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    #11
    I'm far from his biggest fan Coppertop and unlike you I'm completely opposed to the party he stands for. Just pointing out that producers would do better to get focused on the real issues. Deciding whether he is the best or worst Ag minister is irrelevant, the cost of ALMS/ALMA is largely irrelevant. Moaning about the cost of tags, age verification, premis ID are all small ticket items.

    We are selling a large number of cull cows this fall and are taking 28-34 cents/lb for them. These are not the crocks they are decent older cows carrying a good bit of condition. There is the real crime if you are looking someone to blame. Every cow we sell is a several hundred $ donation to the Nilsson Bros. benevolent fund. Pure and simple as Kato says - no competition so there is no bottom on where these cow prices can go. They are landing 650-700lb carcase cows for $400. The fed cattle are little better due to no competition in that sector either which is filtering back to the feeding sector - no wonder they won't pay for calves. That's the problem and until people wake up to it and quit blaming minor false causes nothing will change.

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      #12
      grassfarmer, I don't understand your
      reference to false causes. I agree with
      you regarding the entire Nilsson issue,
      but the added regulatory burden to the
      producer isn't helping the situation.
      There is a cost to putting in tags, and
      there is a cost to age verification if
      we value our time, that is my beef with
      the Minister, he feels that our time is
      worth anything, and yet no-one expects
      government to work for nothing. I
      received a press release this morning
      about yet another trade mission the
      Minister is involved in, this little
      junket will cost the taxpayers a mere
      $49,000.00.
      I don't agree with the agriculture
      policies of our provincial government,
      nor do I agree with the downloading the
      department is trying to foist off on
      municipalities with respect to helping
      farmer's age verify their calves. I
      don't sit back and complain about the
      government, I get involved and voice my
      opinions in any forum available when the
      opportunity arises.

      Comment


        #13
        And let us not forget the 90 people hired to help with age verification, that money is "given to farmers" as the AB gov budgets reflect. There have been millions spent to "help" livestock producers...this money is seen by taxpayers as gravy trains to the ag sector...and yet much of it goes to the Kim G's of the ag sector...(read the latest atricle on ALMS in the "Wheel and Deal")
        This is a cost, mostly to us.
        From the first post. the US is not doing much better with their cattle pricing, but I believe they have better support systems. They seem to suffer from the same problem we do, not enough competition. There is a great deal of money being made in between the farm gate and consumer plate....somehow this has to change....and it will not be done with ear tags.

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          #14
          I'm ticked off that we aren't adding any value to our calves due to age verifying, but I'm not upset about that cost as much as other costs.

          In this country there are added costs for SRM removal, and the loss of value for bits and pieces due to the total feed ban. Why are we holding our beef to a higher standard than the beef we import from the U.S.? What is that all about????

          Either we need to demand the imported U.S. beef meets our standards, or we need to harmonize our standards with them. It's like our own regulators are right in bed with the likes of RCALF in the campaign to drive us out of business. They are doing us as much harm as anything else out there right now.

          After all, so far, has this higher standard made any difference at all to our bottom line? Oh yea, it will help open new markets. Oh yea, and as we've seen, new markets do not mean new money, at least for us.

          Geeezzzz .................

          Comment


            #15
            Totally agree....but that doesn't help...and the powers that be make their income regardless how well we do!

            Comment


              #16
              The entire ALMS has cost a bundle, not
              to mention the fact that a lot of senior
              staff in the Ag Department took packages
              to make room for the new hires to
              implement ALMS. The Deputy Minister will
              be at our Auction Market on Saturday
              morning for a customer appreciation day,
              and info session on traceability. There
              is a bred cow sale that day, hopefully
              he stays around to watch them sell.
              Today drafts of excellent simi/RA cross
              620 weight steer calves sold for $1.02.

              Comment

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