What do you think

[pmckenna]

What if co-operation (independent value chains) means prices are about the same from one to the next? They're costs may be similar. Will we say it is price-fixing? Because those prices may be in the nature of honest competition. Any comments from anybody?

[rusty1]

cakadau - are you a govt. employee?

[rusty1]

Rusty, where is your plant going to be built ?

[cakadu]

Ahhh, rusty you make me smile. No, I am not a government employee. What I am is someone who has been around for a while and witnessed the proposals for other processing plants in the diversified livestock sector. As many know, we raise lamb, so are even more limited in processors than you are in beef. Believe you me, I have asked these questions all along and even learned a few more to ask along the way.

It's not that I don't believe in the ideas, in fact, I've been promoting a lot of these various ideas for a long time. My strongest desire is to see them succeed and be sustainable.

[cowman]

I've asked this question before, but I've never gotten an answer.
How come these various plants are going to cost $200, or $333, or whatever, while the plant in PEI costs $60? How come we can't do it for that?
I will also note no ground has been turned here while the PEI plant comes on line this September? What are they doing that is obviously working?
I wonder how many producers would be more than happy to buy that "hook space" at the PEI prices? $20 down and a forgivable loan? I suspect you couldn't keep them from beating down the door?
If PEI can swing this(with absolutely no federal money) then what is the problem here?

[cowman]

International trade is a funny business that in many ways has nothing to do with quality, or price or product safety. Agriculture products don't operate in a vacum? Everything is a tradeoff.
Japan exports massive amounts of goods into America and yes Canada, but lets face it America is the SHOW? It is perhaps the ultimate consumer market?
Japan must export or it dies? I mean they don't have any natural resources to speak of...their success has always been adding value to imports?
Now I would think the beef export agency has pretty well tried everything they could to increase our exports into the asian markets? And I do believe they had some success, but the fact is we are a very minor market for their consumer goods compared to the USA? I think Ted Haney was doing all he could to sell our beef and I think he had some moderate success? Maybe I'm completely wrong?

[cowman]

Ponder this.

The plant to kill cows proposed by BIG C is propsed to be built with bridge financing from the federal government. Producers will become shareholders in lew of the levy suggested over time. This plant will be built as cost efficiently as possible and will be run by the best management that can be serched out. Of course these two points can and will be argued, but let's be realistic. Every business venture will and has made those same two points over history.

Once this plant is built, some sort of reality is put back into a marketplace that has become extremely disfunctional. IF IF this plant cannot make money. We have all lost some checkoff money while trying to solve a crisis. (Sound familiar). Only difference being. Even if another private company buys this infrustructure for 20 cents on the dollar, we have solved one major part of our problem, Packing Plant Capacity.

As our Ex Premier Peter Lougheed said yesterday,"We could work out the details while the bricks are being laid".

Sure planning is important, but every now and again "action without fear" also works.

[cowman]

Ted Haney is not a salesman. CBEF does not sell beef. It is simply another beuracratic organization set up to help the private sector. If we want to sell beef to Asia, we must send a sales team ourselves. This sales team cannot have their hands tied with the notion of sound American sceince. The only way CBEF can help us to sell beef to Asia is to stop kissing American Ass and start supporting Testing for Export markets.

[cowman]

While I might agree with you randy that in no way means it is going to happen! Check it out? Shirley says no test, Ralph says no test, CCA says no test, ABP says no test.
I don't want to discourage you guys who are stirring the pot...but I think if I was a betting man I'd bet on no test?
If you could, would you clear something up for me? I really don't think I ever got a vote on who was on the CCA? Are these guys actually elected or how does that work?
I know I get to vote for my ABP rep but I've never got to vote for whoever represents me on the CCA? I did vote very strongly against the mandatory checkoff the ABP wanted but unfortunately slightly over 6% of the beef producers voted to keep it, so what can you do? Forced to support an organization that I don't support in anyway! I wonder if we'll ever get even a vote if BIGC carries the day and imposes a checkoff to build their plant?
I wonder sometimes if people understand the concept of "free enterprize"?

[cowman]

I wonder how the whole thing would work? Would this money come out of the regular checkoff or be an add on? Actually do all cattle producers even pay the checkoff...I thought it was refundable or something in Manitoba? Would producers in Ontario, Quebec etc. be expected to pay a checkoff for a Sask. plant? I doubt they would be keen on that idea?
And finally would Cargill/IBP be expected to pay a checkoff on the cattle they own and slaughter in their own plants? Seems to me that isn't very fair? I mean why would they want to finance the competition, right? I wonder what the courts might say about that?
Not knocking the idea...just trying to understand!

[rusty1]

Atlantic PEI packing plant. Phone them yourself and ask the real questions. Ask for Kirk Magrath 902-437-2727

They won't talk to me?

[rusty1]

Checkoff would be seperate from ABP checkoff but taken off in a similar manner. Every animal sold. Once packers own the animal, however, they would not pay on the next change of hands. Yes, it would not be fair for them to pay, nor would you want packers to have control of this new plant when levies become shares. Working on the 4 western provinces at the moment. Remember, we used to ship live cows to Colorado to be killed. Transport to Saskatchewan would be a fair bit for some, but certainly no more than a Colorado freight rate.
Thanks cowman