The Real Issue Facing Canadian Cattle Producers

[PureCountry]

And do you have any proof that there is a majority AGAINST testing? There's a few old boys against, granted, but don't try telling anyone there's a majority.

I'm going to make a statement F_S, and I'd like you to try and argue it. Here goes:

If we had adopted testing 3 years ago, we would probably already have BSE-tested Canadian beef in Asian markets. And please keep in mind that Asia and India are the 2 fastestgrowing economies in the world. So please don't deflect from the question and tell me that Asian markets aren't worth pursuing.

[rkaiser]

A show of hands at every BIG C meeting in western Canada held four years ago, where we were in front of thousands of checkoff paying producers showed well over 90% every time. Another poll by the Alberta Beef Magazine showed similar results.

Three of four meetings zone meetings that I attended where the resolution was brought forward passed with major majority and despite the misinformation of one delegate at the AGM the fourth was lost by a vote of 8 to 7 and the scrutineers, myself included were not asked for our numbers. I had it tied. My zone director asked me afterward if I wanted to challenge the issue. The vote in the zone where the CCA chair and ABP vice chair spoke against the resolution was still passed with an overwhelming majority. But I've said all of this before and old farmer_son was obviously not reading those posts.

Guess those were all dreams hay farmers_son.

ABP runs scared every time a poll or plebiscite is brought up.

Why not take a poll in your zone farmers_son. Maybe you could win in your dreams too.

[farmers_son]

The Asian markets are worth pursuing. They buy our offal products and add value to parts of the animal we refuse to eat.

And I was to Big C meetings and did see the votes at those meetings. A big part of the package Big C was putting forward was producer packing plants which I would still like to see happen at some point. I am not sure the time is now given the high labour costs in this province and 60% packing plant capacity utilization. There was more interest in BSE testing four years ago then there is now. That issue has pretty well died down (except here at Agriville) as we have resumed exporting live cattle to the U.S and trade with Asia is expected to get back on stream in 2008 although it will be age verified not BSE tested.

[per]

Died down, are you living in your own dreams? I just came in from a drive through my cattle with a large buyer. He brought up the testing issue without any prompting. The conversation came around to the Fort Macloed meeting and how testing was on the minds of the Majority at that meeting. I never sold him any cattle today but certainly did discuss that so called Dead 2004 issue.

[cakadu]

Forgive me for asking this, but hasn't the high dollar put a crimp in the exports to the US? Isn't that part of the reason the cattle industry is hurting right now?

Could part of the reason for the perceived "backburner" status of the testing issue be, at least in part, due to the inaction of those in a position to do something about it?

[DiamondSCattleCo]

First we get deflections, then outright lies. Well probably not lies, but rather words from a man who doesn't pay any attention to the primary producers in his zone, and listens rather to the packers line about whats best for the Canadian cattle industry.

We'd might just as well forget about trying to enlighten f_s. He only listens to Hugh, Cargill and Tyson. Reason never wins out against money.

Rod

[rkaiser]

Died down farmers_son? Only in your dreams. Kind of like a nightmare that will never go away until you make a change or see a psychiatrist.

I know that you wish it would go away so that you and your ABP pals never have to be held accountable for your regulatory position. A position never ever bestowed on you but you have somehow decided that it is your right to regulate this industry.

Had you and the gang simply stopped and said that it was not truly your right to control industry with your perception and opinion, and passed the buck, it may have been done by now. You and ABP are choosing your own path farmers_son, and that path is not going to end where you would like it to end if you do not back off on the BSE testing issue.

I noticed that the ABP flunky who lied about the resolutions at the AGM was quoted with his personal opinion in the Western Producer this week. Why did ABP not have the executive make a statement? Did they use this flunky as they know it is going to be a problem for them for a good while to come? Why not publish the manifesto in the Producer for all to see. Are they afraid that the public consumer may see the way that ABP/CCA wants to cover this BSE mess up and not take the high and moral road which includes testing if the consumer asks.

Testing is scientifically irrelevant you say ----- My ass it is irrelevant. Hiding from it and using economic excuses is pathetic and despicable....

[cakadu]

In giving it a little further thought, I think it would be hard to extrapolate that the majority of producers no longer want BSE testing. If the attendance numbers are as abysmal as others have stated, then it would be hard to say that based on those who show up and vote at a meeting it could be extrapolated to the cattle producer numbers as a whole. There would be no way to know that you have a representative sample of producers at any given meeting.

It would also depend on how the resolution was read or the motion worded. There also could have been other things more on the forefront of producers minds i.e. harvesting, hay prices, rising input costs, grain prices, falling cattle prices etc. We tend to focus on what is foremost in our minds.

The only way to know for sure would be to poll all cattle producers to get an idea of who still supports testing.

Would ABP/CCA be willing to use some of that check-off money to conduct such a producer survey?

[rkaiser]

Tried that too cakadu.

As far as farmers_son saying he never saw the votes at the BIG C meetings. Obviously he never even looked at the questionnaire which we took our numbers from, let alone submitted a vote.

The problem that ABP/CCA has on their hands now, due to this arrogant attitude, is that when this producer vote happens it will not just be about testing, but about the legitimacy of ABP/CCA period.

[per]

I'm ready for that vote.