Soil contamination Japanese farmers devastated

[Kathy]

A new documentary on the radiation contamination of soil and air in Japan, from the Fukushima nuclear disaster. Documentary allows you to see how individual farmers and people are affected by the on-going fallout from the Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 11, 2011.

Radiation scientists video document their "radiation survey" of specific areas around Fukushima, many outside the exclusion zone.... One of the best bits of reporting I've seen yet!

My heart goes out to those in Japan who have made their living from the land, and are now thrust off their contaminated soil to find jobs somewhere else... Take note of the extremely high readings in the soil and vegetation... which far exceed the air samples... Radiation contamination is cummulative. Sad and scary... but a must see for its important facts, and personal stories. Farmers must unite to stop the further development of the nuclear industry... by the grace of God go I.


Nuclear : Collaborating to create a radioactive fallout contamination map
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVzX3gAxp58&feature=player_embedded

[Kathy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVzX3gAxp58

Link to video.

[burnt]

Great idea! How would you propose to present a credible offer to the importing country? I cannot picture the existing cattle organizations enthusiastically jumping on board. Is your existing business model a starting point?

[smcgrath76]

Just for S & G...
1. ensure you have at least a secured
supply of cattle to cover overhead
costs.
2. ensure you can segregate/sort
cattle/carcasses and can offer
specialized services (eg: Aitch bone
hanging, special cutouts)
3. offer specialized packaging/labeling
(we are talking about several smaller
value chains here, rather than one
massive one)
4. If the plant is to be a conduit for
adding value, it will have to think to
retail (past wholesale). The problem
with wholesale is that the value
proposition is strictly price vs. value
based.
5. don't forget to think local as well
6. don't brand the product as "Canadian
Beef", use the specifics of the producer
or local area or breed
7. leverage some of the technology we
already pay for (eg: use CCIA tags to
put the producer's face on the package).
8. have a lot of very patient money
(take your estimate and double it (or
maybe x3))
Unless you are doing several thousand
head per day, you are looking at higher
labour and overhead per pound of output
(no way around it). If you can
differentiate the plant through
environmental/safety/fair trade/animal
welfare/etc. then that is a great step
forward to pulling in value to cover the
added overhead costs as well.
FWIW.

[rkaiser]

Listen burnt --- the idea of this thread was not to ask questions but to answer them...LOL And let's open our hearts and minds and allow the folks on here from ABP/CCA to join in; you never know what they might come up with... Cheers

Thanks for getting the ball rolling Sean, great points.

[burnt]

Soo sorry! I guess I skipped step 2 amd wemt right to step 3!!

[perfecho]

Well for my $.02 worth......Local Food....small, efficient (yes, it can work) People are tired of a small problem in a big plant causing BIG problems. Problems in a small plant are small problems and effect only a few people, not a nation. Animals are hauled shorter distances, you do not have import labour, which has its own issues, etc., etc. There are small communities around big markets that welcome industry and can supply labour.
Do believe there is a model for about 50 animals a day that shows profit, doesn’t need to be “feed lot alley” stuff.
Many consumers are willing to pay premiums for "ethically raised" food...not organic......just raised with dignity, concern and sustainability for the product and environment. With the cancer related issues, people have valid concerns about their food supply and to me this is the greatest trending market going.
The day of smaller is better, will return…..I know it has worked on our operation. So, Randy, next time we meet, I’ll give you a bill for my $.02 consulting job… ;-0

[kato]

As someone who spends a fair bit of time selling at the farmer's market, I second that. Don't underestimate the local market. There are more and more people out there who are changing their buying habits, and the ones I meet really do want to know where their food comes from. We have one vendor at our market who comes with a deep freeze in the back of his truck, and moves a lot of pork from it. He uses the market to make contacts, and his beef and lamb is always spoken for before it's even been processed.

Besides, smaller plants filling local markets have the benefit of being "under the radar" of the big boys.

That's my 2 cents, which is all I've got at the moment. LOL

[BTOfarmallll]

Its called Magic Kathy, Ta Daa!!!!!!!

[littledoggie]

perfecto, I couldn't agree more. Bigger is not better - especially when it comes to animal welfare. I have always been bothered by the huge distances that cattle are hauled and thought that it made perfect sense to have smaller processing facilities to supply a smaller region. Let the big guys do the exporting. Smaller is better. Smaller cares more for the animals. I believe strongly in respecting the cattle for what they provide for us humans, by giving them the best life possible while they are here. After all, everything dies sooner or later. Happy, healthy cows is what we strive for by providing them with proper nutrition, shelter and low-stress handling.