Interesting conversation .......... there is no reason why a producer owned packing plant can not make it in today's market environment ........... in fact the producers do not have to own the packing plant because often the management becomes obsessed with pushing volume through the facility to make it "pay".
Here in the province of Alberta, we have the best example of a vertically intregrated value chain operation that there could be ........... Sunterra Farms owned and operated by the Price family at Trochu .......... I am sure that they have their warts all companies do ......... but talk about controlling your destiny!
With the present domestic consumer demand and love for a "story branded" product, there should be no problem for a small to medium sized facility to operate ......... profitably or not?? ......... well that depends on various factors ............ the countryside is littered with all types of farmer co-ops and new generation co-ops which have been tried and failed. Mostly because the internal politics and self interests of the producer boards which were elected to oversee management. But there are lots of models and schemes which could be adapted and modified ............. the major issue would be that you would essentially be "contracted" to produce for the "value chain".
There is that word that all the "independant" cattlemen hate ......... "contract" ............. but if you really are honest that is the only way that a such a "value chain" could thrive and flourish in today evnvironment.
A value chain of this nature requires a steady consistent supply of product. Producers would have to committ to providing this supply and at a contracted price.
Other obstacles would be the need to be federally inspected in other to attain a value added market place for various portions of the carcasses
which have no domestic market within Canada.
Is there anyone out there who is serious about such a concept ........if there is and the structure and parameters of production, processing and marketing are inline with my thinking, then I am interested and willing to invest time and money!
Here in the province of Alberta, we have the best example of a vertically intregrated value chain operation that there could be ........... Sunterra Farms owned and operated by the Price family at Trochu .......... I am sure that they have their warts all companies do ......... but talk about controlling your destiny!
With the present domestic consumer demand and love for a "story branded" product, there should be no problem for a small to medium sized facility to operate ......... profitably or not?? ......... well that depends on various factors ............ the countryside is littered with all types of farmer co-ops and new generation co-ops which have been tried and failed. Mostly because the internal politics and self interests of the producer boards which were elected to oversee management. But there are lots of models and schemes which could be adapted and modified ............. the major issue would be that you would essentially be "contracted" to produce for the "value chain".
There is that word that all the "independant" cattlemen hate ......... "contract" ............. but if you really are honest that is the only way that a such a "value chain" could thrive and flourish in today evnvironment.
A value chain of this nature requires a steady consistent supply of product. Producers would have to committ to providing this supply and at a contracted price.
Other obstacles would be the need to be federally inspected in other to attain a value added market place for various portions of the carcasses
which have no domestic market within Canada.
Is there anyone out there who is serious about such a concept ........if there is and the structure and parameters of production, processing and marketing are inline with my thinking, then I am interested and willing to invest time and money!
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