SASKATOON – Bill Jones wants Canadian Wheat Board supporters to wear their hearts on their … er, windows.
Jones, who lives in Edmonton and farms at Morinville, Alta., paid close to $1,000 for 4,000 heart-shaped “love the CWB” decals suitable for vehicle windows and made them available to farmers across the Prairies.
“The first 4,000 went in two weeks. Just bang, gone. I’ve ordered another 10,000,” he said.
Jones, who farms 320 acres and raises quarter horses, made his plan known in a letter to the editor in The Western Producer July 11.
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“I believe that 60,000 or 70,000 farm vehicles running around on the Prairies with these decals will close the mouths of the CWB opponents. It’s simple, effective and legal,” he wrote.
Last week, speaking just as he was leaving for a rally in support of the board, he said meetings and letters are good, but temporary.
“But a decal sits on your vehicle a long time and it is a very public display of your support,” he said.
The red decals are in the shape of a heart about 10 centimetres across and are emblazoned with yellow CWB lettering.
Farmers have included self-addressed, stamped envelopes when requesting the decal. The stickers are free, but people have contributed about $700 which Jones is putt-ing toward the second order.
“Just this morning I had another nine calls on my machine. But the letters from farmers are the best. I thoroughly enjoyed them. Some brought a tear to the eye and others bring outright laughter,” Jones said.
So far, about 80 percent of the decals have gone to Saskatchewan producers, he said.
Though a small farmer, Jones thinks the single-desk marketing structure is good for all producers, big and small.
“Even if a guy has 7,000 acres, he doesn’t have the true capacity to market his grain, not if it’s wheat. All he’s going to do is accept a price.”
