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2007 AGCAT Memberships in the mail

For a letter to the Agri-Businesses please click here
For a letter to the Producers please click here
For a letter to the New Members please click here

Report on Agronomy Update – Jan 30, 20007

Jan. 16th and 17th was a blustery day but that did not hinder the farmer’s turn out at this event. This was a very organized and well-run event with a wealth of information. Thank you to Ross McKenzie and his organizing committee for a job well done.

One of the highlights of the conference was the information on seeding dates and the impact on yield. Data was gathered on several sites and the consensus is that three weeks delay in seeding resulted in an 18% yield reduction. This is very significant and is a reminder that we need to have our equipment ready to roll in the spring.

The study that has been done on Plant Population has proven the importance of seeding at the correct rate. Each seed sample should include germination, vigor and thousand-kernel weight. This will allow a proper calculation of the plant population of your crop. As an example Ross McKenzie has determined that malt barley will yield at its optimum when grown at 200 plants/m2 on dry land and 250 plants/m2 on irrigation. (Each geographical area may vary to some degree) Calculations need to be made to ensure that this plant count is reached. It is also critical to do a physical count in your fields to determine that the goal is reached.

For help calculating your optimum seeding rate call McRae Holdings Ltd. 627-4182 and one of our CCA’s will help you out.

Doug McRae, CCA, Agri-Coach

AGCAT hosts Alberta’s new Agriculture Minister – Jan 11, 2007

AGCTA welcomes
George Groeneveld, Minister of Agriculture and Food, to Lethbridge

George Groeneveld, newly appointed Minister of Agriculture and Food was guest of a “meet and greet” breakfast sponsored by AGCAT early in January.

The breakfast open to all AGCAT members, agriculture businesses, producers, individual famer/ranchers plus business and community leaders, attracted an audience of 360.

Guests had the opportunity to personally greet Minister Groeneveld during cordial
“walk- about” whereby the Minister visited each table and shook hands during the breakfast. During his presentation, Groeneveld noted he doesn’t want to kill the wheat board, just make it a wheat and barley marketing option for farmers.

The Minister also welcomed Canada’s new interest in the biofuel industry. “It will play an important role in the economic future of Alberta and Canada,” Groeneveld noted.

Due to time restraints, the Minister was unable to take questions from the floor, however guests had the opportunity to submit written questions to the Minister which he assured would be answered in a timely manner. A sample list of questions submitted to the Minister follows:

- What plans do you have to re-invest Alberta’s rich energy revenues into renewable
   energy projects such as ethanol or bio-diesel?
- Will the province put money into ethanol plants and help all ag producers?
- Let bridge’s post-secondary institutions have the expertise and opportunity to provide
expanded educational expenses in agriculture including partnering commercialization
of value-added agriculture; is there investment that could be made in Lethbridge to
support this?
- What can your, our, government do to help producers have a share in the developing
ethanol, bio-diesel industry?
- the bio energy strategy has been announced. Will you be encouraging development of
processing in many communities rather just one or two large plants
-Bio Energy – Has anyone done a serious cost benefit analysis? Does it make sense to
produce an inefficient fuel like ethanol from grains that can be used for food?
-What can e do, as a Barley/Wheat marketing company, to assist or serve the Alberta
grain industry and/or Alberta Government (yourself and team) to move the industry
toward dual marketing?

Report: AGCAT Memb. on Grain Marketing – Nov 22, 2006

We in AGCAT have our entire focus on making sure we get fairness in the marketplace and from governments at both levels. Our focus has not changed since we started. We have worked hard and have been successful as good stewards on your behalf. Getting governments to recognize and react positively to the plight of Grain and Oilseed producers. Money has begun to flow to assist us. We were not the only ones speaking on your behalf. However, we are sure we would not have seen this success had we not been there. More changes need to be made to programs as they are not doing all that they should be. We are working on Crop Insurance and CAIS and will continue to do so.

There are other issues that need our attention as well. One critical one is bio-fuels. Another is marketing. We have done much work on bio-fuels and will report to you soon as to what we see to be done. Another is the unfairness in the importation of chemicals which we need and reduce our costs as producers.

Today we want to make some comments on grain marketing. It is a very sensitive issue among many. Lines are drawn in the sand and organizations are afraid to offend anyone who may not agree with their position. So far AGCAT has said we will not take a position on this issue as we have our focus on getting money for grain producers so we can survive. We will continue to do that with all our energy. However, the time has come and circumstances such that we can no longer be silent on grain marketing. Why you are saying would we feel this way now?

Let me begin by asking you some questions. Why do I have the freedom to be a producer if I want to be? Why would I want to farm when I can make more money doing just about anything else? Most do just that or why are our kids leaving the farm? Farming is a big complicated business so why am I smart enough to do it? Why am I smart enough to arrange financing, fill out a thousand forms and smart enough to negotiate and buy the inputs I need? Smart enough to be a husband and father, an agronomist, mechanic, manage the weather and manage staff and still have time to be a community builder?

Yet the most vital part of my business success is not allowed because someone feels I am not smart enough. Not only am I not allowed FREEDOM which is sacred to us all, but if I try to market what I grow I am thrown in jail? I do very well marketing grains not under state control. However if I try wheat or barley I am a criminal. Wheat a staple of our diet since the beginning of time, is under control of someone else.

Still don’t understand? If your local auto dealer got a law passed that said he could not survive unless he was the only dealer and it passed into law. How would you like one dealer or model only you could use? How about only one drugstore or service station? See it now?

Lets look at some facts as we see them. Producers want a choice on how to market what they grow. What is wrong with that?

Some producers do not want to market their own grain. Some do not want to do all the research and negotiation to make grain sales. They should have the right to give it to someone else to do should they not?

What is the answer to that dilemma? FREEDOM of choice is the answer. Those who want to market what they grow should be free to do so. Those who do not should have a strong marketing arm to take care of their interests. Can this be done? Yes it sure can.
I hear some of you saying it cannot be done. The CWB says unless it has total monopoly it will collapse. We say nonsense. If your local auto dealer said unless he had total control of sale of vehicles he would collapse what would you tell him? Would you tell him right I agree? I bet not.

We do not export wheat like we used to. We do not farm with horses and we do not use pony express to communicate. Bio-fuels will change the landscape even more. Us down in the dirt producers are the best at what we do and we are big boys. Like Moses said, “Let my people go”

We have a federal government, which is listening to producers and trying hard to give freedom of choice to us. We have a provincial government committed to freedom of choice.

What about those who want a marketing arm like the CWB? That is their choice too. Freedom does not come free however and does not in this case either.

Those who chose freedom to market their own grain need the shackles off in all ways.
Those who want a marketing arm need assurance that that option is secure. That means government must act to make it secure for them. Governments know that it will cost them money to make this a reality and we support this action.

If we get what is right in freedom to choose and we fail so be it. If you have the freedom to succeed you must also have the freedom to fail. Freedom is democracy. Mark Twain said it well. He said,” democracy is like a raft it never sinks but your feet are always wet.”

Join us and both levels of government and enjoy freedom. LETS GET OUR FEET WET.

Direct Connections – weekly newsletter – Nov 15, 2006

Dave Layton is editor of “Direct Connections”, a weekly newsletter for grain farmers and owner of Direct-AG Services Ltd., he has a very interesting article called "Wheat - 13% protein and 87% politics". Please click on the tittle to read it.

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AGCAT Membership Letter – Oct 26, 2006

AGCAT MEMBERSHIP LETTER

Harvest is complete and we hope your harvest was a good one. We are late in updating you on what AGCAT has been doing and our response to the recent announcements from both the province and the federal government. Instead of doing it all in this update we will do a series of updates over the next couple weeks.

Today we would like to share with you our restructuring of AGCAT. As you recall we started as a group of concerned producers with the crisis facing grain and oilseed producers. No one was speaking out for grain and oilseed producers. Rather then just complain we wanted to do something about it fast as losses were killing our industry. We needed an injection of cash of at least $50.00 an acre just to get the crop in for 2006. We in the executive of AGCAT, worked hard to formulate a plan to achieve that goal. We asked for 10 cents and acre from you all to help us. We on the executive put in our 10 cents an acre and donated our time and most of our own expenses to achieve our goals. We met with Alberta Agriculture and communicated with the federal government in a constructive way providing solutions for action. Repeatedly we were told that a per acre payment would not happen. It was not GATT green. We were told that if it was done through CAIS it would happen fast and meet what we were asking for. No money came for spring. This fall money has begun to flow to producers. We worked very hard to communicate both the problem and solutions to both levels of government. Many producers have called us and told us how happy they are that they joined AGCAT. The 10 cents they paid to join us returned dollars into their pockets. Our constructive approach and dedication to purpose achieved the goals we all had set.

We thank our Federal Minister The Honorable Chuck Strahl and our Alberta Minister The Honorable Doug Horner for listening, understanding and acting. We know how hard it was for them to get approvals and money to us. We thank the Alberta MLA’s and federal MP’s from Alberta for supporting us.

Within AGCAT we are making changes to our structure as we move forward. Your membership in AGCAT will expire at the end of December and we need to make some changes as we move forward into 2007. AGCAT is a strong and dynamic organization that fights for fairness for us. We need your thoughts and support as we move forward. What do you suggest we do to continue to fight for grain and oilseed producers.

We have had the Gerry Chipeur acting as our lawyer and manager of the trust account since we began. He will continue to act as an advocate on specific issues. Lee Cutforth from Lethbridge is now our lawyer and manager of the trust. We have a new secretary who will attend all meetings and handle correspondence. We will have a new Executive Director in place soon. The Executive Director as part of his or her job description will handle timely updates to members and the web page and answer your phone calls and letters. The Executive director will also travel to all regions of the province to meet with you.

Grain prices have shown some upside in the last few weeks. Bio-fuel interest is exploding. The grain and oilseed sector is moving into a new era. We are staying on top of the issues and will say more about them in the coming weeks.

Thank you for being part of the AGCAT vision.

Dave Leighton Newsletter – Jul 26, 2006

Many more recognize the farm crisis we are in. Dave Leighton is one who knows. Dave is a strong supporter of AGCAT and publishes a monthly newsletter. He agreed to share his July comments. Have a look it is worth your time.

AGCAT Member News – Jun 2006

We hope you all got your crops seeded and they are growing well for you. Most of us had a tough time to get seeding done. It was just too wet in many areas. Prices on some commodities have improved however, unless we see significant improvement losses will be much as we said in early spring.

We appreciate very much your contribution to AGCAT and we have been very careful to try and use the money wisely to achieve the recognition and goal of getting governments to respond to the crisis we are in. Since we last wrote to you, we have been busy along with trying to get crops in the ground on our own farms. Many have not yet become AGCAT members and told us you want to join with us in saving the grain and oilseed sector. It is not too late to join. We are having growing pains and we are making changes to our structure so we are more efficient in handling day to day issues. We will let you know soon what that structure will be.

Some or most of you should now have received your federal grain and oilseed payment. Some are happy and many are not. If you decreased your acreage size you received a good per acre payment. However, if you increased your acreage base, the payment you received was much less. If you increased your acreage you were penalized. Not fair at all in our view.

AGCAT was invited to Red Deer by Alberta Agriculture. It was in busy time however we went. This was one of a series of advisory meetings across the province to prioritize the issues facing agriculture. AGCAT will be in Edmonton on June 22nd to participate in the next step, which will be with the Minister Doug Horner.

On Friday May 5th there were 6 AGCAT executive who went to Calgary Chamber Breakfast with Hon. Chuck Strahl our federal minister. Since he had just announced the $1.5 billion federal assistance we wanted to go and say thank you for the federal recognition of the crisis and to find out more detail. He did not have much detail however we had a good one on one with him before the meeting.
The Minister told us the plan was to rework the inventory figures back to 03. He assured us that this would benefit the grains & oilseed sector greatly. When we got home we checked with our accountants and have been told that it will not help many in the grains & oilseed sector. We have voiced our concerns to the Minister and other government officials. We are urging them to consider other options to deliver the one billion plus to be sure the grain and oilseeds sector receives the help it needs to survive.

There are still no dollars coming from our provincial government, which we find shocking. Yes they did make crop insurance changes which we in AGCAT raised at the beginning. Therefore the 10 cents per acre you contributed to AGCAT returned you around $6 to $7 an acre. Crop insurance has not responded to change so this move was long over due.

When AGCAT started we stated clearly we needed an acreage payment immediately of a minimum of $50.00 per acre. This would allow us as grains and oilseed producers to pay last years bills and put in this crop. We listened to the politicians and were told we would get the dollars we needed to make up at least the $50.00 per acre we said was needed to stay in business. The enhancements to CAIS and other programs would get us the money for spring seeding. It did not happen. Sadly we have come to the conclusion that it will not even come close to the $50.00. The announcements look good in the newspaper but we are worse off now then we were in the spring. We listened to both the Provincial and Federal Ministers tell us it would come to us fast. Well it has not and we have come to the conclusion it will not. We wish now we would have stuck with the acreage payment to the actual producer. We were told an acreage payment is not GATT green. How come the direct per head payment to the livestock sector is not problem but it is for us on the grain side?

We in AGCAT said we will blame no one and were confident the governments would listen and act. It is so evident the crisis we are in and if we worked with governments responsibly they would act to correct the injustice. This is not just a producer problem but one that affects all of rural Canada.
Sad to say we now feel totally abandoned by both levels of government. Windy words from governments and NO ACTION.

We in AGCAT are committed to keeping up the fight for recognition and meaningful action by both levels of government. We need you to call your MLA and MP and not give up the fight.

On Thursday June 15th one of the Progressive Conservative candidates for Premier had a breakfast in Lethbridge. Three of our AGCAT executive attended this breakfast. In his remarks he acknowledged fully the hurt we are facing as producers. He said it is not fair that all sectors of the Alberta economy are doing very well while our grain producers are in trouble. He stated how vital the grain and oilseed sector is to rural Alberta. High input costs and low commodity prices mean we need help. AGCAT intends to make sure all candidates hear our message and act to correct this injustice. You can help in your area by making sure you are there to make them all aware with a commitment to action.

Also on Thursday, we had a late breakfast with 5 leaders in in the livestock industry. They all knew fully how vital the grain and oilseeds industry is to the livestock sector. It is vital for them to have a healthy grain sector to make the feeding industry successful. We need to build a strategic alliance with them to assure we get assistance immediately. After the immediate crisis is adequately dealt with then we should continue to work with them on the bio fuel opportunity. It can greatly benefit us both. The bio fuel opportunity is one that we need to spend more time on. It is not the cure for our crisis but is one we need to pay attention to.
Export of grain is not going to be our future so we need to do more here. The feeding industry is going to be drawn to the bio fuel bi-products and so is important to them and they know it.

In talking to Bill Siegle from Westlock yesterday he is of the view that they need bio fuels to use up the excellent Canola they grow there. It is people like Bill that recognize the opportunity in their area and act that will make things happen. Do not get discouraged in being a producer. We are in the best industry. The first farmer was God. One of the first things he did was plant a garden. Until next time hope your garden is growing great.

Loss of Crow Rate and Spring Price Endorsement – Mar 28, 2006

Click here to download a A letter from a AGCAT member about the impact of the loss of the Crow Rate and the Spring Price Endorsement.

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Contact your MLA – Mar 27, 2006

We all worked very hard to get money fast to help put in the crop. We worked constructively and positively to make government aware of how real the grains and oilseeds crisis is for the producers and rural communities.Other than the changes to crop insurance,already announced , agriculture only received a passing reference and not one additional dime was given to assist us. Disappointment is a mild word to express how we feel.

Have we given up? No we have not, though we lost this battle for recognition and help.

Many of you called or wrote saying we should consider a protest demonstration like in Ontario. We in AGCAT do not like this, as we are sure we can with a constructive approach government will recognize and act on this real crisis.

Do you agree and will you start calling your MLA and help us to get the response we deserve? Do you have suggestions that will make us more effective?

Economic Development Committees all over the province are helping as this is far more then just a grain and oilseed crisis.Reeves, MD council members and supporters of AGCAT will be meeting with Minister Doug Horner at the AMD&C convention this week. They will be expressing their shock of the lack of consideration for the grains and oilseed industry in the budget! It is a rural Alberta crisis.

This week we are working on a strategy for the next two weeks to get results for us all.

Help us in any way you can. Get more to join AGCAT. Write and phone your MLA as the time is short to get the help we need to seed this crop.

Measuring Farm Income Crisis – Mar 20, 2006

Click here to download a copy of the letter Measuring The Farm Income Crisis, A report that shows the level of hurt in agriculture.

Monday, March 20, 2006

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AGCAT overview – Mar 14, 2006

Last week, this letter was mailed to all those who joined in supporting AGCAT. It is an overview of what we have done to date. Spring is nearly upon us and our producers need help. Your support can make all the difference in surviving this crisis and bringing awareness to the issues confronting so many of our communities. Make the decision to join AGCAT and write to your local mayor and MLA.

AGCAT AgExpo – Mar 2, 2006

This week is AgExpo in Lethbridge. Good comments made about what we are doing. Again the most often comment is “can you get us help fast enough to save us.”

Ken Kultgen the Mayor of Foremost made a presentation on behalf of the Mayors and Reeves of SE Alberta last week. This presentation was on the farm crisis to Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance Hon. Shirley McLellan, Municipal Affairs Minister Hon Rob Renner, Hon Lyle Oberg Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation and Len Mitzel MLA Cypress-Medicine Hat. It was an excellent presentation about the impact of this crisis on our rural communities. What is happening to the grain and oil seed sector will have a huge impact on businesses and jobs in all our communities. Ken has agreed to let us put this presentation on the AGCAT web site. Thanks Mayor Kultgen. Download it here.

AGCAT Brochures in mail – Feb 21, 2006

Today on February 22nd a mail drop of AGCAT brochures to 45,000 rural mail boxes.

One day this week our web page had over 1600 hits. Means we are being noticed.
The membership in AGCAT is growing fast.

We have had calls from Ontario and Saskatchewan supportive of what we are doing.
We need to be sensitive to them as they are in same crisis position as we are.

The awareness level in rural municipal government and business related to agriculture is growing. We are working to increase that awareness.

Look at the measuring the need document.

Measuring Need Report – Feb 21, 2006

Click here to download The Measuring Need Report, A report that explains the needs of our cause.
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Disastrous Year Ahead for the Grain & Oilseeds – Feb 15, 2006

PRESS RELEASE

“Economists See Disastrous Year Ahead for the Grain and Oilseeds Industry”

Today, the Alberta Grain and Oilseeds Producers Advocacy Trust released a report from University of Calgary economist Dr. Christopher Bruce of Economica. In the report Dr. Bruce concludes that grain and oilseeds producers will, on average, lose between $54 and $77 per acre in 2006. This could mean a total loss to the industry in excess of one billion dollars.

There are over 19,000,000 acres cultivated by some 50,000 farmers in Alberta. In the absence of significant government intervention, high energy, land and labour costs will make grain and oilseeds production uneconomical for the foreseeable future.

Speaking on behalf of the Trust, former Alberta Agriculture Minister LeRoy Fjordbotten noted that the price of wheat is dramatically similar to the price enjoyed by farmers over 100 years ago.

It is Mr. Fjordbotten’s view that “immediate action is necessary” to avert “widespread economic devastation in rural Alberta.” He also called on the petroleum industry to step up and help in devising “a plan for long-term viability in Agriculture,” noting that “the environmental and infrastructural benefits associated with the agricultural industry far surpasses the cost of saving the agriculture industry.”

If you wish to obtain the full report of Dr. Bruce and other information on the current crisis please visit the website of the Alberta Grain and Oilseeds Crisis Advocacy Trust at: www.agcat.org.

Please send comments to info@agcat.org

For further inquiries please contact:

Dimnik & Company

334 - 12th Street South

Lethbridge, Alberta.

T1J 2R1

Producers Meeting Medicine Hat – Feb 13, 2006

An excellent meeting of producers in Medicine Hat on February 10, 2006
The frustration level is high with no grain movement and disaster level pricing. Producers are hopeful along with others that governments at all levels wake up to realize the crisis being faced by grain and oil seed producers and their families.

Comments made by producers at the meeting

Bruce Johnson said we need to inform the public about the producer margin shortfall. In the meantime agri-processors are realizing record profit. margins

Irwin Kuhn of Acadia Valley who is actively farming and in the oil and gas industry said Fort McMurray is being built with reduced royalties. Those reduced royalties were negotiated by the industry and province.

Orville Yanke said there should be an endowment to pay out the same principle as the U.S. floor price program. He also said if governments use averages they should take the best 5 years out of 10 and divide by 5.

AGCAT thanks the producers of Medicine Hat for their support and good suggestions on how to save our industry and rural Alberta.

AGCAT Meeting Lethbridge – Jan 25, 2006

AGCAT meeting in Lethbridge

The meeting was held at the SandMan Inn in Lethbridge Alberta
There were producers, accountants, bankers, ranchers and industry leaders who attended the first meeting of AGCAT
The purpose of the meeting was to brief all those who support the interests, visions and plans of AGCAT
Producers stated at the meeting there is a crisis. C.A.I.S was not responding to the needs of immediate cash flow.
It was agreed that drastic changes needed to be made to C.A.I.S., in order for the program to meet the producers needs.
The AGCAT group introduced the Gerald Chipeur Advocacy group, who are responsible to lobby on behalf of AGCAT.
Many of the producers that attended came forward and offered their support and assistance to AGCAT.

Meeting in Grand Prairie, Feb 7th, 2006

News From Grand Prairie.
On Tuesday February 7th, 2006 the AGCAT Executive Committee met with producers from the Grand Prairie area.
It was an excellent meeting with many positive suggestions to assist producers in this crisis.
Accountant Will Pecluk said: "Make changes to crop insurance to open the door for spring price endorsement. This would allow those who had not applied to qualify."
Mick Underwood said: "When you go out to a restaurant for supper, The tip you leave is more than the producer receives for the food you ate."

AGCAT Doug Horner meeting - Jan 20, 2006

AGCAT representatives had a meeting with Hon. Doug Horner & M.L.As on Jan19th 2006 regarding the Grain and Oil seed crisis.
The meeting can be summarized in this way:

The Minister acknowledged and accepted the views expressed by our economist, Chris Bruce. The Minister is of the opinion that the crisis is as deep and as significant as we have stated the crisis to be. The only qualification is the Minister is aware of the government financial support programs already in place that will reduce the deficit faced by Alberta producers.
The Minister was not of the view that the Government of Alberta should implement an ad hoc support program between now and March, 2006.
The Minister was instead of the view that existing programs would be enhanced to address all of our concerns. The programs he identified included:

Crop Insurance Spring Price Endorsement and Revenue Insurance Coverage -For Price Increase;
Canadian Agricultural Income Stabilization (“CAIS”) enrollment and resubmission rights with respect to previous crop years;
Immediate fifty percent benchmark cash advance on CAIS entitlements for 2005;
November 2005 pilot CAIS funding from the Alberta government in the amount of $224 million (less than one third of which has been claimed and distributed to date);
Previously announced $755 million program of the federal government;
New ad hoc support program promised in the Conservative Party of Canada Platform;
The addition of a disaster relief component to CAIS.

The Minister also agreed to the following:

The immediate establishment of a working group made up of two representatives of AGCAT (Robert Holt and Bob Schneyder) and representatives from Alberta Finance Service Corporation (“AFSC”) and from the Minister with a mandate to have their initial meeting before the before the end of the month. Gerry Chipeur will participate as legal counsel for AGCAT representatives;
The joint pursuit of international trade objectives through AGCAT participation in lobbying and consultation efforts;
The joint pursuit of new funding from the federal government under CAIS or a post-CAIS program;
The joint pursuit of a federal retroactive, across the board, increase in reference margins under CAIS;
Urgent CAIS review and payment approval by AFSC for grain producers in financial difficulty;
Assistance from AFSC for grain producers in need of refinancing help.

Economist Report – Jan 25, 2006

Click here to download The Economist Report
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