PFRA Rate Relief - A good place to start

[kato]

I just checked out the PFRA website. According to it, there are over 200,000 cows in PFRA pastures across Western Canada. I'm sure there are lots of people who visit here who are among them.

I just sent an email to the Director General of the PFRA, Carl Neggers, suggesting that a good place to start supporting the Canadian cattle industry would be to suspend the charges on this summer's pasture.

In just a few weeks, pasture patrons will be getting phone calls to come and pick up their cows. They want payment before they are released. One of my neighbours has already asked what would happen if he just left his cows there. He was told they would be sent to the pound, and he would get an even higher bill.

I know a fellow who shipped a bunch of fat, finished grain fed cows and got $200.00 each. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that the old thin cow you may pick up in the fall isn't worth the $130.00 that she will cost you to bail out.

This would be a very quick, simple, and fast way to help out at least the 4,000 patrons that use these pastures.

Kind of a "put your money where your mouth is" thing.

Mr. Neggers email address is <neggersc@agr.gc.ca>

Pass it around.

(I tried to find Mr. Vancleif's email address, but of course that's not available)

[almoy]

Vanclief's email address

Vanclief.L@parl.gc.ca

I have emailed before and eventually got an answer.

[kato]

Update..I talked to my cousin yesterday, who said his friend the community pasture manager told him they got a memo stating that no cattle are to leave the pasture without full payment.

It's nice to see our government is thinking of us first.

Lyle Vanclief
fax - 613-759-1081
phone - 613-759-1059

Mail address
Sir John Carling Building
Floor 9 Room 947
930 Carling Avenue
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0C5

[jensend]

I don't think cutting pasture rates is a good thing because it doesn't apply to all producers.

[Bruce14]

I agree with jensend. We have all our own pastures as a lot do. Something equitable would need to be worked out.

For SOME not all the community pasture system is used by people who are in and out of cattle or by those speculating buying grassers.

I am not opposed to this idea but it is not as cut and dried as some think.

[kato]

I'm not necessarily advocating a cut...just some time to pay.

We know people who leave a post dated cheque, then run to the auction mart to sell some calves so the cheque doesn't bounce. What will they do now? It may take most of their cheques to pay the pasture, meanwhile the calves are gone for whatever they can bring, at the mercy of the price of the day, and there is no option for improving the return on them.

Sure, there are some speculators there, but there are far more regular cattle producers. And remember, the people who buy cattle to speculate on them are the same ones who support the price at the auction mart. A buyer is a buyer, and if they can increase the value of a calf, what's wrong with that?

Don't worry, the government knows how to get their money, one way or another. To force a bad sale is not a fair way to get it.

[almoy]

Not a fair idea at all. Farmers that have their own pasture also have fall payments of some kind. They also are at the mercy of whateveer price they can get (if there is a market at all). Not many are raising cattle just for a hobby. Any help should be available equally to everyone.

[kato]

Delaying the due date isn't unfair to any one else.

We have cows pastured with private farmers as well. If we only have so much cash right now, I would far rather give it to them.