Do we really even know what we've done?

[rkaiser]

Sorry -- didn't means to end it there. The next problem above even the packers is the retailer who is using our product to draw customers in there little game of lost leader.

Both of these problems can be solved with pressure on supply. It is simple economics boys. We get product off this continent and our price increases. If the average consumer wants to eat South American beef and our government allows more imports. Well that's their loss. We supply those who want our grain fed product with our grain fed product at a premium price.

But it is painfully obvious after all these years that we cannot depend on anyone but ourselves to do it. We have to sell the beef, not just the cattle OURSELVES.

[grassfarmer]

On the Ranchers topic I'm interested to see that no-one mentioned the role of Cargill and their threatening of Calgary CO-OPs. Rather than ignore this I think this is where one of the biggest lessons needs to be learned. We absolutely have to change the system in this country so this kind of crap is not acceptable ever again. If we don't we're wasting our time - whether it be Ranchers Beef or any other entity above the scale of a farmer direct marketing to customers.
We have a broken marketplace that needs fixing and talk of exporting "Cdn beef" to the EU really is academic as long as it can only be killed at Brooks or High River. It has no chance of boosting producers incomes. Yes, we need to export off this continent but this will only work if it is killed at an alternate slaughter plant - and preferably one that can remain open for more that 12 months which looks unlikely in the current arena.

[Sawbones]

Grassfarmer, I've heard the references to Cargill and Calgary Co-op but am short on details. I know that Nilssons threatened Federated and they also broke Blue mountain by under cutting the ground meat price but i don't know the specifics on Calgary Co-op

[grassfarmer]

I didn't get real great details either - but it did come from my local MLA which presumably lends a bit of credibility. Same old story - "you'd better be sure you can get all your beef products from Ranchers because if you can't and you continue to deal with them you will get no supply from us."