PRICE OF HAY FOR 2003

[Muttley]

I am getting ready to start cutting hay in a couple of weeks. What do you think the selling price for hay will be this summer?

I figure there is lot's out there and it will be alot less than last year, what to you figure?

[ValueChainFX]

ALICIA although you may not believe the story that has little to do with the perception of what the end results are. Rather than look at this as something else to fracture the industry, in my opinion we should be using this as something to make our system even better than it is at the moment.

The market place is on shaky ground all over the world, we can and will make it better, but energy wasted on controversy does little good. Putting our energy into making the right changes may help us all in the long run. Will those powers that be make the changes? Who knows, all I know is that we as an industry should be making the changes to protect our own interests.

[ALICIA]

Your absolutely right.
I am sure the vets have all ready ruled that out, who in their right mind is going to say Oh god! we made a mistake.
But the possibility of a mistake may get the borders open, and that would be good.

[harness]

not sure Muttley, won't be $120 per ton like last year. Maybe around $60 or $70 per ton? what do you think the price will be this year Muttley??

[ValueChainFX]

Opening the boarders as soon as possible is for sure the main goal here. Once they are open however we need to make sure they stay open and we don't have some big band aid placed on the PRODUCERS with additional costs.

I believe the producers should take a close look at what we have now and see what we can all do to make it better and more effective in the long run. Time to take the lead in these issues and not depend on the government for our future.

We have to work with them, but my feeling is we can do a lot to build a system that not only will protect our industry but enhance food safety, quality and security. To do this we would need to work together as an industry and not put all the costs on the producers backs!

We're working on it!

[Muttley]

Well I am getting ready to cut this week and sure hope it's in the 50 to 60 $ per ton range baled in the field.

I have been from southern Sask. to the Peace country this week and feel hay in my area is the tallest and best looking of all the area's.

I'll start baling by next weekend so hay is for sale at my place.