Traceability/ROI

[wd40]

We've been told it's to be more competitive. So....
1) Into whose market will that traceability get us into? The American commodity market when we already send, what 80% of our beef?
2) Against whose (competition) better traceability systems are we going to edge out of their already successful marketing because our system is superior?
3) How big, how many dollars worth in exports might we realize if our system was to work?
Seems to me that the ROI is pretty miniscule! The cost spent so far (for no ROI) and the future cost/benefit is a very, very small return. Kinda like the gun registry. It’s all just a red herring because the tag companies have the ear and probably the pocket book of govt.

[grassfarmer]

The obvious one would be Europe. You likely won't get in there with any quantity of beef, and remain there , unless you have credible traceability and tracking. They have shut out a lot of South American beef imports on this basis.
How big a market is it? how much would we benefit? who knows. As long as we have the current packer monopoly the benefit to producers would likely be nil. That applies to everything else too though.

[per]

I have cattle going to Europe that would not be possible without being able to trace them back to my ranch. Europe is a huge market that demands traceability and is there for the taking. Every pound of beef we get off this continent helps the market here as well. Win win.

[Happytrails]

BINGO! Traceability can be used as a marketing tool! What a good idea! But to answer WD's and my question who in the hell decided to expand it into a mandatory industry regulation? The factors which make traceability a useful marketing tool are all compromised when it is made mandatory. Why not let the market set its value? HT

[perfecho]

Well, it was Cargill George that mandated our verification. And I am sure the "market" system lobbied to have it that way.....why wouldn't they....more market accessibility. But with only two major purchasers of our product, they don’t have to pay for the true value of it.
Although I am in favor of age/tracking verification....it could open the world to our beef.....it doesn’t really matter until we have true competition on our product. That may happen eventually, but many of us will not be around to benefit from it.

[wd40]

Now we are starting to take some sense. Our 2 "TWO" packers are only, I said only interested in their commodity markets. That's south of the 49th. ONLY. So does all of Canada need a tracability system to get into the EU market. If so then all Canada should pay for it. For the limited tonnage going to the
EN, OK maybe wwe'll provide, but it won't happen through the 2 players.
Agian the "return on investment", or "Cost/benefit" falls far, far short of paying for a traseability system as it points today.

[wd40]

IN short simple words - It's time someone started showing/demonstrating some real Return on the huge investment that's been made for 10 tears I mean years now.

[Happytrails]

Good points WD. Cost/benefit analysis seems to be a dying concept and especially regarding movement tracking. Even tho the sacred principles of traceability call for the benefits to exceed the costs there is no mention in them of a true cost/benefit study. HT

[grassfarmer]

Round and round in circles getting nowhere...Traceability is now said to be a waste of time as with only two packers there is no way any potential increase in returns from foreign markets accessed will trickle down. Where have you been since 03? remember back when Cam Ostercamp was promoting his BIG plan for producer owned slaughter capacity as the way to break the packer stranglehold - get control of our product back, trace it, BSE test it and export it off this continent.
Unfortunately as usual when push came to shove not enough producers could be bothered turning out to support the plan. So it has been an uphill struggle for groups like Canada Gold who are still following the same basic concept although they have not as yet been able to own the slaughter capacity.
Although traceability can be portrayed by some as a big expense and waste of time it could also have been the key to open the door to export markets off this continent bypassing the status quo packers. Unfortunately we did not unite as producers when the time was right.... so we keep on going around and around on the same old treadmill getting nowhere - will we ever learn?

[Happytrails]

Concerning bad ideas: going round and round getting no where is the best there is. Some of us feel that the cattle business has been pretty good to us and is a great way of life. As a young man I was told that if you were in cattle only for the money you would never be satisfied. However if you kept cattle for fun and satisfaction you would never have a bad day. Sounds kind of stupid but 35 years later I have to say it was good advice. If we allow the bureaucrats and regulators to take away the fun and leave only the drudge what kind of world is that? The market returns for the last few years leave lots to be desired but the market always corrects. There have been longer flat spots in the past. In those times we got more competitive, didn't try to reinvent the wheel, and were there when prices improved. Those who are'nt satisfied with the status quo in the cattle business should limit their reforms to themselves and leave the rest of us alone. HT