tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post7933986593224997214..comments2023-07-16T07:41:54.590-06:00Comments on Chasing Apple Pie: Will Farmers Now Finally Get Choice?frmgrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06502680468496747562noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-4850095777202304102010-03-19T21:37:02.411-06:002010-03-19T21:37:02.411-06:00Being a durum wheat grower since early 1970's ...Being a durum wheat grower since early 1970's I sure hope we get choice soon. Since about 60% of all grain grown on the prairies is controlled by the CWB, there is no escape to other crops. Sure you can rotate non-board crops like canola and lentils for 1 or 2 years out of 3 but you need at at least 1/3 of your crops to be wheat or barley for disease and weed prevention. I can only remember about 3 years out of 40 where we made a decent profit on wheat or durum. In all cases where the price was high, we payed dearly the next year as the CWB kept so much grain over we had a huge surplus thereafter. Whenever we have excellent prices with non-board crops we empty our bins taking advantage of the high prices.<br /><br />How would any other business like to plan to grow a crop not having any ability to lock in a final price on any portion of the crop. But you need to pay for all your inputs such as fertilizer which cost as much as $100 per acre in 2008, then find out 2 years later that the CWB is only selling 60% of that crop (about 40 bushels) for about $120 leaving only $20 for all other costs. Then 1 year later we find out we will only get another $56. On the 2008 crop we estimate we have lost over $75 per acre not including interest. In 2008 an American farmer could have locked in his crop of durum for about $10 per bushel netting a gross return of $400 which would have left us a profit of about $150.<br /><br />I rest my case!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-92129144702635096482010-02-02T16:53:57.940-07:002010-02-02T16:53:57.940-07:00Anony, now that you mention, I vaguely remember so...Anony, now that you mention, I vaguely remember something like that. I don`t know if those loans were paid back but I highly doubt it.frmgrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502680468496747562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-11760260032845153192010-02-02T16:47:48.266-07:002010-02-02T16:47:48.266-07:00I remember when I was growing up that the news wou...I remember when I was growing up that the news would sometimes have a story about the CWB 'selling' wheat to the Soviets and the government 'lending' them the money to buy it.<br />Does anyone know if these 'loans' were ever paid back?<br />Also, Trudeau was in charge for fourteen of my first eighteen years.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-43050683954422452282010-02-02T16:22:36.672-07:002010-02-02T16:22:36.672-07:00Old Ralphie Goodale needs to be reminded how we We...Old Ralphie Goodale needs to be reminded how we Western farmers did not like nor forgive him for throwing our farmers in jail for selling their own grain!!!<br />Something Eastern farmers do without penalty.wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03589410224972050999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-77302305461067129632010-02-02T16:00:31.581-07:002010-02-02T16:00:31.581-07:00Excellent wilson. Either give Western Canadian far...Excellent wilson. Either give Western Canadian farmers choice or as you say include all (Ont. and Que.) farmers under and mandatory regime.frmgrlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06502680468496747562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2850973949490261969.post-82139155049778894622010-02-02T14:48:06.448-07:002010-02-02T14:48:06.448-07:00Or perhaps Iffy would prefer to include all Canadi...Or perhaps Iffy would prefer to include all Canadian farmers under the CANADIAN Wheat Board monopoly, not just Western Cda...?wilsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03589410224972050999noreply@blogger.com