Light at the end of the tunnel?

[cowman]

On the front page of my local paper the headline was "BORDER TO OPEN"!
Reading the article sort of clarified that it wasn't necessarily going to be real soon! However they have started the process that could open the border in early January to young stuff and bone-in meat. So all and all this has to be a good thing? And I suspect the calf market should soon start to reflect this positive news?
Now if we could just try to figure out what to do with those darned old cows!

[grassfarmer]

It looks like the border will be open in the first quarter of 2004 as most people have been suspecting for several weeks now. I suggest we now turn our thoughts to what we can do protect our industry when that happens. The danger of US buyers taking every feeder calf out of Canada is a dire threat to our future. I would rather take $1.17 from a Canadian feedlot than $1.50 from a US one if it means we have no feedlot industry left in Canada down the line. I propose we look at allowing only fed cattle to leave the country thus protecting our feedlot/backgrounding
/grain and cow operations from future ruin. Let US operators feed the cattle here if they want but not remove all our young feeders.

[carebear300]

I have only one thing to add, not trying to be sarcastic, if you restrict one part of the equation you have to restrict it all. I don't want any american feed grains being dumped in this country either. I t isn't going to happen the americans will do what they want and the canadian farmerr will suffer!!!!!!!!

[kato]

I agree, it would be better to sell for a little less, and keep it Canadian, except for the fact that that same Canadian feedlot would probably turn around and sell them to the States for the $1.50! Survival is the main game now.

I guess the only way to truly keep it Canadian is to finish them ourselves.

As for the feed grain, where is our government? The Americans have a perpetual lawsuit against the Wheat Board, yet our country just rolls over, and say's "come on in!" I just don't get it.

[cowman]

Well I doubt that much corn will be coming in with barley at $2.30/bu.! I don't know about you but if some American wants my calves at $1.50/lb. then I'm open for business!
I assume we still have a free trade deal so the whole idea of not allowing the Americans to buy up our feeder cattle is a pipe dream. It may not be right but that is just how it is!
Maybe we need to think like the corporations...never look beyond the next six months! If things go to hell in a hand basket then sellout. Isn't this how all businesses are run?

[dfarms11]

Maybe I'm a little naive but why would the americans take our calves straight across the border and not feed them here. From my understanding of fed cattle I was told that Canadian fed (with barley) is way better tasting and also cheaper to feed. Is that not why the americans want to bring their cattle here to feed? Now I realize the higher dollar makes it not as cheap for them but I don't think that will last. Anyway just wondering if this really a dangerous issue or not.

[kato]

It's true that barley fed beef is much better. Our niece, who used to work in Texas could hardly wait to come home for a real steak while she lived down there.

This is one spot where the "country of origin" rule could actually work to our benefit. What if people tried ours and liked it better? Wouldn't that be ironic? What a hoot!