Wednesday, January 31, 2007

A picture says a thousand words...

This picture was taken from a Regina Leader-Post article. I find the things that protestors put on signs very interesting, the second one from the left especially; "Young farmers want a future, Save the CWB!" This is somewhat ironic, considering that none of the people in the photo appear to be under the age of fifty.

I can't see many young farmers staying on the farm because a government agency will market their wheat and barley for them. My own intuition suggests the opposite is true; As a young farmer, I want the expanded opportunity and greater choice in how my business is run.

The comments are open, so let us know what you think. Geoff and I are both farmers, both under 25, and we do not think that the future of young farmers requires a CWB monopoly. Does support for marketing choice run along age lines?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know if support for marketing choice runs along age lines, but I do think that somehow the young guys vote should count for a bit more. They are the ones who's livelihood is going to be more impacted by the decision. And full time farmers are impacted more than hobby farmers who don't earn their living on the farm.

I think the Minister needs to take these things into account when he makes up his mind what to do. If the votes were pro-rated by the amount you have at stake and by the amount time you will operate your business in the environment that will come, that would be the most democratic.

Anonymous said...

Don't you mean "under the age of 60"?

;)

Anonymous said...

About ten days ago I was at a town hall meeting with our M.P. An elderly man made a sweeping motion with his hand and asked where are the young farmers. He said they are not here cause they are all at work at their off farm jobs. He said many that he knows are ready to give up on farming totaly. He went on to say that he dosen't want to see any changes to the CWB for the benefit of the younger farmers. The CWB has had a monopoly for almost 64 years now and all the young farmers have off farm jobs. I am 48. I am not sure if I am a young farmer or not but I am ready to see the end of the monopoly.

Anonymous said...

One of the other signs talks about the Prime Minister being undemocratic. I don't know how you can talk about democracy and talk about the CWB. Or is democracy where 51 % of the people can take away the rights of the other 49%