Opportunity

[grassfarmer]

I hope your gloves are only off rhetorically Randy - I
think that was part of the problem at Lakeside.

[RShields]

You probably have a window of opportunity to solidify your business gf.
One question that hasn't been asked is what if NB doesn't have deep enough pockets to get through this deal.
Are we better or worse off if they things go back to status quo?

[grassfarmer]

It's rock solid already RSHIELDS, I don't need to
capitalize on this sorry situation as I'm as busy as I
want to be. Just wish I could convince some others to
get into the same business as it really is a nice fit for
a family farm.
As for NB and depth of their pockets I don't know the
answer - time will tell. In my opinion if they were to
bail out it would be short term pain for long term
gain. I see them as nothing but parasites feasting off
the rotten carcass of the Canadian cattle industry.
They obviously have some fellow parasites circling
like coyotes - the cattle organizations that back them
and put out press releases like the one Randy posted.

[ASRG]

I think the CCA and ABP have probably got their marching orders to try to discredit the local butcher and locally sourced beef?
Just about every story you see on TV they have some customer saying "I'm not buying any beef at Walmart or Safeway. I'm buying my beef from the local small butchershop!I know it's safe"
A case in point: I participate on facebook mainly to keep up with my extended family (nieces/nephews etc.). I sent out a message "don't eat any beef unless you know where it comes from". Got a reply from a niece, who is a high end investment banker in Vancouver, saying they only buy organic grass fed beef from their local guy......she said since this wreck he can't keep up with the demand!
Now I realize a lot of people don't have the income she does, but if the message is out there that commodity beef isn't safe and people start considering alternatives......what happens to the "corporate model" of cheap mass produced meat?
Do the CCA and ABP represent the average cow/calf guy or do they represent big corporate "agri business"?
Who are they serving when they try to lump all beef together?

[kato]

What I can't understand is why cattle producers everywhere aren't so mad they're spitting bullets.

I know I am.

Is it because they've reached the tipping point, and have decided it's not worth the fight? Are they so worn down from the losses since 03 that this is the final straw? That it's just not worth caring about? It seems that just when things start to look up, somebody up the line screws up and we pay for it. How many times does that have to happen before producers say "F*^* it, I'm selling the cows. Life's too short for this bull^%$$."

We're at a point where, depending on how this all plays out, Canada could very well become an importer of beef, and not be able to supply the Canadian market, let alone have any to export. So all those fancy "new" export markets won't be filled anyway, at least with Canadian beef.

Which is what I have said time and time again, for almost ten years now, in letters to G Ritz and friends. Letters that were brushed off.

[ASRG]

kato: I hear you. I think that is exactly where we are......people just feel "Why knock myself out....no one cares"?
I walked out of the meeting I attended this morning completely MAD....and VERY discouraged. 10 years ago the crowd would have been ready to break out the ropes and hang somebody.....now it is like "oh well....hopefully it will work out!"
What in the hell is wrong with people? Have we become a bunch of frightened sheep?

[grassfarmer]

I don't know what's happened ASRG but things have
gone very quiet in Alberta at least - on all fronts. It's
like everyone has given up on everything.
I get more calls about fracking from Ireland than from
nearby, every Ag issue has gone quiet - even the
CWB, the land bills issue has gone quiet, the Wildrose
has gone quiet (apart from a few media appearances
today).
Is this the result of the vocal minority not being able
to positively influence anything recently with federal
and provincial Con majorities?
Is everyone feeling that we shouldn't complain as we
are largely escaping the negative effects of the global
recession?
I don't know what's going on but politically it's eerily
quiet on all fronts and that's not a good sign in a
democracy.

[ag-boy]

RKAISER
NEVER HEARD OPENING OF YOUR KILL PLANT ?
X-L is going up for sale ! rumors to deep in financial problems , understandable after this huge meat sale loss.
hear is your opporturnity by cheap like NB brott did and and AB pc government will put in millions , like N-B got
from all the neg news we hear and money lost .
This plant will never run again ! with out some help from federal and provincial government
Yes i hear losses are that huge and still over 5000 head in de coolers
Processing them and clearing , cleaning , inspecting again before FCIA takes a look at it again .
We taxpayer pays for all dayly inspectors , who did not do the job and reported to higher up
We never find out ! me be not the plant at all .better have a look at those small abottoir around us here
lets us not forget Cargill!
same inspectors waking around and NOTknowing where to look for and not reporting .
Will it hurt calves price at all ? NO
Randy check with ENTREPENEUR RICK -PASCO Canada -Gold - Beef boys who experence in beef kill plant and had a very nice export of hormone free beef to EU. all our best of luck to Randy and get this new enterprice going
we need compotition to only one plant left around us