Interesting Little Article

[cswilson]

We see the plant being built in Saskatchewan, with the loan guarantee coming for the federal government. Loan guarantees are supposed to be paid back cowman, and this plan definately follows that line of thought. The only way to fast track the CFIA loopholes will be to have the federal government on board. Once again Saskatchewan because of more connection to Ottawa, ie provincial NDP, and a little less blue in the federal arena than Alberta.
Check off could be implimented in many ways including our Brand inspection service. Somehow, non particapating packer owned cattle would need to be exempt, and some way of finding a consensus, needs to be discussed. We definately need to observe other similar initiatives, and definately need management with savy and vision, but I feel that more and more cattlemen are ready to step out and do this.

Sorry this couldn't have happened sooner BFW but the sooner we find some common ground the sooner we can break it.

[whiteface]

I think the greatest reasons to have a plant in Sask. or Manitoba is strictly that it is an environment that is suited for cattle and farming. No one can afford to run cattle in Alberta anymore, cowman you know that. The only people who are doing it are the ones who had their land given to them and idiot immigrants like me that love the city life to much we pay for our outrageous overpriced land with off farm incomes. Taxes around here will kill you too and the only shmucks that will be left will be hobbyists with a handful of cows. Of course I'm generalizing quite a bit and I am a fee enterprize kind of person that also believes that while Alberta does create a good environment for "big business" like huge successful packing plants and skyrocketing land prices due to oil guys turned rancher, I would like to see a specialized plant or two succeed in a central cattle location and get moving with some testing and exporting. Not a huge corporation built overnight that tests and and exports exclusively and invents all kind of new rules that will screw us up in a different way than we are now. Mamitoba deserves a plant, they've met their testing quota, they're motivated more I think than anyone else to gain export markets. Not spending their money in the States and more of their "higher ups" are talking creative marketing more than any other province. Land is Saskatchewan is as productive as Alberta and less than half the price in many areas, cattle are worth just as much and can be produced for less, anyone trying to make a living at cattle should be living there. Just like Brooks became a huge city in the middle of nowhere because of Lakeside packers something like that could happen in Sask. Then when the plant becomes really successful, Sask. gov't could tax the hell out of them like anyone else and maybe y'all could get some decent roads out there and RCMP officers in a couple of cities other than Regina! I'm just rambling...I'd be happy just to see a plant up that could test and export. Put it in Greenland for all I care, let's just get the innovation to export again, but those were my reasons why even though I'm an Albertan, this just may not be the best place for it. Lets still get them up, whether its in my backyard or the moon let's go!

[cswilson]

One thing I picked up at the Big C meeting was some concerns that there isn't enough workers in certain places-if you build it they will come. Meadow Lake has three big lumber mills that people moved here to work in-rumour has it we even got a good bantam d-man from nova scotia lol. In fact Sask. would just have to quit exporting a few of our kids to make it work.

[cakadu]

The other way the government could pitch in without having to throw in real dollars is through tax incentives and deferrals - not unlike those that would have been granted to those big businesses to come and locate here in the first place.

Oil and gas research and development enjoy a great many tax breaks that are not available to the same extent with other sectors. Part of the reason for the reluctance to try new things in agriculture - of which producers in particular are continually being accused of - is there is no break if you take the risk and it doesn't work out the way you hoped it would.

The government has had at least one set of strong recommendations that I know of to give tax concessions to agriculture. Maybe now just might be the time to give some of them.

[BFW]

I think if we are considering using check-off dollars to build or even partially fund "producer owned" processing facilities we had better first revisit the check-off refundability debate. Would it be right for a Cargill of Tyson or anyone thinking of investing in packing facilities and already paying check-off to have to fund a competing facility? A refundable checkoff would also be useful in getting the attention of the organization (ie ABP) when they start getting out of tune with their membership.

[kato]

Maybe a co-op based on the old Pool model?

The Ranchers Choice (may it soon be approved) is being set up as a co-op. You don't have to be from Manitoba either, guys.

The plant is going to specialize in cull cows, since that's what's hurting us now.

www.rancherschoicebeef.ca

Check it out, the website is just developing, but there is contact info there.

[15444]

Thanks Kato!

I have been hoping that a website would be set up for the Rancher's Beef Choice Co-op. Would like to invest in a few shares myself, but am wondering how much investment the Co-op wants from parties outside of Manitoba? Have sent a message though the contact portion of the site asking this very same question.

I would wager that there are quite a few cow/calf guys here in Northwest Ontario that would like to invest in this great venture (as we are in the same boat as Manitoba with no major packing plants within 20 hrs drive of here), and if outside parties are welcome, I can just about bet that our area may be able to contribute enough to close the gap in funding?

[kato]

Wouldn't that be great!

I think a lot of NW Ontario calves come to Winnipeg now, anyway, and that's where the plant would be.

[15444]

Every producer in NW Ontario, west of Thunder Bay, has had his/her culls, yearlings as well as a ton of calves sold at Winnipeg Livestock for many decades. We only hold one spring and two fall stocker sales a year in our area, which attracts a large bunch of calves and some yearlings (about 1500 head or so each time). Everything else during the year is shipped to Winnipeg or Grunthal.

[BWC]

Hi all, the model that BIG is using to structure a producer funded plant is outlined on their new web site www.beef-initiatve-group.com. Under the heading of meeting comments. It may help shed some light on the subject. It is in a very brief form but some info is better than no info. At this time I think that it is a fairly reasonable concept. Like all ideas it needs outside input to make it appeal to the broadest spectrum of producers possible. Would like to hear yyour views. Later.

[rsomer]

I could not get the link www.beef-initiatve-group.com to work.

[pandiana]

Try www.beef-initiative-group.com

[BWC]

Sorry for the typo on the web site typing is not a strong suit