gcreekrch, I certainly don't want unnecessary regulation and rules but there are a number of concerns I have where I feel we need some regulation.
Part of my initial interest in age verification and traceability was to create a tool to unlock the captive supply situation/packer stranglehold on the industry. There was an opportunity for that in the Beef Initiative days post BSE. That failed in large part due to producer apathy and unwillingness to participate and adopt age verification quickly enough. That window of opportunity is gone.
A big concern to me is the animal health aspect particularly with regard to FMD. I don't want to see several million animals slaughtered needlesley because we don't have the ability to properly and swiftly track movements. I think we are wide open to this at the moment and I think that is poor risk management as an industry.
I think some producers need to get their heads around the fact they are producing beef for human consumption even if they are only selling weaned calves. In this day and age there is an expectation from consumers regarding traceability of their food. I think the days of guys dropping cattle off at the auction once a year with no information as to their upbringing, health status drug treatments etc are just about over. As a consumer I think it's about time too.
Those are my concerns gcreekrch. Regardless of my views you must realise expansion of bureaucracy is a feature of a mature society that has already taken care of the fundamentals like food, shelter and employment. It is job creation to an extent but nothing you or I say is going to reverse this trend. I think we would be better placed accepting the inevitable - we are going to have a traceability system and turn our attention instead to making sure it is the best, most workable one we can have. Addressing your concerns about not seeing your cattle for long periods of time is a good example. I think traceability on an operation like yours need not be complex. There is no proposal to track where your cows are every day. I believe from what I've read before you trail your cattle to different locations you own, rent or graze and I see no reason why these should even be traced during these movements. I would think in your case it's simply a matter or recording on/off ranch movements when they come or go to auctions or bull sales. I think that is the kind of battle we should be fighting - to ensure we get workable rules. Stating that "we don't need or want any traceability system and anything introduced won't work" will not result in a favourable response or desirable outcome from Government in my opinion.
Part of my initial interest in age verification and traceability was to create a tool to unlock the captive supply situation/packer stranglehold on the industry. There was an opportunity for that in the Beef Initiative days post BSE. That failed in large part due to producer apathy and unwillingness to participate and adopt age verification quickly enough. That window of opportunity is gone.
A big concern to me is the animal health aspect particularly with regard to FMD. I don't want to see several million animals slaughtered needlesley because we don't have the ability to properly and swiftly track movements. I think we are wide open to this at the moment and I think that is poor risk management as an industry.
I think some producers need to get their heads around the fact they are producing beef for human consumption even if they are only selling weaned calves. In this day and age there is an expectation from consumers regarding traceability of their food. I think the days of guys dropping cattle off at the auction once a year with no information as to their upbringing, health status drug treatments etc are just about over. As a consumer I think it's about time too.
Those are my concerns gcreekrch. Regardless of my views you must realise expansion of bureaucracy is a feature of a mature society that has already taken care of the fundamentals like food, shelter and employment. It is job creation to an extent but nothing you or I say is going to reverse this trend. I think we would be better placed accepting the inevitable - we are going to have a traceability system and turn our attention instead to making sure it is the best, most workable one we can have. Addressing your concerns about not seeing your cattle for long periods of time is a good example. I think traceability on an operation like yours need not be complex. There is no proposal to track where your cows are every day. I believe from what I've read before you trail your cattle to different locations you own, rent or graze and I see no reason why these should even be traced during these movements. I would think in your case it's simply a matter or recording on/off ranch movements when they come or go to auctions or bull sales. I think that is the kind of battle we should be fighting - to ensure we get workable rules. Stating that "we don't need or want any traceability system and anything introduced won't work" will not result in a favourable response or desirable outcome from Government in my opinion.
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