Grrrrr

[kato]

We've found over the years that when the government comes out supporting some new venture and looking to expand production in any commodity, that it's time to run. They just don't think it all the way through.

These promotions always support one region, at the expense of another. They also distort markets that could have a chance to work if left alone. (In a perfect world)

Over the last few years, Manitoba has been pushing pork production. There's a lot of money that has been spent on some very large and sophisticated facilities. Now municipalities are being flooded with disputes between the hog barns and the local residents. It's one fight after another. The only thing that slowed the expansion is the dismal price of hogs.

Alberta's beef strategy would have had the end result of forcing other provinces to either expand their production, which would have done more harm than good, or else lose the cattle industry the way we lost the packing industry a few years ago.

If a region is suited to cow calf because of plentiful pasture, then that's what belongs there. If they are a big grain producer, then they should be finishing cattle. The packers should be close to the market. Has any of this happened? I don't think see it.

In Manitoba, the loss of the Crow rate made the price of barley and oats less than the frieght costs at certain times, yet we still don't have a feedlot industry of any size. Why not?

It ain't easy being the little guy on the block.

[cowman]

Kato: I would suggest that one of the reasons Manitoba hog production hasn't expanded is the lack of suitable grain? The virtual epidemic of Fusarium gramminerum? The B trains pull into feedlot alley from Manitoba with Tombstone barley and they return with clean barley...now how efficient is that?
Without a doubt Alberta bought the feeding/packing industry! But we did have some natural advantages? The climate around feedlot alley is almost ideal for cattle feeding. The inability to grow wheat, due to climate, and the ability to grow feed barley in Alberta?
Manitoba will only get a feedlot/packing industry in place if their government steps up to the plate. Oh and an NDP government doesn't exactly make those old capitalists too happy?

[kato]

This year there was virtually no fusarium in Manitoba. The crops were good, and the barley is cheap.

Environmentalists are putting big pressure on the hog industry right now. Every barn that goes up faces a big fight. That's slowing things down a bit as well.

There are a lot of feed mills driving the expansion. They don't really care if the hogs make money, because the feed companies get theirs first.

Also, I think the government has been influenced by the packing industry. (aka Maple Leaf...aka the McCain family)
"Promote expansion so we get a steady captive supply of hogs, or else we will move to another province." Throw in a few tax cuts, blackmail the city of Brandon into supplying an expensive waste water handling system, and you're good to go.

The same old story...

[ALICIA]

I know for one that I am not turning the bull out and if things do not improve I just may call in the vet and he will be a steer.
I am done with giving away good beef for nothing, plus it is finally costing to much, and a nice holiday would be nice.
I have to finally agree, I do not count, and that doesn't bother me any more.
Get rid of them any way you can, just get out. THAT IS ONLY GOOD BUSNESS SENCE. You will still have the land.

[WoolyBear]

My 2 cents on the Maple Leaf story....

I see the integration of the ML family of companies (Landmark Feeds, Elite Swine, and Rothsay") as just the makings of a very attractive package for some one to eventually offer to an American company. I think any of them would love to have the entire trough to table setup.

[greybeard]

I have spent a lot of time thinking about the BSE problem when I am out taking care of my pasture puppys .The conclusion I have came to is that BSE is not our problem .Consumtion is up in Canada . Our customers in Canada like the improved quality since we arn't shipping all the best to Japan .The price in the supermarket is good {read high }.
Live animals on the farm are low value to worthless .We don't have kill capacity for anywhere near our production capacity.If the packers drop the price they will still have lots of animals lined up for the next day .Maybe thier own if need be .They are running at full capacity as they can export . Sales don't seem to be a problem. Exports of beef were not far off last year considering they were shut down for months and none is going to asia.
The U S plants killed much of our beef.
That market seems to be getting further away due to an upcoming American election .R-Calf is gaining political power .
Some suggest that our only hope is to test all animals . I can't see how that will help at all . Japan is not going to import live animals . The packers can make more money on high end Japanese cuts but have no reason to send the money down to us as the supply is still almost unlimited to them .
Cull cows are the extreme example of lack of kill capacity . They are a disposal problem if you run a dairy . Yet at the supermarket they have traditional value. Fastfood is still choosing imported product which they obviously consider beter value .We are told ours don't meet the specs. The hamburger I eat at home tastes fine . Much better than fast food or pre-formed patties from the store .
We have to get closer to the end user. Those of us that do will survive . This may include the feedlots that have a good relationship with thier packers .The packers have to keep the wheel turning or pack up and leave when we all go broke . They probably want to keep it going as they are making windfall profits . We all can't survive with current kill capacity .
We will not return to pre - BSE times in the near future . Everone up the chain is realizing higher profits . Will they send enough money down for us to survive ?

[cowman]

Cargill and IBP in Canada made more net profit on two plants in Canada than on their combined total of plants in the USA last year! This was stated on the Rutherford show yesterday. Now do we have any reason to believe that they want to see the border opened?
There was one feedlot operator who phoned in with what I believe was a good suggestion. Limit the number of cattle that the packers can own or control at any given time. Enough to give them a very few days kill. Have all fat cattle competitively bid on a daily cash basis and have all prices made public. You might need to have a central listing agency to handle the paperwork/info. I believe this is basically what happens in the USA?
The government needs to agressively move to help smaller packers get in the game and protect them from the corrupt oligarchy of Cargill and IBP. And probably promote and help in any way a Producer co-op type packer(s). The government was the one who created this monster and it is their duty to help solve it.

[johnboy555]

cowman i like you a lot