Nobody Needs Your Cattle

[rsomer]

People like "God loves the USA" make me sick to my stomach. I am not a very religious man but connecting God to a bunch of personal irrational opinions is shameful. Pick a new name you dork, your arch enemies in Iraq already use that God stuff in everything they proclaim to be right. I know a lot of wonderful American people, and even a few Iraqi Canadians, but connecting religion in any way to an opinionated economic forum makes you totally irrelevant.

[ALICIA]

rpkaiser: Not a better statement was ever made. I was thinking the same thing.

[rsomer]

I have reread GLTUSA’s posts several times and cannot find any reference to religion other than he is praying for us.

GLTUSA claims Canada is blocking imports of U.S. corn. Does anyone know if this is true? I have not heard of it. I thought the only reason corn is not moving into Canada is because barley is cheaper.

While GLTUSA claims the U.S. does not need our beef that is not accurate. Canada has a competitive advantage when it comes to cattle production. Partly because of our climate which, especially in Alberta, is better suited to coarse grain and forage production but also because the U.S. distorts its marketplace by encouraging export grain production through subsidies. So yes, the answer is Canada can sell into the North American market at a profit, expecially at present U.S. prices. The cattle herd in the U.S. has been in decline for years and that is not predicted to change. Certainly the U.S. does not have the production capacity to export beef and meet its domestic demand as well.

When GLTUSA says "I see a number of ambitious back stabbing people who feel that they can use this situation to start a new lobby group or undermine the present leadership in your lobby groups." he raises an important point. The reason we held onto to our consumer’s confidence after May 20 was at least in part because of the unified Team Canada approach the industry took. We have lost that and that concerns me. The next time we have a BSE in Canada I see the industry bickering instead of cooperating and the consumers are not going to be impressed.

GLTUSA, if you still care to participate, what are your views on the Australia/U.S. free trade agreement. Australia will have free access to the U.S. market in 18 years. Is this a concern for U.S. producers?
As well, any comments on yesterdays non-negative BSE test. What is the American view on the impact this will have?

Based on some of the comments GLTUSA made there is some miscommunication and bad information out there between Canadians and Americans. It takes some courage for someone openly American to post a comment in these threads. When GLTUSA says he is trying to be helpful I take him at his word. Some communication with the Americans on our part can only be helpful as well. I am hoping GLTUSA can take the time to participate further.

[rsomer]

Your concerns over Team Canada could be adressed by yourself rsomer, if you would quit bickering over testing,and the efforts of BIG C.

[cropduster]

rsomer,you talk of the Canadian advantage ........you might also tell our American chatmate of the feed price advantage feeders get from the CWB.Some of the R-Calfers know and are aware. That`s why some of them feed cattle here.Funny how the feeders `forget` that the feed grain they buy comes from a captive seller.How many came to Lethbridge to see these sellers go to jail for freedom???Lots I suspect were `just too busy`.Now the boot is on the other foot and it`s really toooo tight!!!

[kato]

Feed price advantage from the CWB?

In Manitoba the feed price advantage comes from the freight being more costly than the grain!

[cowman]

I have to agree somewhat with cropduster on this one. The CWB completely screws up the "continental" feed barley price!
However I also believe if the western Canadian farmer had unlimited access to the American feed grain market it wouldn't take long for the Americans to slam that border shut real quick.
But the fundamental right to sell your property to whoever you please, is one all farmers should support?
The same way, you should have a fundamental right to do whatever tests you please on your cows?
When did we ever give up our right to try to get the most money for our products?
The CWB no longer serves any useful purpose, other than to provide cushy jobs and positions for the lackeys of the power elite and distorting the markets so they can steal the farmers grain! A much better system would be an open market with appropriate legislation to protect the farmer from the international pirates? Incidently the same group of pirates that are robbing the cattle industry blind right now?
Now pirates will always be pirates...it is their nature? The real scandal isn't the pirates but the cowardly corrupt governments we have that won't protect the little guys from being ****d and pillaged? Shame on them!

[cropduster]

Thanks, Cowman,but who is government????????Canadians don`t express themselves strongly enough to their representatives.Here people think they are here at the government`s whim not `the government is here at the people`s whim`.......similar to Reagan`s quote.The CFIA has no master ,that I know,and that is disgusting.Ultimately it should be the people.....rightly or wrongly.

[grassfarmer]

Very good argument Cowman I agree with you completely. One question I would ask, when you mention that grain would be better sold on an open market with "appropriate legislation to protect the farmer from the international pirates?" in all the anti-CWB or removing CWB talk has anyone got an agreement from Government that such legislation would be implemented? Without it I fear grain farmers would be thrown to the wolves like beef producers are at the moment.

[rusty1]

RSOMER in regards to the US NEEDING our beef. (tonge in cheek) they don't. They could import all the current millions on tons they buy from us from Uraguay or Austrailia or from other countrys that is willing to become a serf for them.