Shirley McClellan on Cow/Calf

[almoy]

Go to this site, read the last paragraph. This was pointed out to me by an American. They wonder what we are complaining about as according to Shirley our prices are the same or higher than before BSE !! Funny it's not that way in Sask.

http://news.tradingcharts.com/futures/2/2/54015322.html

[amazed]

I read that article as well. I guess if you take the last paragraph in the context of the article, Shirley is partly right. At certain points in the fall it did appear that the money paid filtered down to those who sold their calves at the "right" time. Of course we all know it didn't help those who panicked or had to sell in early February.

What I take exception to is Shirley even suggesting that there was an unvestigation done. Interviews with packers? That's like asking one of my kids if they were in the cookie jar. Not too often I get a straight answer right away.

Instead of the article relaying the true state of the beef industry in Canada the reader is left wondering.
I met Shirley McClellan last fall for the first time and was fairly impressed. After reading that article I am also left wondering.

[rsomer]

As always there were many influencing factors which need to be considered when comparing calf prices from year to year to isolate the cost of a single event such as BSE.

They are the cost of feed in 2002 as compared to 2003, the value of the Canadian dollar, $0.63 in 2002,
$0.75 in 2003, higher North American fat steer prices and fewer calves available in the market. The best way to consider the impacts of these variables on Canadian fall calf prices is to look to see what happened in the U.S. which had similar factors affecting their market.

According to the North Dakota Extension Service, "Feeder cattle prices [in the United States] rebounded in 2003 as a result of fewer numbers, a large corn crop, and the higher fed cattle prices. Average prices for 550-600 lb, medium- and large-frame number 1 feeder steers at North and South Dakota auctions averaged $109 per hundredweight in November 2003 compared to $87.75 in November 2002."

That is a gain in the value of a weaned steer in the United States of $127 US over 2002 prices. Even considering the difference in the value of our Canadian dollar over the same period of time the Canadian weaned steer that was worth $800 in the fall of 2002 would have been expected to be worth $875 in 2003 without BSE. Due to BSE it was worth $675 or $200 less. That is a significant difference, a reduction of 25% even considering that a lot of Canadian calves were held from the market and backgrounded, which would have been supportive to our prices.

[kato]

Sounds to me like Shirley believed every word they told her.

Show me the books!

[bombay_43]

To see what the real picture looks like in feeder cattle prices, maybe Shirley McClellan should study her government web site; Ropin the Web!

www.agric.gov.ab.ca/

click on to livestock prices, and click what ever week you want to see both this years and last years price comparison!

I thought this is a very helpful item, and during my particular selling period, my prices were down by an average of 40% since last year. Let's not even mention the decline in cull prices!

Maybe a study should be done, to see if this government web site is a waste of tax payers money. After all, if these numbers are correct, another study should not even have been necessary! What study is Shirley McClellan talking about?

[ValueChainFX]

As far as I can see Shirley is playing games with the producers lives. She does not have the picture and seems like she doesn't want to! If the government doesn't want to be a part of the primary producers business, let us know so we can get on with it!
I find the government to be a in shame on you situation. Anyone that believes the primary producer is doing OK, well shame on them too!

[pandiana]

Very good point Bombay. I was thinking along the same lines.

[cowman]

I caught a little blurb on the news that now Shirley has reversed her earlier position and was sort of saying the feedlots were the ones who really benifitted from the $400 million?
I guess it really doesn't matter much anymore. But I'm still awaiting my "massive" cull cow subsidy! lol