Yes, with the first issue of the year, it’s once again surely
Time to review the events of the past one, in verse that rhymes poorly
Then if there’s some time, and to the end that you’ve stickted
We’ll look ahead a few months and see what I’ve predicted
I don’t want to brag, but you’ll recall my last year’s prognostication
I said there’d be plenty of moisture for spring germination
Indeed, in the west of the province, where it’s often quite droughty
There was moisture aplenty to make the crop nice and sproughty
Though as a result, there were one or two hitches
As in a bit more water than could be confined to the ditches
In fact, when things warmed up and the ditches were flowing
There was more water than could be confined to the Assiniboine
The water had to be sent to Lake Manitoba or it would mean
Much greater damage for the properties farther downstream
Those around Lake Manitoba were told there’d be redress
For taking the bullet for others and for cleaning the mess
The flood’s still not over for some, and many are still waiting
Let’s hope the promise is held and they get full compensating
After two years of precip which seemed to come daily and nightly
Around about June the skies seem to have zipped up quite tightly
Farmers didn’t say much; it would seem funny to complain
But after a while they were thinking they could stand some more rain
That would have helped yields, but I must say a rare treat is
To spend a summer in Manitoba without any mosquitoes
I don’t want to complain either, but some more precipitation
Would be welcome to provide moisture for spring germination
Then there’s all those unseeded fields that were heavily cultivated
Come spring I fear that black soil could become extensively elevated
Now if a farmer’s price is too low, or he has a slight pain in the hip
Or an elevator manager is frustrated about no cars to ship
For the last 77 years in this part of the nation
There’s been someone to blame, a good explanation
Whatever the problem, and whatever the season
You could blame the wheat board — it was always the reason
But not for much longer, after next August the first
No longer will farmers have the wheat board to curse
Now if you ask Gerry Ritz, you’ll find that he’s liable
To say that without a monopoly, the board’s still strong and viable
Perhaps he’s right, but to me it seems funny
That a grain company could survive without elevators or money
He’ll prop it up with an initial payment (but how high?) guarantee
But a government-supported grain company sounds socialist to me
One way or another, perhaps one good thing that will happen
Is the end of so much pro- and anti-board fightin’ and scrappin’
But with such a sudden big change, I’m afraid that my guess is
There will be quite a few growing pains, and several big messes
Due to a shortage of space last year it just wasn’t viable
To include my advice that buying more cows would be advisable
Since feeder prices have since reached record height
The advice that I wasn’t able to give you was right
Should you buy cows now? Well, that’s harder to deceipher
At these prices it might be safer to just retain heifers
But one thing’s for sure; I can say without being reserved
Is that the current cattle prices are certainly well deserved
What with too much rain or too little, or COOL and BSE
It’s been a tough time for cattle producers since 2003
The same goes for producers of pigs, at least the ones that remain
Despite higher feed prices I’ve heard there’s still a few dollars to gain
Now let’s look to the future; you’ll be pleased to know I’ve
Just taken a market forecasting course on the Internet for $29.95
I now have a certificate which guarantees that in market analysis
That my predictions are just as good as anyone else’s
I’ve examined the liver and gizzard from my Christmas turkey
They tell me that supply management prices will stay fairly perky
For grain prices however, they tell me that for the next while
The outlook for them appears to remain volatile
See? I just told you what other market analysts always say chiefly
But I squeezed it into two lines, and said it more briefly
What crops should you plant? Well, that’s easy to call
Mr. Ritz says that post-CWB farmers will seed wheat wall to wall
So don’t plant any — the secrets to maximizing fruit of your labours?
Ignore governments, and plant different crops than your neighbours
Once again, I have several more surefire predictions
But I can’t fit all of them in; this space has too much constriction
So that’s it for now, please accept our best wishes
For good weather, good prices, and a harvest auspicious
May your crops all be bumpers, your calves all be healthy
May the new year for all farmers be happy and wealthy!
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