BIG C Meeting June 7th

[kato]

I have some questions.

Is the United States following NAFTA now? I would really like to know.

What will happen if they find another positive cow?

I suspect "science" will be out the door faster than a scalded dog. We will be right back at square one. The U.S. is ramping up testing in Washington state first. Looking for another Canadian cow perhaps? We know they aren't looking for an American one.

I heard cattle and BSE mentioned more in the last day on the TV and radio than I have in the last month combined. Coincidence? Or is some of the noise getting through. We may never know.

[pandiana]

I am curious, cowman. What makes NAFTA the best trade agreement in the world?

[pandiana]

Sorry for jumping the gun cowman. Which part of what I said, had you not said, and which part is untrue?
I did not and will not run as an ABP candidate. I have always said that they are doing the best they can with the goals they have in place. You have certainly run the ABP down as much or more than I ever have, and certainly have all the answers too. Why don't you run cowman, after you sell off your cows like you've said you plan over and over again.
Your facts about NAFTA are a joke.
The biggest problem we have is that one major player in this whole things neither wants or needs are beef. Can you guess who that might be?

[pandiana]

Went for a drive with a half sack of beer tonight wondering why I don't run in an ABP election or even for my new political party (Green), since the Reform is no more.
I am too immature grassfarmer. I get frustated when a positive aggressive approach is initiated and a bunch of naysayers jump all over it. All the while knowing that this positive aggressive approach has the potential to help the naysayers just as much or more than myself.
Our intergrated beef marketing shceme is a fine example.
You might say that I am the naysayer in the border opening issue. I hope like hell you guys are right and it does open. I could see my customers gaining a fair bit. Personally, I have worked very hard to gain a market for my cull steers and heifers, and an open border would not help my cull cow problem, nor my breeding stock sales.
Back to the political arena.
My views are very often on the outside of the norm. Sustainable agriculture, piss on the Chemicals, and inorganic fertilizer, and to hell with the mainsteam inefficient cattle breeds.
How far would you think I would get.

My only place to vent is places like this where I can apologize for my reactionary comments, feel somewhat free to voice my opinion, and try to help the people with hope who are not mainstream. That is not a place available to someone like me in the ABP, or the CCA, beleive me I have tried.
If you think I have all the answers, cowman, I certainly do not, but I do know that proactive works for me in every aspect of my life, and I will not stop.
Good luck with getting the border opened, I hope we are not holding back your diligent efforts too much.
Last beer of my six pack------chow.

[les]

If we dont make noise everyone will for get we have a problem.Was talking to a guy in the city last week and when I mentioned BSE he said " You guys still have a problem with that?I thought that was all over and done with"
So yes we had better make all the noise we can

[ALICIA]

PC member called me the other day and wanted to know if the PC could count on my vote. I told him you bet if they can get the boarder open for my beef. He laughted and said oka and hung up the phone with out another work.
I kind of got the feeling he know something about the boarder that I didn't know, you know like maybe the boarder wasn't ever going to open and us farmers are going to be the last to know.

[cakadu]

Please bear in mind that the Japanese consumer demanded 100% testing because they had lost confidence in the government. They lost confidence in the government because the government did not tell them the truth with respect to the animals making it into the food chain.

I don't think we've seen any of that here in Canada - or at least very little of it. I know that the odd time I have heard of someone that won't eat beef until this is sorted out, but that is the exception by far.

There have been valid points made on all sides to this problem and I can understand where each of the parties is coming from. It is terrific to see the passion and conviction of the forum participants. I think one thing that we all recognize is that things have to change. Exactly what that change is going to look like and how it will affect us will remain to be seen.

[cakadu]

I should have added that we may have lost confidence in our political leaders and parties, but for a whole host of other reasons.

[cowman]

Rpkaiser; Somehow you seem to think I am attacking you personally and I assure you I am not. You have to do what you have to do and that is okay. Quite frankly I agree that the things you propose are the right things. However, what I was trying to point out is it isn't going to happen, with the system we have in place. And the only way to change that system is to change the law and change the trade deal...now maybe that can happen...but it is doubtful?
I think I can honestly say, I've ripped the ABP more than just about anybody on this forum? I truly believe they shouldn't exist! I put time and money into trying to get rid of them when we got the chance! And yet my own ABP rep is a good friend...known him since we were both boys. He is not an idiot at all and although we don't see eye to eye on a lot of things, we never have a problem with our friendship or speaking our minds! And I can respect his slant on things, without necessarily agreeing with him.
I don't think time is ever wasted by hearing anothers opinion? You don't have to agree...in fact you might think the guy is way out in left field...but it is a good thing to understand where someone else is comong from? We are all a bit frustrated by this situation and sometimes we get a little short with each other...and that is okay too...in fact it would be sort of odd if we didn't get angry once in awhile!
Pandianna: Why is NAFTA such a good trade deal, especially for the west? Besides the massive money made by both Canada and the US, it finally started to free the west. You probably remember how it was when we were forced to buy all our goods from the east? And required to send all our resources east? We sure aren't where we need to be just yet but we're getting there? A classic example of what still needs to be done is the television sector. Do you like watching the Canadian tripe you get from CBC or Bell Xpress? Do you think it would be nice if you could get DISH or Direct TV without being a criminal? Why is it that the Canadian government can dictate what you watch?

[rsomer]

Pandiana: As always, good comments. Bob Speller has just announced that Canada will further harmonize its regulations with the U.S. so that feeding ruminant protein is banned from pig and chicken rations to avoid the possibility of this being fed to cattle. The U.S. and Canada are both committed to harmonizing our respective approaches to BSE. Given that, any arguments in favour of 100% testing are purely hypothetical until all NAFTA member countries agree. It will be interesting to see what comes out of the talks between the U.S. and Japan. Canada and Mexico should really be part of those discussions.

You asked about Russia and Korea. Check out http://ats.agr.ca/stats/Russia_x03.pdf Meat and edible meat offal exports to Russia were worth about $75 million in 2001 and 2002. Only $46 million in 2003 and $6 million so far in 2004. Canada’s number 1 export to Russia is meat although it is pork, chicken and ham that top the list of agri-food exports to Russia. Without seeing any numbers I would think that the U.S. is accepting all our beef exports since trade in beef resumed with the United States. Until we get more slaughter capacity there is no surplus beef available for South Korea and Russia. Our beef exports will be valued at U.S. prices which would make exports to Russia unlikely.