Beef value chain round table

[blackjack]

Does anybody know who the people are at the round table ? I would kinda like to know whose deciding our futures!

[rsomer]

The Beef Industry Value Chain Round Table is an industry-government steering group that was established to develop joint strategies for market success in the beef sector prior to the diagnosis of BSE in Canada. The Round Table currently focuses on BSE recovery strategies. Chairs include:
Charlie Gracey: beef industry consultant
Dr. Graham Clarke: Chief of Red Meat Inspection Programs CFIA
Rob McNabb: CCA Assistant Manager
Dennis Laycraft: CCA (Canadian Cattlemen’s Association) Executive Vice President
Ted Haney" CBEF President
Glenn Brand: director of marketing for the Beef Information Centre (BIC)
Ben Thorlakson Chair of CBEF (Canadian Beef Export Federation)

[whiteface]

Your depth of knowlege is indeed valuable, rsomer, I know of no one else that has nearly your ability to source information and comment so deeply on many subjects. Thanks for this info.

[blackjack]

rsomer...thankyou

[cakadu]

Beef industry roundtable determines contingency plans
June 11, 2004
CCA/CBEF/CMC News Release
The Beef Industry Value Chain Roundtable (BVCRT) met June 9 and 10 in Calgary to discuss contingency plans for the beef industry in the event of a prolonged border closure to live cattle and other issues. The Roundtable is an industry-government steering group established to develop joint strategies for market success in the beef sector. "Depressed prices for Canadian cattle are due to a lack of processing capacity in Canada for all of the cattle coming to market, not a lack of markets for beef," concludes Dennis Laycraft, Canadian Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President and Chair of the BVCRT. "We've recovered our beef sales into the United States, our largest export market. Canadian beef consumption is up 5%. There are more cattle coming to market than can be processed, and that is driving prices down."
"There are 23 markets around the world open to Canadian beef or beef genetics," says Ben Thorlakson, Chairman of the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF). "Beef sales to our second largest export market of Mexico have increased dramatically, surpassing even pre-BSE levels. We have positive signals from Hong Kong and Taiwan that they plan to re-open to Canadian beef in the near future. The Canadian government, assisted by CBEF, is consulting extensively with countries that, prior to May 20, 2003, were valued markets for Canadian beef. We are striving to re-enter these markets and expand our list of eligible products to those markets that have partially re-opened to our beef."
"Through the efforts of the Canadian packing sector, slaughter is up 16% in 2004 compared to the same timeframe last year," says Willie Van Solkema, President of the Canadian Meat Council. "However without additional capacity coming on line, it's been estimated there will be up to 320,000 head of cattle in 2004 in excess of slaughter capacity. The Roundtable has determined that expanding slaughter capacity is the single biggest factor that can favourably influence cattle prices in the short term. The Canadian Meat Council has given its commitment to the industry to make every effort to see that this is achieved."
Actions to be taken to increase capacity within the next several weeks include:
Members of the Canadian Meat Council will meet to determine opportunities to expand production within currently operating facilities. Options being explored include increasing operating hours and expanding cooler space. Governments will be lobbied to fast-track approvals needed to expand existing facilities, re-open closed facilities or build new operations. In the longer term, the issue of tax incentives to encourage investment in Canadian processing facilities will also be explored. "Lack of slaughter capacity is a short-term crisis, and we're taking the steps to deal with it," says Stan Eby, President of the Canadian Cattlemen's Association. "However we're also dealing with the long-term viability of our industry. The Roundtable also discussed issues such as inventory management, set aside programs and price stabilization schemes. Work in these areas will continue. However it was recognized that these are complex issues and in most cases will take a great deal of time to implement. Producers need short-term solutions. Continued expansion of slaughter capacity is the quickest way we can achieve our immediate goals.
"We must all continue to work together to make it through this situation."

[pandiana]

I certainley hope that the following does not mean that we our efforts will be directed toward puting more eggs in the US packers basket. We need to let them know that we need to inhibit the existing 'monopoly' of killing capacity in Canada.

"Actions to be taken to increase capacity within the next several weeks include:
Members of the Canadian Meat Council will meet to determine opportunities to expand production within currently operating facilities. Options being explored include increasing operating hours and expanding cooler space."

[grassfarmer]

Unfortunately "in the next few weeks" they can only assist the existing plants to kill more. It seems a sad irony that every assistance will be given to the pirates that are currently ruining the beef industry of Canada. New plants won't be functional until next year I believe even if they start on Monday am. It galls me to think of any assistance being given to the big two when they are already profiting over $500 an animal at our expense.

[grassfarmer]

Unfortunately "in the next few weeks" they can only assist the existing plants to kill more. It seems a sad irony that every assistance will be given to the pirates that are currently ruining the beef industry of Canada. New plants won't be functional until next year I believe even if they start on Monday am. It galls me to think of any assistance being given to the big two when they are already profiting over $500 an animal at our expense.

[nerves]

Pandiana I have talked to a lot of private slaughter house owners over the spring they are maxed out in the freezer space. They cannot expand without going to 3-phase power and to put those lines in is very costly. The only real soultion for that is gensets and refeer vans. (also very costly) A little help in this area from goverments involved would make a big differnce in killing capacity, without having to build new plants.

[rsomer]

Willie Van Solkema, President of the Canadian Meat Council would also be a member of the Beef Industry Value Chain Roundtable (BVCRT). The CMC is the association of meat Packers. See : http://www.cmc-cvc.com/english/regular_members_e.asp for a list of members. Willie Van Solkema is the Canadian Business Manager, Cargill Foods of High River. Mr. Van Solkema is also a Director and Vice-Chair of the Canada Beef Export Federation.

[rsomer]

We seem to be short of Thank you's lately. I wonder, has anybody thanked these fellows for all of their hard work this past year.
If not; may I be the first.
Thank you Round Table.

Now I wonder if we could get a thank you from Cargil and Tyson foods?

Thank you for making this past year the most profitable in our short history.

Thank you for making the government money so easy to access, and of course we will do the right thing with that money for the industry.

Thank you for advertising our product for us with your grass roots producers money. It has saved us millions of dollars that we would have had to take in the form of lower offering for fat cattle anyway.

And finaly Thank You for forgetting that Vertically Integrated Markets can be initiated from the bottom or the top. We chose to ignore any chance we've had with our extreme profits to create a market system that is friendly to the producer.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Now doesn't that feel better.