CWB Needs a History Lesson
(November 5, 2004 - FFJ) “It
has been an extremely challenging harvest for farmers who have had to deal
with late maturing crops that have been damaged by frost and excessive
moisture. As your corporation
determines how to respond to this unfortunate situation we felt it was
important that we provide you some information on the market value of
lightweight feed wheat and barley.
The
minimum test-weight for CW Feed Wheat is 65 kg per hectolitre (52 lbs per
bushel). Wheat with a lower
test weight is graded Sample CW Account Light Weight.
The initial payment for this grade is $60.50 per tonne in-store St.
Lawrence and Vancouver. Based
upon average freight and handling deductions for Saskatchewan of $54.42,
farmers would receive around $6 per tonne ($0.16 per bushel) for this
product. This is $23.50 per
tonne less than what a farmer would receive for delivery CW Feed wheat.
The
minimum test weight for No. 2 CW Barley is 57 kg per hectoliter (48 lbs
per bushel). There is no
initial payment for barley below this weight as there is very limited
demand for this quality. Even
where markets exist, it would result in a price that would barely cover
freight and handling costs. As
you will see when test weight falls below the minimum CW Feed Wheat or No.
2 CW Barley, the value of the grain falls to nearly zero on a farmgate
basis.
We
ask that you consider these factors in deciding on whether to require
farmers to harvest these crops.”
The
above paragraphs are from the CWB to the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp.
in regard to the poor wheat quality after the frost of August 19, and the
moisture received since then.
Farmers
have bills to pay and many producers took out the CWB spring advance, an
advance that is still owing. These
words discussing grain weights put producers back to 1993 and 1994 when
Manitoba and Saskatchewan producers had to deal with fusarium leaf botch
(snow mold) in the grain. These
producers were told by the CWB that “fusarium grain” was worth
nothing.
When
you are told that your grain has no value and your bins are full of such
produce, what does one do??
In
1993 and 1994 producers started moving grain into the United States where
farmers got good money for their ‘fusarium grain’.
When there are bills and loans to pay you do what you must do,
farmers weren’t going to just lose their farms.
Ten
years later we remember the Alberta farmers who went to jail to make
their point – that they should have a choice to market their own grain
that they took all the risk for.
What
has changed in ten years?
Saskatchewan
producers are still waiting for the court system to deal with the actions
for the ‘fusurion’ situation and now the 2004 crop quality is added to
the list.
Has
the CWB learnt nothing from history? |
