Ladies and gentlemen, I've been reading some of your conversations for sometime now between checking cows and tagging calves. One thing I've realized -recently and in the past few months - is how much bigger the whole 'picture' is. We have discussions on everything from futures markets to political scandal. Now I don't have alot of experience or knowledge on the CWB, futures, Feedlot Alley, or so many other nooks and crannys of our Canadian Agriculture Industry. However, I have discovered in the past few months of intensive research, via the internet and AB. Agricultures' Toll-free Hotline entered into my speed-dial, that we as producers must take care of ourselves. Individually we are not going to change the way other countries subsidize agriculture. Individually we are not going to influence the expansion of Brazils incredible agricultural potential. Individually we will not change the fact that federal politicians currently in office do not have an ear for us. I am 26 years old with a wife, 2 kids, 55 F1 Black Angus cross cows, a grandfather with 70 purebred Red Angus cows, and a vision of where we want to go. When I look at how we are going to get there, I think about all of these things, these national and international issues that make my worries about breeding old Bess to the right bull seem pretty insignificant. But you know what? I don't give a damn. My son makes 6 generations of our family farming in this area, and that means something to me. It means that I need to push on like others before me. It means I've got to figure out a way for this ranch to sustain us and our future grandchildren - note my hope of a child wanting to farm as I do. So, aside from all of the "doom and gloom", I believe it's been referred to as, there are countless bright points in the near and far future. I'm not afraid to think outside the box, and my research led me to a man who made me an offer. If we breed our cows to Galloway bulls, he'll buy every calf we have. Well that looks pretty good to a young farmer not sure of where this years' calf crop is going to go. So we sold our bulls and went shopping. How many of you have made changes yet to your programs? Still sitting on the pot waiting to see if and when the border opens? Not me.
I've met farmers and ranchers who outrank me in experience and wisdom by ten fold, through seminars and conferences. But, in all there wisdom, when you call them up after the fact to talk some more about gathering interest in those New-Gen-Co-ops discussed at the seminar, they've lost interest. Why? Why is it that we've become so tough and independent as farmers and ranchers that we could be classified as our own species? We rant and rave about the hardships of our times and the crosses we bear, but when the chance to stand together and fight for something that's sure as Hell worth fighting for, stares us in the face, we fail. That's right FAIL. I'm not afraid to say it because I'm guilty of it, too. We shirk away from things like 4 farms buying equipment together, or helping one another more than just when it's an emergency. I read recently about having a single voice for Alberta Agriculture in Ottawa, like the Wild Rose Association was supposed to be. I was reading it to my wife, who was not raised on a farm which seems to give her an amazing ability to look at things differently. When I was done, she said,"Why isn't there a union or something for farmers? How come they talk so much about change but it never happens? When nurses or teachers or any other damn group wants something, they scream and holler through the voice of a union or some organization, and they always get what they want?" You know what? I can answer most any question she has for me about farming and ranching, but I was totally lost on that one.
So, I'll pose the same question to all of you. We can change this and that to get by and get through as we're doing. We're moving next years' calving to June 1st on grass and going to try grazing year round to reduce our cost of production as low as we can go. Calves are always going to have ceiling on their prices. They'll never be a commodity that goes through the roof and makes your fortune. As Paul Froeler said,"You've got to make your own premiums." By lowering our cost of production, the highs will be better, and the lows won't hurt so bad. But when it comes to long-term sustainability of a whole industry, how are WE, as one big family of producers, going to get through? How do we unify, organize, or band together when we've been bred to be the most stubborn, independent, self-reliant critter on the West side of the nation? I'm willing to try, what have we got to lose that isn't going already
I've met farmers and ranchers who outrank me in experience and wisdom by ten fold, through seminars and conferences. But, in all there wisdom, when you call them up after the fact to talk some more about gathering interest in those New-Gen-Co-ops discussed at the seminar, they've lost interest. Why? Why is it that we've become so tough and independent as farmers and ranchers that we could be classified as our own species? We rant and rave about the hardships of our times and the crosses we bear, but when the chance to stand together and fight for something that's sure as Hell worth fighting for, stares us in the face, we fail. That's right FAIL. I'm not afraid to say it because I'm guilty of it, too. We shirk away from things like 4 farms buying equipment together, or helping one another more than just when it's an emergency. I read recently about having a single voice for Alberta Agriculture in Ottawa, like the Wild Rose Association was supposed to be. I was reading it to my wife, who was not raised on a farm which seems to give her an amazing ability to look at things differently. When I was done, she said,"Why isn't there a union or something for farmers? How come they talk so much about change but it never happens? When nurses or teachers or any other damn group wants something, they scream and holler through the voice of a union or some organization, and they always get what they want?" You know what? I can answer most any question she has for me about farming and ranching, but I was totally lost on that one.
So, I'll pose the same question to all of you. We can change this and that to get by and get through as we're doing. We're moving next years' calving to June 1st on grass and going to try grazing year round to reduce our cost of production as low as we can go. Calves are always going to have ceiling on their prices. They'll never be a commodity that goes through the roof and makes your fortune. As Paul Froeler said,"You've got to make your own premiums." By lowering our cost of production, the highs will be better, and the lows won't hurt so bad. But when it comes to long-term sustainability of a whole industry, how are WE, as one big family of producers, going to get through? How do we unify, organize, or band together when we've been bred to be the most stubborn, independent, self-reliant critter on the West side of the nation? I'm willing to try, what have we got to lose that isn't going already
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