[Newsbot]

Title: Why is the Canadian Wheat Board opposed to a farmer-led bid'
Category: Political
Posted By: DrCaleb
Date: 2014-12-03 08:01:05
Canadian

[DrCaleb]

"There are no circumstances under which [Prime Minister Stephen] Harper will let farmers have control again," he said. "They're trying to clear the decks before the election gets closer.

That is very telling. 1% of the population (farmers) are responsible for feeding the other 99%. Why let big corporations have that kind of control over us, but not farmers themselves?

[OnTheIce]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

That is very telling. 1% of the population (farmers) are responsible for feeding the other 99%. Why let big corporations have that kind of control over us, but not farmers themselves?

That would be true if 100% of the food in Canada came from Canada.

[andyt]

Because farmers are just a bunch of dirty commies.

[OnTheIce]

andyt andyt:

Because farmers are just a bunch of dirty commies.

Maybe one day, you'll be something more than a stain on the underpants of society.

[martin14]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

andyt andyt:

Because farmers are just a bunch of dirty commies.

Maybe one day, you'll be something more than a stain on the underpants of society.

[andyt]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

That is very telling. 1% of the population (farmers) are responsible for feeding the other 99%. Why let big corporations have that kind of control over us, but not farmers themselves?

That would be true if 100% of the food in Canada came from Canada.

The food we import doesn't come from farmers? How in any way is this an argument for not letting a group of wheat farmers control their own output? Just singing from the CPC hymnbook again?

[BartSimpson]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

andyt andyt:

Because farmers are just a bunch of dirty commies.

Maybe one day, you'll be something more than a stain on the underpants of society.

Well said!

[DrCaleb]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

That is very telling. 1% of the population (farmers) are responsible for feeding the other 99%. Why let big corporations have that kind of control over us, but not farmers themselves?

That would be true if 100% of the food in Canada came from Canada.

Even if it's 90% true, do you think that any entity should have that kind of control over a population? We've seen big Agro's tendency to feed the highly subsidized corn stocks into beef and beef into people, and the high fructose corn syrup into people - and look at the mess it's caused. Why should that be rewarded with further market control?

If the bid from the Farmers is competitive (for the assets bought paid for by the Crown) why not consider it?

Answer: Ideology.

[OnTheIce]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

That is very telling. 1% of the population (farmers) are responsible for feeding the other 99%. Why let big corporations have that kind of control over us, but not farmers themselves?

That would be true if 100% of the food in Canada came from Canada.

Even if it's 90% true, do you think that any entity should have that kind of control over a population? We've seen big Agro's tendency to feed the highly subsidized corn stocks into beef and beef into people, and the high fructose corn syrup into people - and look at the mess it's caused. Why should that be rewarded with further market control?

If the bid from the Farmers is competitive (for the assets bought paid for by the Crown) why not consider it?

Answer: Ideology.

Maybe the bid wasn't competitive? Maybe the other bids are higher and give more value to the taxpayer?

Also, 'farmer-led' groups sound warm and fuzzy on the surface but when you get down to these types of things, a couple of the "big dogs" end up running the show and the little guy gets screwed.

[DrCaleb]

OnTheIce OnTheIce:

Maybe the bid wasn't competitive? Maybe the other bids are higher and give more value to the taxpayer?

Also, 'farmer-led' groups sound warm and fuzzy on the surface but when you get down to these types of things, a couple of the "big dogs" end up running the show and the little guy gets screwed.

From the article:

$1:

The farmer-investor group already has about 3,000 producers purchasing shares in a fertilizer plant. The CWB's grain-handling capabilities could help them hit the ground running on a distribution strategy.

Farmers had record yields but dismal margins in 2013. So when FNA had 1,000 farmers express interest in turning the wheat board into a 90 per cent farmer-owned enterprise, they weren't driven by nostalgia.

The motive was all business: the new partnership would retain the investment and put money back in farmers' pockets once profitable.

"Whoever owns the hopper cars owns the game," as FNA vice-president Bob Friesen put it.
'No thanks' – but why?

The farmers' bid – based on a business evaluation of $250-300 million – was rejected Oct. 20, with no reasons given.

So the farmers that helped build the Wheat Board who want to buy it and continue to operate it had their offer rejected, and no reason given.

From the article, no matter what offer the Farmers come up with, the answer will be 'no'. The only reason then is the one stated by the former head of the Wheat Board: "Harper will never let farmers be in control again, says former wheat board director"

Ideology. In what other industry can the people affected by the industry be disallowed to compete fairly in that industry?

"Canada's Economic Action Plan"

[Xort]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Even if it's 90% true, do you think that any entity should have that kind of control over a population? We've seen big Agro's tendency to feed the highly subsidized corn stocks into beef and beef into people, and the high fructose corn syrup into people - and look at the mess it's caused. Why should that be rewarded with further market control?

That's hardly the fault of the businesses. Cut the subsidies to the corn, cut the ethanol requirement from fuel.

They are using corn because it's cheap, not because they are evil.

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Ideology. In what other industry can the people affected by the industry be disallowed to compete fairly in that industry?

"Canada's Economic Action Plan"

They can form their own operation if they wanted to, they can compete fairly if they want. For some reason the CWB didn't want to be bought by them.

Your bias is well in force today.

[DrCaleb]

Xort Xort:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Even if it's 90% true, do you think that any entity should have that kind of control over a population? We've seen big Agro's tendency to feed the highly subsidized corn stocks into beef and beef into people, and the high fructose corn syrup into people - and look at the mess it's caused. Why should that be rewarded with further market control?

That's hardly the fault of the businesses. Cut the subsidies to the corn, cut the ethanol requirement from fuel.

They are using corn because it's cheap, not because they are evil.

Quite true. The government subsidies it, and they just use it because it's cheap.

They are evil because they know it's bad for people's health, but spend many times more advertising the 'money maker' products like chocolate and ice cream than they do the frozen veggie part of their portfolios while knowing it's killing people. The best customers are repeat customers. The mistake Big Tobacco made.

Xort Xort:

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

Ideology. In what other industry can the people affected by the industry be disallowed to compete fairly in that industry?

"Canada's Economic Action Plan"

They can form their own operation if they wanted to, they can compete fairly if they want. For some reason the CWB didn't want to be bought by them.

Your bias is well in force today.

Also quite true. I've never hidden the fact that I support a better future for all people, and that I'm very disappointed that the CPC has turned out to be the Agents of the Mediocrity and Nepotism, not the Agents of Change I sent them to Ottawa to become.

[Xort]

DrCaleb DrCaleb:

They are evil because they know it's bad for people's health, but spend many times more advertising the 'money maker' products like chocolate and ice cream than they do the frozen veggie part of their portfolios while knowing it's killing people. The best customers are repeat customers. The mistake Big Tobacco made.

The other side is that cane sugar imports are subject to import tariffs to protect US sugar cane producers.

This is what really killed the moonshine business, almost overnight the main ingredient cost sky rocketed and put all the shiners out of profitable business. Which also lead to the bATF to focus on firearms to keep their funding and relevancy as a US federal law enforcement body.

Not that cane sugar is wildly better for humans in large quantities either.

I wouldn't blame a company from selling a profitable product. People are free to buy what they want, that's called freedom.

The freedom to do something you might not like.

$1:

Also quite true. I've never hidden the fact that I support a better future for all people, and that I'm very disappointed that the CPC has turned out to be the Agents of the Mediocrity and Nepotism, not the Agents of Change I sent them to Ottawa to become.

I'm still not sure how this is the PM's fault or is somehow stopping farmers from organizing into a group that can fairly compete.

You never showed how the farmers are being stopped from competing fairly in the market by not being able to buy the CWB.

From the history it looks like being required to sell only to the CWB was the unfair practice.

What exactly would you have done? What was/is your solution?

[DrCaleb]

Xort Xort:

I wouldn't blame a company from selling a profitable product. People are free to buy what they want, that's called freedom.

The freedom to do something you might not like.

I'm not opposed to them selling a product for profit, but an addiction is not freedom. Cheap carbs, high fat foods, and glucose added to food have all been shown to be addictive. Obesity is one of the largest causes of premature death in Western society.

And people freak out about Ebola.

Xort Xort:

I'm still not sure how this is the PM's fault or is somehow stopping farmers from organizing into a group that can fairly compete.

As in the article:

$1:

Stanford says the CWB doesn't need a small, Canadian-owned partner like FNA. It needs one that can bring things such as West Coast port facilities to the table.

"They want a partner right away. You can only use other people's facilities for so long," he said. "A long-term, viable solution needs an international company."

Sounds to me that the CWB has a specific buyer in mind. So no matter what the farmers do, no matter how fair their bid - it will be rejected.

I am very much opposed to a Crown Corporation being sold off at less than fair value and used to further a near market monopsony. If a bid is fair, it should be considered. If the FNA thinks they can make a go of it - let them try!

Xort Xort:

You never showed how the farmers are being stopped from competing fairly in the market by not being able to buy the CWB.

Then you have not been paying attention. Farmers can only sell to companies wanting to buy. There was that whole kerfuffle over the summer because Grain companies were not picking up farmers crops, and legislation had to be brought in to force them to make rail cars available for the record 2013 harvest.

If the Farmers own their own rail cars by buying the CWB, then they have the ability to fairly compete. (also from the article)

Xort Xort:

From the history it looks like being required to sell only to the CWB was the unfair practice.

What exactly would you have done? What was/is your solution?

I would have made the CWB non-manditory, but I also would not have dismantled it, leaving it available to the farmers who wanted to use it. Free market, sink or swim.