Jackson farms near Riverhurst, Sask.
If one subscribes to a daily paper, it seems that every day one can read of another program that has been trimmed by the federal government.
This should be an indicator as to the chance farmers have of getting programs developed to top up income.
If we had the subsidy system the United States farmers have, where there is an attempt to see that the farmer’s cost of production is covered, we would not need to care about efficiency.
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With our inadequate subsidy programs, an efficient handling system is an absolute must for Canadian farmers.
We end up paying the capital cost of the handling system, from farmgate to primary elevators through railways to terminals. …
If looking for efficiency, do not look at the railways. Working within their regulations, they seem to be able to exert some control over where and when grain is delivered. Do not expect this is to the farmers’ benefit.
In an attempt to cut trucking costs, to get their grain from farmgate to primary elevator, many farmers use producer cars and short-line rail companies.
The Canadian Grain Commission is a necessary part of this process. One should not be surprised that government is lobbied to implement regulations to prevent farmers from using these tools.
At one time farmers could “producer car” canola because it was to their advantage. The practice was stopped.
The reason given was that it affected the efficient movement of grain. With the system we now have, with the CWB and CGC, producer cars work with wheat.
By lobbying the government to bring in dual marketing, the elevator companies will not have to compete with producer cars. Yet there are people who claim that elevator companies are farmer friendly.
With a government in Ottawa that prides itself on cutting taxes and expenses, we farmers should keep the efficiencies we have, not let them be taken away.
