The high cost of BSE?

[cowman]

A friend called me Friday night quite distressed. His wife had left him about a month ago. She just basically got sick of living hand to mouth in the cattle industry. They were basically just into cattle and drought and Mad Cow just took it's toll I guess.
I went over and saw him and we talked and talked. He was literally a wreck and in reality had been for quite some time. He was taking pills to sleep, anti-depressents etc.!
Of course the fact is he is about to lose everything...his farm, his cattle, probably his home, and for sure his health if he doesn't get it together.
What can you do? What can you tell someone like that?
I basically tried to sympathize with him and tell him there can be a life after farming...maybe a much better life? I think he felt a little better just talking it out.
My point is this: There is a price to pay for this BSE garbage that goes way beyond money. The media hasn't even scratched the surface of how much pain and suffering this disease is going to cause.
I wonder if the thieves and pirates who basically have preyed on this situation
know or care what they are doing to peoples lives? Shame on them!

[cakadu]

It's true - the costs of the stress of living through all of this cannot completely be measured in monetary terms alone.

Family life and relationships with friends and family, business associates, peers, organizations etc. are all affected and a price tag cannot be put on those, nor should there be.

There is a social cost to all that producers are expected to do and it is high time that society start to help bear the brunt of all these costs -- particularly when it is society (consumers) that are demanding that they be put in place.

That's why this forum helps producers -- at least it is a place to come and state things that others understand. Sometimes all it takes is for someone to listen and to feel like we are being heard.

[CattleAnnie]

Well said, Cakadu.

[kato]

Cowman.. tell your friend we're thinking of him, and wish him well. He may think he's alone, but boy, I'll tell you, he isn't... not by a long shot.

I don't think there's one of us here who hasn't tasted at least a bit of what he's going through.

It's by sticking together that we'll pull ourselves through it all, too. Talking problems out with friends is good medicine.

I can say quite frankly, that keeping in touch with the great folks here has done a lot to keep my stress level manageable. Nothing like a good old fashioned occasional rant to clear the air and improve the outlook!