The Rural Voice, 2003-02, Page 14Jeffrey
Carter is a
freelance
journalist
based in
Dresden.
Ontario.
Jeffrey Carter
There's no blood in the stone
cannot help but feel amused
when I'm sitting in on many farm
meetings — especially when there's a
marketing type at the head of the
room.
It's not that I like to laugh at other
peoples' troubles. It's just that
the things that are most humourous
are those that are also tragic at their
essence. I'll describe a specific
incident. leaving out names, places
and times to protect the innocent.
It's not that the marketers and
market analysts are essentially an evil
lot. Like the rest of us, they're just
trying to do their jobs.
The marketer in question talked
about Ontario's three big crops —
corn. wheat and soybeans — though
he might well have been speaking
about any other agricultural
commodity.
Expect prices for corn to remain
fairly steady, he said. With the short
crop in North America prices started
out strong and should hold at higher
levels for some time.
Fair enough.
Next he talked about wheat. The
demand is there for old crop wheat
but with a lot of acres planted last
fall. there's a good chance prices will
weaken as the year wears on. Again,
a fair statement, but nothing to laugh
about — or cry about.
Finally, he turned his attention to
soybeans. He said that despite record
low supplies in North America, the
soybean industry will simply adjust
itself to the marketplace. In other
words, industry players will mothball
crushing plants rather than pay
Uncle Richard's Maple Syrup & Supplies
OPEN HOUSE
Feb. 15th 9-5 Feb. 16th 1-5
Open House Specials
• Evaporators
• Tubing
H o
o South /Inn R
• Fittings
�.nk S
Richard's
e 0 e
• Containers
Hwv 4
as
Grcn Road 9
Dundalk Road'
• Plastic • Tin
• Specialty Glass
• Accessories
493168 Sideroad 10 R.R. 1 Priceville
Phone 369-3056 Fax 369-6552
E-mail uncle_richards@bmts.com
"If we don't have it, and it exists, we'll get it!"
10 THE RURAL VOICE
soybean prices that are unprofitable
to their operations.
The farmers listening to didn't
seem to see the absurdity in the
soybean situation, let alone the
humour. For myself, however, having
nothing directly at stake, I could not
help but smile.
- What I was hearing that day, and
what I've been hearing since I started
writing about agriculture some 15
years ago, boils down to something
like this: "Farmers, just take what
'The Marketplace' offers you and be
thankful you're getting that."
It's curious that "The
Marketplace" is usually referred to as
a living, thinking creature. The tragic
truth of the situation is, however, that
there is no marketplace. It's
something different entirely.
What's developed is called an
oligopoly. The members of this elite
club need not conspire with one
another. There's not even the need
for a discreet "wink -wink" across
some boardroom table. The
marketplace simply ceases to
exist when there are too few buyers
for any one commodity.
What' s next?
I think the "what's next" is
already beginning to develop. The
Roman Empire crumbled. So will any
other construction based on pure
exploitation.
Sooner or later something gives.
When it does, hope and pray you're
somewhere else.0
RAISE MONEY
FOR YOUR CLUB OR
ORGANIZATION
Sell subscriptions to
The Rural Voice
and earn money for your
4-H Association, Junior Farmers
group or other rural organization.
Substantial commissions offered.
For more information
contact Keith Roulston,
Publisher 523-4311