is delivered by the Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan.

Lee Hart is editor of Cattleman’s Corner based in Calgary. Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at lee@fbcpublishing.com