There are cracks in the wall surrounding the #ChickenMafia. Big cracks. Fortunately the inner circle of the #ChickenMafia don't realize they exist.
I have delayed writing this post in case I was followed. I didn't want the #ChickenMafia spies and Intelligence Officers to know who I was speaking to about the current status inside the #ChickenMafia castle.
Sometime between 72 hrs ago and 6 weeks ago, I had an opportunity to speak to three different members of Chicken Farmers of Ontario; chicken quota holders all.
I boldly and randomly chose them for a visit, drove up to their house or barn (as the case may be), gave them my Small Flocker's business card, introduced myself, and asked if they knew who I was. They said "Yes", "Oh yes!", and "I sure do".
I told them I came to listen, and asked what they would like to tell me.
There was a long uncomfortable silence.
I waited patiently, but it was really getting difficult to hear the long silence.
In some cases, they eventually started talking. In other cases, I finally broke the silence. I explained my concerns and purpose for doing what I have been doing.
All three of these quota-based chicken farmers said they had no problem with the small flockers being able to grow 2,000 birds per year per farm.
Some expressed a fear of the level of greed that has grown amongst their fellow quota chicken farmers. "They never seem to be satisfied, they gotta keep having more and more, just like ******** down the road.", pointing along the highway. Later, I drove down the road in the direction he had indicated. Sure enough, huge poultry barns, one after another. All of it looked very neat, and expensive. This was obviously one of the Gorillas in the Chicken Coop of which I had previously blogged.
I shared the info I had learned about FCC and their huge loans to farmers of all description, and the risk when interest rates go up and business grows hard, just like in the early 1980's when FCC's predecessor went bankrupt from thousands of bad farm debts.
I want to publicly thank my three chicken farmers who acted as gracious hosts to my unannounced visit. I told them that our visit and conversation, and their identities would remain confidential.
Not all members of CFO are #ChickenMafia. There are some good, normal people who are forced to follow the fanatic core who run things day-to-day.
Sometime in the future, that silent few will become the silent majority. Next, the silent majority will become the vocal majority. Then there will be change. CFO will eventually realize that the greatest danger does not arise from outside the #ChickenMafia's castle walls. The risk and the rot is occurring inside the CFO castle walls. The #ChickenMafia will implode from within, or it will be dismantled from the outside. It's hard to predict which one will get them first.
A blog to communicate, discuss, and advocate for the civil rights and important role Small Flock Poultry Farmers can play (and should play) in Canadian Society. Small Flockers are on the side of justice & truth, and against privilege & power. Unfortunately, the more we compromise with privilege and power, the more we reduce the capacity for truth and justice.
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