ABP resolutions

[rkaiser]

How is everyone making out at the fall producer meetings? They tell us to come on out and help them understand the grassroots concerns and bring forward resolutions to give them direction.

Anyone having any luck?

Popped in on a zone meeting at Cochrane last night and almost forgot about the resolution thingy. IN fact, had to mention it at the end of the meeting as it was going to end without any.

Thought I would take a crack at one. Asked that ABP support the idea of a producer owned packing plant. I realise that I did not give the crowd of mostly seniors an in depth account of my non diabolical plan and all but the rejection calls after my son seconded my motion that allowed discussion where kinda weird. Kinda glad it did not get passed LOL as it would have failed technically at the AGM since they would likely have found out that my kid does not own any cattle. His heart beat fast with frustration none the less as the lame excuses from the old guard as to why not support the idea came flooding in.

Young Stewy T, the youngest man in the room next to yours truly and me boy stood up and made the same stand he has been making for years about how he would rather see more money spent on research than to support this lamb brain idea of ours. Research that I would predict would create a new, maybe GMO variety of barley that would allow grain farmers to pull more volume from their fields and lower the price his hand me down feedlot has to pay for that damn overpriced barley..LOL

One of the old guard pointed out to the crowd that not one producer packing plant has succeeded and never will. Not sure which producer owned plant he was talking about other than the producers named Brian and Lee, or maybe the $100,000.00 gang led by the infamous price family who left millions of tax payers dollars on the floor at Balzac and Brooks. Both private companies that borrowed millions from the government with full support of ABP.

I think that I buried my ass right off the bat with mention of the BIG C and "Cam Ostercamp" names at an ABP meeting. Names that ring in the same tone as Satan in the good book when it comes to ABP and the loss they took when the refundable levy took away some of their play money.

Might go play at another ABP gong show tonight in Sundre as I don't have to go to work until tomorrow. I think I have one legitimate seconder for my resolution there and maybe I will be a bit more ready for the onslaught from the old guard. Sounds like an AFSC guy will be there and I can ask him outright how many millions of ABP tax supported dollars were lost on the two plant proposals the old guard referred to as producer owned projects? LMAO

Oh yes, ---- only had one hand in the room rise in support of my resolution and it was that of my legitimate --- illegitimate son... LOL

Those who were not fearful either sat on their hands or were too old to raise them quick enough -- me thinks. Good old Barry Edge, the moderator, did have the vote counters ready to go however...

Can't say the ass slivers where prevalent however as the majority definitely supported the status quo rather than a sustainable "across the board" producer initiative and applauded the coming of the Brazilian saviours. Even though I tried to remind them that JBS not only has a loan from their Brazilian government but a shareholder stake.

Whoop Whoop.

[ASRG]

Randy: You are a shit disturber.....good for you!

You know you are wasting your time going to an ABP meeting....you just enjoy twisting some tails and stirring the pot!

Again......good for you.....if you make a few sheep wake up or at least feel a bit uncomfortable, you've accomplished something!

[per]

Geepers I forgot about the Zone meetings. Never received my Grass Roots mag this year. Coincidence? I find them too frustrating anyway.

[smcgrath76]

Ours meeting comes up in Minburn next week. Might be interesting, but I doubt
it will be earth shattering.
My concern with producer owned plants (having owned part of one) is that with
the current structure and supports in industry I think any existing plants would
probably outspend for cattle with their existing funds and government support $.
I suspect they may even undercut the retail price end as well.
I agree with your thought process Randy, but it would require a bulletproof
business plan, probably a responsive and accountable CFIA and some firm delivery
contracts. You may also require producers with commitment to the process. I
think that would enable pulling in of equity from outside primary agriculture.
Most producers I know are too busy buying land and combines to have cash left
for a packing plant venture.
Fire Away!!!

[ASRG]

I think Sean brings up a really important point? Until the government brings in some rules about predatory business practices there will be a reluctance for individuals or other packers to enter the Western Canadian market?
JBS and Cargill play pretty rough...they have no problem with taking losses if they can break the little guy.

[rkaiser]

Nothing to do with asking for investment Sean, just a levy on each animal harvested at the plant to pay down the loan. The levy would become a share for the producer and competition at both the supply and marketing end would be limited by staying away from commodity beef.

Not a rock solid business plan and not rocket science.

We are going to have a plant some day and will take advantage of all the time and energy put in by Ritz and the APB/CCA opening markets around the world... LOL

Or should I say Feds/ABP/CCA meeting the gals in Wan Chai and slapping each other on the back for opening markets only to come home to Canada and present their gift to Cargill. Then as always, Cargill says "thanks but no thanks, we are doing just fine taking your cattle south to OUR people at the discounted "basis" of $240.00 per head.

A producer levy plant is your choice as a producer Sean, one that we are offering you. If you don't want it or are fearful, we will deal with a private entity that does not have the fears. AND there are investors on this planet who do not have fears.

Buying Balzac with a government loan or loan guarantee is all we are asking from the producer ownership side.

If there is no interest from producers to help us ask for the loan, we will go elsewhere. Funny part is that we do actually have a growing number of producers that see the merit and thus our willingness to make the offer.

When BIG C made the offer way back when, we had lots of grassroots support. Government and ABP/CCA decided to support private groups and the money flowed to private projects like Ranchers beef and NB. This support has now turned into multi millions of taxpayers as well as your private investment dollars lost Sean. It did not work, so let's try something completely different.

[rkaiser]

I will admit that predatory behaviour can not be eliminated with non commodity marketing, but it can certainly be slowed. America has a lot of value chain packers and they live amongst the so called wolves as much as we do.

As for the CFIA. I think that the pressure needs to continue to be put on them and the BSE class action would be the best way to accomplish that. Even more than the ecoli thing. Having industry support the class action could have a huge effect on the old guard at CFIA.

Despite this latest go round that I will still say was just as much the responsibility of NB as CFIA, food safety in Canada is amazing compared to the rest of the world. Hell we have even more stringent regulations on SRM removal and every bit as high of standards as the US for ecoli and other bacteria control. We can use these high standards to our advantage boys. This was my point when we all decided that the target needs to be the CFIA. The world sees things like that and hopefully it will bring about change. However, making NB look like bumbling fools would even better our chances for global export markets or investment in the packing industry.

[rkaiser]

Ah yes. Good old SRM removal. Was discussed last evening as well. Well not really discussed...LOL that part of the meeting where you just listen and drink the kool aid. LOL

Cargill is incredible in their manipulation of their ABP/CCA puppets. They are still barking about the disadvantage that the proverbial "we" are having with SRM removal in spite of helping Cargill garner millions of dollars in government grants to build their own burn down/ energy production facility on site at High River. Almost as much money as it would take for a down payment on our Balzac plant....where we have investors in place to build a bio fuel digester on a privately funded level when we find the money to purchase the facility.

Used to be frustrating to watch the ABP/CCA multinationalsocialists work, now it is simply entertaining.

[smcgrath76]

Randy, I support the concept. The
cart/horse thing is that I think
producers in general need to have some
specific protocols and $ figures
presented for going this route. What I
mean is if certain specs need to be
provided for targeting specific markets,
the value return needs to be clear, or I
suspect that cattle will just hit the
commodity market via an NB auction barn.
Unfortunately/fortunately a couple more
years of pain or longer memories would
have moved this along a lot quicker.

[rkaiser]

Agreed Sean

[grassfarmer]

I've quit flogging dead horse Randy, wouldn't waste
my time going to ABP meetings - been there - done
that - time to move on. At least they aren't wasting
my levy money any longer.
Same thing with "producer owned" plants as far as I'm
concerned. It has been clearly proven that there is no
real appetite among producers for this. Plenty of talk
but in reality very few prepared to take the risk with
their capital and I don't think I blame them in this
environment.
It's wonderful how free enterprise works though in
spite of the ABPs and Cargills of the world. Successful
businessmen who know and understand the realities
of the slaughter industry are still operating meat
plants that offer the opportunity for producers
interested in being involved further along the
production chain. Why try and reinvent the wheel?

[rkaiser]

Agreed as well GF. Just thought I would give it one last crack before we move on with our project. Sure would be an opportunity for both the government and the boys at ABP/CCA to do something worth while for once.

Don't know when we will own a plant yet, but we will.