[9520deere]

Haven't seen anything on here about the proposed code of practice being pushed. Looks like another farm saved seed royalties scheme. Have seen quite a few concerning things about this on social media.

Responsible Grain – Standards for Canadian growers

responsiblegrain.ca

Looks like more paperwork and regulations for the same amount of revenue were getting now. With the potential for it to become mandatory down the road.

 

[rkd843]

This looks like a solution that is out there looking for a problem to solve

 

[joesixpack]

Yeah wow. Looks like the twits of Twitter run amuck. ****ing social activists just make me gag.

 

[bjtjjl]

Actually more people on Twitter against it than for it. More of us better speak up and call our commissions.

 

[ry0972]

Actually more people on Twitter against it than for it. More of us better speak up and call our commissions.

More actual farmers need to get elected to these boards and commissions then shut them down and merge them into at MOST 3 entities.
Animals/birds, grains/oilseed/special crops, and industry/manufacturer/railway/grain handling issues would be the 3 groups.
And I bet each could be run with about 25 employees much better than any of these current boards are !!!!
OR make ALL checkoffs voluntary and let most of these current ones go broke and disappear!!!

 

[bjtjjl]

☝ I don’t disagree

 

[lurker18]

Much of these discussions are coming about to get Canada into markets that they have been shut out of due to "regulations" that Canada does not officially follow. Canola into Europe is one example, there are a whole bunch of hoops to go through to be able to ship there, and 99% of it is paperwork. Stuff that is already being done, but the papers are not signed and no audit has been done to prove it. Many of these new practices and regulations will not affect most producers, other than another paper to sign and maybe subject to someone visiting the farm to do a look over.

 

[greenone11]

if this becomes mandatory we will be like the European Union. full of paperwork and laws but no change in practice for the benefit of profit or the environment will be made.

 

[torriem]

More actual farmers need to get elected to these boards and commissions then shut them down and merge them into at MOST 3 entities.

There was recently a vote among the major Canadian seed organizations to amalgamate, but the CSGA voted against that. As a CSGA member I voted against it. A merger would have concentrated a tremendous amount of corporate power into the hands of one organization, to the detriment of farmers who were members. I feel like any merger of these kind of organizations will do that.

As for EU paperwork, Viterra keeps trying to get me to sign some farm stewardship declaration or something. He says you're already doing these things so why not sign off on it so we can sell your grain into some of these markets. But I feel like it will just open me to future liability, and since I can't see any benefit to our operation at present I've just brushed it off and will continue to do so until forced into it. And I don't believe for a moment that we as producers will ultimately see any fiduciary or financial benefit from it. You can bet the grain buyers will happily sell into these markets that may command a premium and pocket the difference.

 

[jimbobobaroo]

Looks like another way to get information for free. Similar to the sustainable farming practice bullish*t forms that all of the major grain companies have now. "If you give us all this information for free, we may be able to develop new markets for you". Utter crap, people need to realize that big seller today is information, yours is worth keeping unless you are paid for it. I think it's time for a new Lobby group, that actually educates the public on what we do as producers and keeps these vultures off of our backs. A $1 / tonne tick off just like the Pulse, or Barley , or Wheat commissions but one that goes into a non-profit org. that only advertises to the public and replaces food misconception with facts.

 

[rcyung]

Viterra wanted me to sign some kind of declaration to sell to Europe. There was a clause about not destroying any trees. As I read this I’m thinking, what did the europeans do with most their forests ? I’d be willing to bet that I have planted more trees than the average european but get zero credit for that. I see organic producers buy a quarter and the first thing to roll in is a dozer to knock down any trees. But yet the hippies that buy the organic think they’re saving the planet. I think some people just need to go a bit hungry and they won’t worry about these declarations and codes.

 

[joesixpack]

How did the twitter army make out with the VUA that got rammed down our throats by the new seed conglomerate?
I won’t be buying one of their seed variety’s even if they promise the second coming. Let’s see how much value creation that makes. And they sure as hell better not think they’re going to be encompassing varieties that were developed with public money.

 

[dookiller]

I think this can be a double edged sword. Yes opening up markets by having the paperwork showing sustainable agriculture would be great. Will it be for the farmer though? I think there could be benefits, but also know that there is always going to be someone other than the farmer benefitting money wise from this. When a bu of grain makes 66 loaves of bread and the farmer receives pennies per loaf, and has all the risk. Plus has to meet the criteria to even sell his grain to make said bread, the profit from his bu of grain is miniscule. I think a pile of farmers in mixed and single operations need to be a part of this if it is going to be rammed down the pipe anyway. It might be a case of avoiding it and getting the usual screwing or everyone jump on board and control where this is going to eventually make it fair for all. Nothing worse than corporation control because the only winner is the corporation. I think all to often we disagree with stuff but don't get involved and get forced into things in time anyway. I think maybe we should change our approach to this because it's sad to say that this will become a reality like it or not, so speak up and get involved.

 

[escotch.ca]

There is a lot of this going on right now. I call it the "Social Capital Con". The idea is that "good citizens" participate by giving up all their data, and anyone and everyone tries to make money on the back of your data. In Ag they call it "Smart Farming". I suggest that Smart famers would protect their data so that it can't be engineered down to you balance sheet. The data generated by farmers from seeding to harvest is a very clear picture of your business. Why would you give it away to anyone. Would you post your accounting balance sheets online for all to look at? This thread is encouraging to me, in that you all are fully aware that games are being played. That farmers are being played. Eyes open folks... Don't let bank experts and think tanks decide the future of farming...