I have read with great interest the discussion paper (www.cattlefeeder.ab.ca) and the proposed structure of a new Alberta cattle industry group structure. I know that the people that sit in these groups take time to do so and think they are working toward the betterment of the industry. (maybe they are making the industry better???) My challenge I guess is that we have for years studied the industry with PAID consultants and have paid positions in the industry and here we are back at the table with more boards ... check-offs and complex structures that take in only half the industry and in my opinion only the half that has most of the input costs and the smallest (gross) margins.
In the plan producers are again put in a position of you REALLY have no choice!!!
Now don't get me wrong here we need to re-engineer industry (this was advised in 1998 January 26 & 27 Canadian Cattlemen's Association "RE-ENGINEERING THE BEEF INDUSTRY WORKSHOP". But here we go are we really going to restructure or change the names???
Our industry leaders need to be held accountable for their actions, if we do not have a way to hold them accountable then they control you!
The re-engineering needs to take into account every stakeholder in the supply chain and the information needs to flow freely throughout the supply chain and in a way we can use it to improve the industry.
Our leaders need to represent us to the government and are their to inform the government about the reality of the situation (seems like the government is out of touch).
Any umbrella organization needs to have representation somehow from all stakeholders (cow/calf to consumer).
I have great respect for the individuals that try to make things happen in our industry, but let's wake up, we have studied the industry to death, we have people hired with our funds that make more then what many producers do (maybe rightly so, maybe not) and when the industry needs them the most, they are all fighting with themselves.
You want to make a new structure, go for it! Let the producers fire those on these boards that make the industry struggle, give the producers choices, show the producers more money and get these groups out of our face so we can actually get on with developing our industry!
On a positive note:
"The weather is Sunny and Warm"
In the plan producers are again put in a position of you REALLY have no choice!!!
Now don't get me wrong here we need to re-engineer industry (this was advised in 1998 January 26 & 27 Canadian Cattlemen's Association "RE-ENGINEERING THE BEEF INDUSTRY WORKSHOP". But here we go are we really going to restructure or change the names???
Our industry leaders need to be held accountable for their actions, if we do not have a way to hold them accountable then they control you!
The re-engineering needs to take into account every stakeholder in the supply chain and the information needs to flow freely throughout the supply chain and in a way we can use it to improve the industry.
Our leaders need to represent us to the government and are their to inform the government about the reality of the situation (seems like the government is out of touch).
Any umbrella organization needs to have representation somehow from all stakeholders (cow/calf to consumer).
I have great respect for the individuals that try to make things happen in our industry, but let's wake up, we have studied the industry to death, we have people hired with our funds that make more then what many producers do (maybe rightly so, maybe not) and when the industry needs them the most, they are all fighting with themselves.
You want to make a new structure, go for it! Let the producers fire those on these boards that make the industry struggle, give the producers choices, show the producers more money and get these groups out of our face so we can actually get on with developing our industry!
On a positive note:
"The weather is Sunny and Warm"