BIG C Meeting June 7th

[blackjack]

rsomer... I see you are starting to come around ... to build the packing plant we have to have an identity that is different from Cargill and Tyson... that is why ABP and CCA have to get on side with the grassroot farmers to assist on testing... we need our checkoff dollars working to get pressure on government to set policies to insure our investment in plants are not wasted... the longer our so called leaders in the industry sit and wait for the Americans to decide our fate,
the bigger the supply and demand problems become... that is why the BIG C
movement will only get bigger for those looking for solutions in our industry...

[rsomer]

I would say that we need our checkoff dollars working to get pressure on government to set policies to insure our investment in plants is viable as the investment is needed. I do agree that longer industry sits and waits for the Americans to decide our fate the bigger our problems become. That time has passed, now we need to do something. We do not have a supply and demand problem, we have a market failure due to the monopoly situation caused by a lack of competition within the Canadian packing industry. We have the supply and the demand in the U.S. is more than enough to consume that supply. We as Canadians simply can’t get our cattle killed fast enough. The testing issue will resolve itself over time but we cannot depend upon shipping live cattle to the U.S. any longer.

[rsomer]

Here here rsomer.

I'm sorry if my words implied that those working to get packing facilities going were doing nothing pandiana. I feel the opposite, and applaud any effort.

[rsomer]

Hearing a bit of backlash about the first BIG C meeting. Rhetoric, lots of talk no action. One thing we did learn is that the mike will be given for questions after the initial speakers, and will not be turned into a sound off for political hopefuls. If they choose to ask questions, so be it. None of them told us anything new anyway.Talk about rhetoric.

As far as no solutions, there are three very clear points made for those who choose to hear them.
1). Move ahead to allow testing of beef NOW. This will not happen soon, and the process must begin.
2). Help for the New Generation Co-ops or other new packing plants with loan guarantees etc.
3). Form a new group of people to go to countries that could potentially buy our beef, and ASK THEM, how we can meet their standards.(Randy point - piss on NAFTA, and all the other rules, nobody else plays by rules)
More ideas were floated and more will come from the next meetings.
So far June 18th Lethbridge.
June 22nd Camrose.
Saskatoon, Peace Country, Innisfail, Medicine Hat, Maple Creek, and somewher in Manitoba are all being talked about at this moment.

[jtietjen]

Is there a web site where one can get information on Big C ?

thank, johann

[jtietjen]

Cam Ostercamps essay is at www.costercamp.org