Bad News

[burnt]

Whoa, take it easy there chappie! And stay away from those doggone mirrors - they can hurt ya!

[ASRG]

Unlike grassfarmer, I believe the government does owe me that money. Their job was to protect the safety of our beef. They dropped the ball and we all paid for it!
I never signed up for the class action suit either but I sure do support it, because I do believe the government is responsible. And if I get the money I sure will spend it! I might very well spend some of it on political/property rights stuff.....anything that might keep these skunks accountable!
You might say I don't like the corporate owned government......I think they are evil and everytime I can stick it to them I will.

[jensend]

i'm not in alberta so not familiarwith the program. crop insurance premiums are 60% subsidized; are these as well?

[grassfarmer]

No - that's just a lie Burnt is promoting for some
reason.
From the AFSC website:

"Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Will CPIP premiums be subsidized by the federal or
provincial government like crop insurance premiums
are?
A. No, CPIP premiums are not subsidized at this time
to avoid any negative trade action against the
Canadian beef industry.


CPIP - The Basics

Voluntary: Premiums are producer funded and
producers can choose to participate."

[ASRG]

I had a quick look at the calf program when it first came out last year and thought it was predicting pretty low prices (I believe the based it on a 600 lb steer calf/a sliding scale). If I remember right the CPIP guaranteed price was $1.32/lb- I think delivery between Oct 15-Dec 1st.
I can't remember what the premium was, but I didn't think it made any kind of sense...unless there was a major meltdown in the market.

[rkaiser]

Premiums may not be subsidized, but how the hell is a program like this going to function with premiums like those GF has presented to us. Impossible. One payout would break the bank from one feedlot. Not to mention the administration costs that ARE subsidized by government money, and susally equal or better any farmer cheque.

As I said and I stand by it. This and any other government / ABP/ CCA innitiative is simply to distract producers from thinking for themselves and con them into participating in the conventional beef game. A game that allows everyone involved to shift liability around and never be truly responsible to the consumer of our beef.

When the class action finally pays out, I truly hope that ranchers use the dough to not only take back their industry, but take responsibility from ranch to plate themselves.

I totally understand the Look after me and my family first attitude, however, standing in front of housewives and mothers every single day would certainly be a challenge I would like to see every rancher experience. Tell them that you are trying with some of your cattle, and then tell them not to worry about the rest of the cattle that you feed the conventional system with that you are simply ONLY trying to make money off without any regard for the children in their wombs.

[grassfarmer]

ASRG, That is the intent of the price insurance - to
give the producer a downside price protection tool if
they choose to use it.

Randy I have seen no evidence to suggest the
administration costs are subsidized although there
seems to have been Governmental/industry joint
investment in the development of the program.

In my opinion there will always be a "commodity beef
industry". How much each producer want to be
involved in that is up to them.

You needn't preach to me about the quality of the
food we are supplying the consumer with. I'm actually
raising calves on my ranch, off my cows from which I
market the high quality, healthy grass-fed beef they
want. I invested my own time, money and brainpower
developing the market we now have. I've been doing
it for 10 years not just talking about it and waiting for
some windfall cash injection into the industry which
will magically transform everything overnight.

[rkaiser]

No waiting here GF. Participating and working at
it as long and hard as you. Just don't understand
your half hearted effort. Or maybe three
quarters. LOL

[cpallett]

Now kids, no point in jumping on Iain for being an opinionated pain in the butt. That just gives him something in common with me and everybody else here. Personally, I'm proud of it.

FYI Iain it is not the lawyer's decision how the opt-in/opt-out works for any class action. That is a matter in which the appropriate provincial statute applies. Given that the BSE class action is being run from Ontario, the Ontario Class Proceedings Act applies and if you fit the definition (Canadian resident who was farming cattle on May 20, 2003) you're in unless you actively choose to be out. Blame the Ontario legislature if you have to blame somebody.

FYI we now have a tentative trial date of September 2014.

[burnt]

Aaww jeepers Cameron, now I feel all guilty for being so inconsiderate of Grassfarmer's obvious shortcomings!

Had I known that he was such a commoner as us, I certainly should have expected less of him!

But seeing how easy it was for you to guilt me out like that, I'm doubly glad that you are working for us and not HMQ!!

[ASRG]

Well that's good news Cam? I'm sure the government will try to stall but it looks like they are slowly being dragged toward a judgement?

[rkaiser]

18 months to get them to mediate and payout 50 to 75% of the over 10 billion we got coming.

We an start planning on building plants all over Canada now and paying for them ourselves.

Thanks Uncle Sam and Aunty Brazil for your short say ---- we can handle it now.