ABP Plan Review

[smcgrath76]

I see via my newsletter that the ABP plan review meeting in edmonton is available for viewing online at wlex.ca
Date is June 10th at 1:30 pm.

[loric]

I would encourage everyone to log on to watch the plan review debate. You can register on the website at anytime between now and June 10th. It might be a good idea to do this ahead of time if you are not familiar with online webcasts.

If this works, I am hoping to use a webcast for the resolutions debate in December during the AGM. I hear all the time that producers are demanding more transparency from ABP - and this is a way for producers to see exactly what is debated if the can't make the meetings.

I am interested to know what everything thinks after the debate is over. I think this is a great way to bring this to everyone's office and living room.

[grassfarmer]

Lori, I realise it is your job and this must be an exciting development of technology but really what is the point?
I am under the impression that the average Alberta cow/calf producer is a tired 60 something with an off farm job and a few critters that he ships calves off in the fall. Many are not computer literate, most are on dial-up and I doubt very much whether they would be at all interested in watching an in-house debate on structural reform of an organisation that seems irrelevant to them. It seems to be another case of "fiddling while Rome burns"

I'm all for freedom of expression and would welcome any changes ABP could make to their structure to allow interactive debate between the board level and the ordinary producer on issues that are relevant to our futures as beef producers. The current structure of Fall Producer Meetings clearly does not work as the resolutions and proposals that producers have called for time and again are never adopted at the board level.

Speaking of transparency did you ever come up with cost on the RancHers promotion campaign?

[loric]

The webcast is designed to accomodate people on dial-up. That's why we choose to work with a business that does online cattle sales. They understand the implications of rural visitors.

Grassfarmer - "it seems I'm damned if I do - and damned if I don't" with many people on this forum. I get flack for when people don't understand what's going on. So I create a forum for people to watch to debates. Now I'm told that people won't bother. Short of reading a bedtime story and tucking each producer in at night - all I can do is put the options out there. It's up to each of you to make a decision if you want to watch and take part.

As far as the RancHERs - I've made some enquires. The way items are coded - they are mixed in with other promotional costs. For example - if they are at Stampede -then the cost of them there is rolled into the costs of the other people manning booths, materials, ect. I know a booth at Stampede costs $10,000 - and I know they get travel costs and honourariums - but like I said - they are coded to the event - not the RancHER.

[loric]

What I can tell you off-hand is that the Promotion Committee (that funds the RancHERs) spent $673,411 in the 06/07 budget year. Of that amount, $117,473 is director and delegate expenses. That equates to about 15-cents of the $3 check-off.

[loric]

I maybe came off as a little cross above - the cons of using the written word I guess. I didn't mean it that way.

I would encourage all of you to watch the webcast. If for nothing else - than to give me feedback on how it worked. If you are on dial-up - it would be great to know how well it worked - and if the audio came in clear. It is something I would like to use in the resolutions debate i this works. The reason being - it's a way for producers to see how their delegates are voting, what they are saying during the debates and to hear the pros and cons of each resolutions debated.

[grassfarmer]

Loric, As I said nothing personal I realise it's your job. " Damned if I do - and damned if I don't" is maybe an over simplification though. Much of the condemnation ABP gets on this site comes as a result of the producers views not getting listened to. We, the producers, have already given our opinions at the Fall producer meetings on the "structural changes" required of ABP with regard to levy funding, issues that we want to see the organisation lobby Government on etc. The problem is these are not reflected in the subsequent policy set by the board as their agenda seems to be somewhat different. Offering us the opportunity to listen/watch a debate on a side issue (organisational reform) is no consolation for not dealing with the underlying problems of the non functioning democracy that is ABP.

As far as the structural review which concerns tinkering with whether there are two zone reps on this committee or three matters neither here nor there to the average producer as I think is shown by the response rate you have had to the questionaires sent out on this matter .

[grassfarmer]

Loric, thank you for attempting to come up with a cost of the RancHers campaign. It rather confirms my suspicion – that ABP doe not know the cost of the RancHers brand – without knowing the cost how can you measure value for money you are getting or calculate how much funding to allocate to the successor campaign? Still I don’t suppose it matters – plenty levy money out there that complacent producers allow to be removed from their wallets. Keep the good times rolling !!

[loric]

Grassfarmer - I just finished talking with the financial controller and she is going to attempt to work out numbers for you. This will take her some time to do as it's seven years worth of paperwork that you are after. It might take a couple of weeks to get it to you (as we have the semi annual meeting next week) and I am escaping the "ivory tower" as some of you call it, to do some work on our own ranch.

I will endevour to have them to you in two weeks.

[grassfarmer]

loric, Don't bother on my account - if the decision has been made on a new campaign without knowing the cost/benefit of the last one so be it. It's poor financial accountability in my view but the last thing I want to do is create more work (paid for by producer checkoff) to satisfy my curiosity.

[farmers_son]

I know we have had this conversation in another thread but I would point out that the RancHers campaign was truly a home run hit when it comes to marketing our beef product and its positive impact on maintaining the Canadian consumer's confidence in our beef product throughout the BSE crisis has to be recognized.

Generally I try to find exact number to quote in these threads but in the time I have this morning I could not find any regarding the total value of the Canadian cattle/beef industry. However some quick spreadsheet calculations suggest that we are talking about an industry with a total value to the producer of in excess of seven billion dollars and to the economy of Canada probably in excess of 50 billion dollars. Now I do not know what those three gals got paid but I darn sure know they made a tremendous difference and goodness knows we got value for our dollar with them.

Plus there were soft benefits to that campaign that cannot be measured in dollars such as helping to project a positive image of raising cattle to cattle producers themselves in a time when we were challenged like never before in our history.

[grassfarmer]

It is unfortunate that you don't have figures f_s, it appears ABP doesn't either so it makes a nonsense of your claim that "the RancHers campaign was truly a home run hit when it comes to marketing our beef product and its positive impact" As they say in the cattle improvement business you can't improve what you can't measure - apparently no one has any idea of the financial effect good or bad of the RancHers promotions but are basing their opinions on feel good factor.
As I said in earlier threads I was not asking how much the ladies were paid I was asking the cost of the entire RancHers promotion. I don't grudge the ladies getting paid appearance money etc I wanted to know the cost of the generic beef marketing campaign that has utilised the RancHers brand.

[loric]

Grassfarmer -you have asked for the costs of the promotion on a couple of occasions now and I have asked the financial controller for that information on your behalf. We do have numbers - but as I am sure, even in your own farming operation - digging up specific financial over a seven year span isn't an easy task and isn't something done in an hour....especially details on a promotion that worked in a multi-million dollar industry.

Because you asked for them twice now - the controller is already in the process of getting it to you.

[loric]

RancHER costs:

2008 - $42,604
2007 - $76,334
2006 - $52,633
2005 - $75,964
2004 - $51,093
2003 - $75,960

TOTAL - $374,588

These costs relate to activities that relate to the Image work including the cost of having the RancHER’s at various events

Hope this helps you out Grassfarmer.