VERMILION, Alta. – Some young farmers are worried their attempts to change Canada’s grain marketing system will be thwarted by older farmers wielding their influence over a federal grain marketing panel.
“Are we changing the market specifically for those who will be the future of farming?” asked Michael Bury after the federal grain marketing panel meeting here last week.
“I hope everyone takes it seriously who will be farming for 30 years,” he told the group of 80 producers gathered for one of a series of 15 meetings scheduled across the Prairies to gather information on the future of Canada’s grain marketing system.
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The Mannville, Alta., farmer said farmers’ ages should be noted beside their comments so the panel can take that into account.
He said many older producers want to keep traditional forms of marketing like the Canadian Wheat Board monopoly, while younger farmers consider the wheat board just part of their marketing plans.
Since older farmers have outnumbered younger farmers at the meetings, the younger ones worry their older counterparts will have more influence over the panel, Bury said. He added that the ages of the panel members are also stacked against younger farmers.
“Look at those guys. They’re getting the pension,” he said pointing to panel members Avery Sahl, a Mossbank, Sask., farmer and Jim Liebfreid, a retired wheat board official.
“You get a feeling you’re not being listened to.”
Ken Wasmuth of Wainwright agreed with Bury. Many younger farmers have more marketing experience than their parents and are willing to take more chances, he said.
“I don’t think the old farmers are looking out for their own needs, but are looking out for their own philosophy.
“You have to respect the older people. They went through a lot,” said Wasmuth.
He worries the wide range of opinions expressed at the meetings will prevent panel members from coming up with a clear direction on future of the industry.
“How are they going to make decisions. Put them all up and use darts?” he asked.
Panel member Sahl said he hopes the marketing panel will find a common thread running through the ideas.
At Vermilion, those attending were divided into a dozen small groups, and came out with several common comments:
- Shorten the CWB pooling period.
- Control labor disruptions from the elevator to the ports.
- Shorten payment time for wheat board grain.
- Put teeth in wheat board contract penalties.
- Make the wheat board more accountable to farmers, possibly with elected officials.
- Allow the wheat board to offer spot prices to attract quick grain supplies.
