10,000 Pageviews & Counting

Since our launch on Feb. 28, 2013 we have received 10,000 pageviews from our fans and the morbidly curious.

We need to get every eligible voter in Ontario to be aware of this issue, estimated at 8.3 million voters.  Starting with 1 person, then doubling to 2,4, 8, 16,32,... doubling our exposure each time until we get to 8.3 million, this will require 23 doublings.

So far, we have achieved 13.27 doublings, which is 57.7% of our goal, so we are more than half way there.  As can be seen in the above graph, our progress has been consistent after the first week of startup.

Based on this linear progression of our doublings, if we hold the current trend steady, we project to have 8.3 million pageviews by April 13, 2014.

At that point, we will be ready to launch Phase II of our campaign to end the oppression of  Small Flock Poultry Farmers, and all Canadian citizens by the tyrannical chicken Supply Management system.

We're Not Alone

They want us to think we're all alone.  That's called "Divide & Conquer"

I hope their plan fails in that respect.

Just like the Arab Spring, we have the Internet.

There are people who are watching what happens, and telling others about it.

Check out some of our friends and faithful scribes who are reporting the significant happenings:

http://agri007.blogspot.ca/   Jim Rohman has been a reporter on everything Agriculture for more than 30 years.  He has been doing his Blog for almost 3 years.  When I discovered Jim last week, and saw his postings, I realized that was the way to go.  I've been feeding Jim my info, and he has faithfully worked overtime to include some of it in his daily postings.  Thanks Jim!

Last night, I read a very interesting report on Canada's Supply Management systems, sponsored by the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario ("CFFO")   http://www.christianfarmers.org/images/discussiondocuments/smjw12.pdf   Since they commissioned the report written by the consultant they hired, then had nerve enough to post the report for all the world could see, they must have a stake in the game.  I read the report and learned a lot.

Neither the consultant of the above report, nor CFFO want to destroy Supply Management.  I don't necessarily want to destroy it either.  They feel, and I agree, that the system is not perfect.  I believe that any imperfect system must be willing to change for the better.  I also believe that Supply Management is not a right, it is a public trust, and must be run for the greater good of the public, not to create nor benefit special interest groups at the detriment of the public.  Recommended reading.

Pat Learmonth is a Director at Farms at Work.  http://farmsatwork.wordpress.com/  She recently shared with me that her organization feels, "...that supply management in and of itself is not the problem. It is the WAY that it is being applied that makes it impossible for mixed farm producers/pastured producers (and anyone outside the big barn system) to participate. Including the fact that the market has determined the value of quota and is therefore driven by forces that are not relevant to non big-barn production methods. As a result it is entirely inaccessible to the non-privileged, and there are no other options provided.

The concept of supply management is not all bad, has protected Canadian producers from dumping from the US in various commodities for years and could be viewed as relating to food security ie ensuring we are producing what we eat."

Practical Farmers on Ontario's small flock exemption campaign http://www.practicalfarmersontario.ca/small-flock-campaign.html has been going for about a year now.  Sean McGivern has been very helpful and supportive.  I believe we have similar, complementary approaches to the same problem.

Sustain Ontario http://sustainontario.com/small-flock-exemptions has been busy for a while on the locally produced, sustainable, and affordable food issue.  I think they make a great partner to work with the Small Flock Poultry Farmers.  See their Flocking Options website as well, their on-line petition, and MPP postcards, it all helps:   http://sustainontario.com/small-flock-exemptions

Eat Local Sudbury http://www.eatlocalsudbury.com/ has been busy for some time encouraging the 100 mile diet, as well as a retail store to showcase those local products.  They have had to import chicken from Southern Ontario because of the chronic shortage of locally grown chicken.  They now have a campaign We Want Northern Chicken that is trying to gain awareness, and solutions.

I got a call from Susan Mann at Better Farming magazine http://www.betterfarming.com/homepage  Susan did an article on the launch of my struggle over a year ago, and came back for a second helping with my re-launch.  Since they are the medium with the largest farming circulation, they should be able to aid in us getting the word out.  Susan just posted an article summarizing my CFO complaint at http://www.betterfarming.com/online-news/manitoulin-island-farmer-takes-chicken-farmers-task-small-flocks-policy-11744

That's all for now, I've got to get to bed.  If you know anybody else, send me your suggestions.

Campaign Strategy

Perhaps it's foolish to publish our tactics and strategies for this campaign.  However, I think we have far more to gain by building the consensus and gaining followers.

I'm lost as to how to get Supply Management from today's rickety state, to where it should be operating, in the best interest of the public.  How do we change the system without it crumbling before our eyes?  If anybody has an answer, I'm all ears. 

I believe we need to apply constant, continuous pressure with no artificial ultimatums or deadlines.

I believe the brilliant cut diamond is a model for our successful campaign.

A brilliant cut diamond has 58 facets.  Each facet is a different window looking into the diamond, each with a different point of view.  Some parts of the diamond is hidden from view in each facet, but no part of the diamond can be hidden from the views provided by all of the facets.  Each facet is unique, yet a part of the whole diamond.

In other words, we need 58 different approaches, rather than just one simple approach that could be easily deflected or dodged.

There must be no place for the government (or the special interest groups) to hide, no port in the storm where they are safe, no opportunity to rest, no relief from our friendly but persistent advocacy of our complaint and our solution.

Our hearts, souls, and actions must be totally aligned with the greater good of the public, not any personal or special interest goals.

We are here in this struggle to serve the public, not ourselves.

As Benjamin Franklin said to his fellow patriots (around the time of drafting the U.S. Declaration of Independence, when they were at risk of being hung for treason by the King of England), "We must hang together, for if we don't, we will surely be hung separately."

I think it applies here as well.

Today there is but one (me).  If I have a just cause, a clear vision, and communicate clearly, I hope to have my first follower soon.

That first follower is the bravest of all, for they will transform a "lone nutbar" into a "leader".

After that, we need to continue to grow our numbers exponentially.  During exponential growth, there is a doubling time.  With each doubling time, we gain more people than all those who previously joined.  With a population of 13.5 million in Ontario, we have 8.3 million people eligible to vote.

Starting with 1 person, we will have 8.4 million followers after just 23 doublings.

I think a week per doubling is the fastest possible rate we can reasonably expect.  That is approximately 6 months from now.  If it takes a month to double, we will be complete in about 2 years.  There is nothing to be gained by dragging this out forever.

In fact, delay sucks out our momentum, putting our ultimate success at risk.  Delaying us so that we lose momentum and stop our exponential growth is the only way the entrenched monopolists can defeat the people and their just cause.

Whether it has a doubling time of 2 weeks or 2 months, either way, the job will be done in my lifetime, for I'm only 59 years old.  If I should be taken early, I will need a Second to step into the breach.  Feel free to nominate yourself.