Wake up Canada.
While people are out there rallying to save the prison farms, I feel most people are missing the biggest lesson to be learned in all of this.
Government farms that have a free labour force and guaranteed incomes are losing money. What should that be telling the rest of the country about farmers with huge overhead costs and a heap of uncertainty in whatever type of farm they are in?
Grain farmers finally started turning a profit, and everyone lined up with their hand out.
What the fertilizer and oil companies did is basic rape and pillage.
Diesel went up above gas prices and fertilizer went up more than 300 per cent.
An article I read recently in the Western Producer, titled Possible fertilizer reduction worrisome, featured Bill Doyle, the head of the Potash Corporation, saying that farmers reducing their application of fertilizer at unprecedented levels across the continent, 30 to 35 per cent could have serious consequences with food shortages but that farmers’ decisions to reduce fertilizer were not based on economics.
He said dropping the price of fertilizer does not increase demand.
Either Doyle is a very stupid man, or he thinks the rest of the world is to believe such a statement.
This year a reduced rate of nitrogen will go on my 800 acres of hay. No potash, no phosphorus.
I, like many other farmers refuse to, or cannot afford these ridiculous prices.
Not only were farmers held hostage and many scared into buying fertilizer last fall at inflated prices, they were again exploited on the retail end, as the record high price of grain only accounted for an 11 cent increase in a loaf of bread.
Groceries shot up around the world and everyone pointed their fingers at the greedy farmer.
Fertilizer plants have demonstrated last winter that they would rather lay off workers than give farmers affordable fertilizer.
Yes, Mr. Doyle, the world may go hungry someday and there will be shortages, but it will not be for a lack of effort on the farmers’ part.
When you charge too much for your product, customers look elsewhere for alternatives.
Whether it’s you selling your fertilizer or me selling my hay, we best be happy making a living — not gouging!
If government really wants to make a difference for farmers, make sure your Canadian farmers have an adequate, affordable supply of fuel, and fertilizer before they supply the rest of the world with our resources.
Farmers across Canada should be rallying for this!
Ron Taks
Bowden