QOTW

53 Replies to “QOTW”

1. Revnant Dream @ 8:08, to some extent this has already happened in the truck and many of the fruit crops in the US and here. The US started this trend decades ago and many farmers in the fruit and truck crops drive around in a suit, have a few full time managerial staff and operational staff and hire bands of migrant workers on contract to do the actual picking. Machines have also been developed to do much of the picking.
   There are still small farmers that provide fruits and vegetables for farmers markets and fruits stands. Many of these do this on a part time basis and have off farm employment.
   As I mentioned in my comment @ 2:53, much of this is driven by the constantly escalating input and machinery costs. In 1974 a combine was about $20,000 and in 2007, about $400,000. The fruit and truck crops are not able to find the labour to do the picking and therefor bring in labour from Mexico and Jamaica.

2. “the end of the CWB will spell the end for the small farmer” There are now 1/4 of the farms we had when the monopoly started in 1943 as part of the “war measures act”. Like every grand socialist plan the CWB has brought nothing but decline and retrenchment. If Canola and pulse crops hadn’t been developed in Western Canada what would farming look like today?

3. Exactly, nold.
   Beware, for your information – my opinion was not gained in any classroom and my family and I farm without an iota of off-farm income. Reality comes hard and fast on the farm and it is one of the best teachers of hardship and real life that one can ever have. I don’t live with my head in the clouds but I don’t buy into fear mongering either. I’m sorry that this topic leaves me with my blood boiling but having the monopoly is just so wrong on so many levels.