Canadian Wheat Board Turns to ‘Sex Sells’ Mentality with Recent Ad

Jan 22, 2013

Has the CWB Gone Too Far With Its ‘Still on the Fence’ Ad?

It looks like one of those sexists vintage ads that you would have seen in the early 20th Century, but only it’s in the year 2013. The Canadian Wheat Board (CWB), who has been faced with some big changes this year with the monopoly gone and on the whim of the open-market, is looking for new and creative ways to grab farmer’s attention. A new ad featured on its website that says “Still on the Fence?” which portrays an attractive cowgirl with legs exposed straddling a fence post featured under its ‘hot topics’ icon is asking farmers to “choose with confidence” to entice farmers to book some grain with the CWB’s Futures Choice Winter Pool.

I understand that their target audience is for men, but as a woman in the ag-business I am offended by this ad - it’s demeaning to women and it implies that only men are farming in the west these days. But hey, maybe I am overreacting – what are your thoughts? Is the CWB ad offensive?

Video: Will the 2025 USDA December Crop Report Be a Market Mover/Surprise?

Historically, the USDA December crop report is a non-event or another dud report as the USDA reserves any final supply changes to the final report in January of the following year in this case 2026. But after the longest U.S. government shutdown in history at 43 days and no October crop report will they provide more data/surprise and make an exception?
Our China U.S. soybean purchase tracker is now at 26.6% or a total of 3.2 mmt but for traders it’s taking too long to unfold.
The final Stats Canada production report was bearish canola and wheat projection a record crop in both (it adds to the global glut of supplies) and bullish local corn and soybean prices in Ontario/Quebec thanks to a drought. It will not help the fund flow short-term, the USDA may need to offset it?
A U.S. Fed interest rate cut of another 25-basis point next Wednesday (probability 87.1%) could help fund flow and sentiment in stock and ag commodities into year end.
More inflows into Bitcoin this past week saw prices rebound back above 90,000 with support at 82,000 and resistance at 96,000.
A V-shaped bottom in cattle suggest the lows are in after Mexico reported another new world screwworm case. Lower weights, seasonal demand and higher U.S. beef select/choice values with a continued closure of the Mexican border to cattle will result in a resumption of higher cattle futures into yearend.
Australia is expected to produce its 3rd largest wheat crop ever at 36 mmt adding to the global glut of supplies.
Reports of ASF in hogs in Spain the largest pork exporter in Europe could see the U.S. win more pork export business long-term.
If the rains verify into next week of 3-5 inches for Brazil it would go a long way to fixing the dry regions from the last 2-months, but the European weather model has been wrong for the past 2-months!
Natural gas futures are surging to the 3rd price count as frigid hold temps set in.
CDN $ is also surging to end the week on a very resilient economy and better employment numbers suggesting no interest rate cuts next week.
Finally, the CFTC report showed funds were net buyers of soybeans but sellers of corn, canola and wheat. In real time the funds have gone back to selling as they take some profits.