An Alternative Solution

[rsomer]

Might not make it for tonight, but this topic has been discussed at BIG C forums, and certainly will be in the futre. Many other things have also been dicussed, like cowman's cow kill and support for the hard work most, if not all ABP members do.

If we could all see this as a grassroots movement with producers needs in mind, it could become a stronger voice. Continually tearing apart one issue will get us nowhere.

You have to admit that without this controversial issue we could be on the sidelines with Ranchers for free trade by now.

Thank you for showing a tiny bit of give rsomer. Testing does need to be discussed as evidenced by the one point the moron made on the other thread, and yes it is more geared toward those who survive, but changes happen quicker with numbers and support.

[rusty1]

Lets put our retoric where it counts folks. The two main packers are adding more capacity at breakneck speed. If we don't focus on our own plant we will fall further into surfdom. We aren't asking for alot, and you all know youre participation in NWCA would pay itself back with youre first calf crop. Physically we could be running in 12 to 14 months.

[rusty1]

Talked with Bob Lowe last night with the Alberta Cattle Feeders Asoc. He, and a couple other members had drafted a proposal regarding tying packer margins to American slaughter prices. They felt it would not move forward without legislation and it was hard to argue that Cargil and Tyson would simply give a portion of their profits to the producer.

Don't give up on this one rsomer, everyone I spoke with, along with yours truely would dearly love to see you succeed.

[BWC]

I am new to your site and I can tell already I will be here quite a bit in the future. The one point I wish to make is BIGC"s agenda onlt includes one word that CBEF, ABP, and the CCA refuse to get their heads around....TESTING. BIGc"s approach at all of their gatherings has been not to attack these groups , but to bring to their attention that their are a large number of producers out there that would like to hear another line other than "science says we don't have to" . rsomer is right in his statement that many of the items on BIG C 's wish list will take some time , but your basis idea most certainly will meet with widespresd approval, as long as it does'nt lead to supply management somewhere down the road. The need for other organizations at this point in this crisis is surely debateable... but in this case I truly believe that BIG C has got other industry leaders to take a look at a plan "B" if you will, that in reality did not exist. Everyones ideas have some validity the task is now for all cattlemen to come together and drive our collective and productive ideas down the appropriate throats , before it is too late for many of us. As an industry, right now we don't have time to fight amongst ourselves only time to help ourselves.
BWC

[kato]

Welcome to Agri-Ville, BWC.

[kato]

Welcome aboard BWC. I beleive that you have made a very important point about coming together. Little more than one month has passed since BIG C came to be, and it has become very apparent that testing is a contentious issue to say the least. This week has been spent, aside from continued forums, talking with industry about the undaunted role BIG C can play in challenging the statis quo led by the harmonization tone of the USDA. Harmonization to me does not involve one player in the band having his strings taken away one by one without replacing them. Therfore a need for action. BIG C is a group dedicated to new ideas including testing, and will not be intimidated by packers who lead the USDA around by the nose.

Myself and one other founding member met with a sceintist and his staff in Edmonton discussing a tissue sampling technology which could not only simplify the testing procedure but could bring costs down to levels anyone could afford. Funny thing was, we were the first Canadian group to visit with these people, beyond a call from Peace Country tender meats. Creekstone farms from the United States has been working with them for a while now.

I beleive that BIG C has a purpose in all of this. And I beleive that purpose is to talk about this issue of testing while leadership of most other industry groups will not. We have found an overwhelming majority of membership in each group we have approached in favour of the inevitablilty of testing, and dispite the counterpunch that I expect on this thread once again from rsomer, I will not stop.

I hope like hell that these BSE positive results in the USA lead to more exports of our cattle to the USA. It is the best short term result I can see for cattlemen in Canada facing 70 cent fats, or worse, 60 cents feeders or calves. But the border opening does nothing for the longer term, only new export markets do. If those new markets require testing, then for goodness sake "LET US TEST."

[whiteface]

Absolutly brings tears to my eyes, Randy, the leg work far beyond the call of duty that you're doing that beefits so many of us. If they don't put up a statue of you when all of this is said and done, I will, and you know I live on a major highway that will get you the exposure and the thanks that you deserve on behalf of all of us. Welcome to the forum BWC, can't wait to hear more from you!

[BWC]

Thanks for the welcome guys, I am very impressed by the dialog that this group is sharing. I think that unity within the industry right now is imperative, as in reality we as ag producers are a very small percentage of the population, and we ALL need to be paddling in time. Also I think that we could all agree that we need the consumer on our side in order to exert enough pressure on the regulators we will have to face. This may be way out there, but I really believe that for the first time in my lifetime that a large percentage of the consuming public has at least some grasp of the problems facing us, I'm thinking that they could be our most important allies in the days ahead.. Craving to hear this groups opinion
BWC

[BWC]

Be careful whiteface, we don't want rsomer using some new little icon of himself vomiting all over this thread.
Thanks for the support, but I have to tell you, I am doing this stuff as much for myself as everyone else. I really do not feel like I need, or want, to change careers at this stage of my life.
I think that the point of BIG C is to let others know that they can also be part of saving their own hides, as you have also shown an interest in doing whitey.

[rsomer]

Rpkaiser: If suggesting a solution to the BSE crisis that would work in the short term means I am vomiting all over this thread then guilty as charged. But something does need to be done or am I wrong? We cannot wait 2 years for a solution.

I 100% support the construction of more packing plants but can we as an industry survive until more packing plants are built? BIG C is advocating direct government support to producers should stop. Enough packing plants could not be built until late 2005, more likely 2006 if they were started right now. How do producers survive in the meantime? There will be simply no one left raising cattle in this country unless the border opens or some means of injecting fairness into the pricing of live cattle is found.

Establishing a reasonable price for Canadian slaughter cattle basis the U.S. Live Cattle futures provides a solution that does not involve government handouts. With a fixed basis, cattle markets in this country would function more like they should. In my original post I pointed out the government is considering limiting the profits pawn shops make on loans. No one is suggesting that need involve supply management and there is no need that this solution involves supply management. Hopefully now that the election is over we can start making progress on this. We need to still work on getting the border open but it is time to focus on fixing our domestic markets as well because opening the border is largely beyond our control.