King Ralph

[blackjack]

I think it was cowman that mentioned King Ralph is going to give a little speech on Friday.Something in the line of restoring consumer confidence in Alberta Beef. He will
tell us about an aggressive marketing campaign to restore consumer confidence. Wonder if it will be the science thing and that it is unnecessary to test.

If it is for R-calf he is wasting his breathe
because I don't think they care to hear
how our beef is safe and of the highest quality.

Farmers will be encouraged to look beyond simply shipping live cattle south.


Does that mean King Ralph would help us beef producers build a major packing plant? I doubt it but we could always hope! Until Friday we can only speculate like everything else that has happened with BSE.

[cakadu]

With whom is he trying to restore consumer confidence? I think that the consumers in Alberta and Canada have shown that they do have confidence in what we are producing. Beef consumption is up after being constant for a good number of years.

I suppose there is also Atkins to thank for part of that as well, but overall, I think that there has been nothing but confidence shown for our products.

[rsomer]

Ralph is not going to give you a packing plant. According to this story from the CBC, he is going to announce Friday that he is going to advertise our beef. Story pasted below:

Alberta to launch new beef campaign
Last Updated Wed, 28 Apr 2004 18:16:25
EDMONTON - The Alberta government will release a recovery plan for the beef industry on Friday, involving an aggressive marketing and ad campaign to try to restore consumer confidence in Alberta beef.


INDEPTH: Mad Cow Disease

The industry has been in crisis ever since bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), commonly known ad mad cow disease, was discovered in a cow last May.


Premier Ralph Klein says the government wants to focus on the quality of Alberta beef. "The beef recovery plan calls on developing market access and ensuring our American customers in particular that our beef is safe and of the highest quality, so we will launch an aggressive marketing campaign to restore consumer confidence in our beef," he said.

The plan does not involve any new money in the form of compensation to farmers. The province has already paid out over $400 million.

[kato]

I think he should say restore "International confidence" in our beef. Our consumers have been supportive all along, and I think they should be acknowledged for that.

We should all be very grateful for the support they have already given us, and continue to give us. To say that their confidence needs to be "restored" may make some question whether they were right in supporting us all along.

Money spent on a "Thank You Canada" campaign would serve us very well in the future. It's our own people that we need above all else.

How about a little appreciation Ralph? If not for the Canadian consumer we would have all been toast by now.