Country Canada

[cowman]

Country Canada had a good show yesterday about the BSE thing and how the packing houses have operated during the crisis. It was quite an eye opener. Country Canada couldn't find one feedlot that would be interviewed because they were afraid IBP and Cargill would black ball them!
They explored how both these companies have operated in the US and it was not pretty. They did find an American feedlot owner who had been blackballed because he spoke out against their sleazy practices.
I wonder how we ever ended up with these pair of dogs running our industry and what were our politicians ever thinking?

[carebear300]

Wonder if maybe he had something to do with their political contributions to the parties in power in Alberta and Ottawa. Just a thought from this cynical and grouchy old farmer.

[Willowcreek]

Same thing has happened down here in the states, fellas. They've bought and paid for the politicians, turned a good cattlemans organization (NCBA) into one of their pawns, and are expanding to South America and Australia so they can control the entire meat industry.
Hopefully the ranchers and feedlot people win big in the Pickett suit thats going on now and wakes some people up.

[Horse]

I think the producer did it to themselves by contracting . The packers have a captive supply so why would they change . I guess I am like the old indian I long for the old ways but mabey it can not go back but when there was thousands of feeders they had app 8 packers to deal with but when a few figured out that they could control if they got large enough every thing went downhill . If it was not for the monoply I wonder if prices to the cousumer would be more or less and if so how much.

[kato]

You mean to say Country Canada is still on the air? We get 60 channels of Skycable, and we sure don't get that program anywhere. I thought it went off the air years ago.

:-0

[ivbinconned]

Willowcreek; what is the the pickett suit about??

[Willowcreek]

ivbinconned- This is a class action suit by many ranchers and feeders that claim IBP and other packers have a monopoly and have been using owned and contracted cattle to manipulate down the fat prices. It includes feeders that have been blackballed because of not selling to or speaking out against these conglomerates. It just started down in Alabama, but could have big effects on the entire industry.

[cowman]

Willowcreek: I think this feedlot guy was part of that lawsuit. He was from Kansas and he has started his own USDA inspected packing house. He markets a lot of his own product through a couple of stores and produces a premium product for the restaurant trade as well as slaughtering and marketing buffalo.
Kato: CBC every Sunday at about 2 PM MST. Red Sharon is the host. I'm not familiar with Sky cable. I assume it is a satelite system? I have Bell Xpress which basically sucks but you do get all the CBC, CTV and Global networks. And I also have Direct TV from the USA which is much better but totally American.