TRADE

[blackjack]

nerves...are you saying farmers should concentrate on selling the product after its processed ... is there not only so much beef that could be sold in a local market... don't get me wrong I think your on to something very important...farmers have invested in many packers over the years just to lose their money... we read quite often how the cargills buy more of the chain as for their acquisition of company's like caravele... maybe as farmers we need to look at how high we can go up the chain instead of focusing in just on packers...

[nerves]

Blackjack what I mean is do the processing yourself in a meatshop in an urban area. Let the small slaughter house do the killing and inspection then move the carcass by reefer van to your own butcher shop for ageing and processing. You will not have as much hastle or expense.

City people want to support the local producers, and they are amazed when they get a taste of the real thing as apposed to the crap they buy at the grocery store.

[nerves]

I agree with the government that they should not inject cash into slaughter plants that may not be viable once the border opens. Many of the smaller abbatoirs closed due to their inability to come into compliance with new regulations that came into effect several years ago. Our local plant closed and now only cuts and wraps meat, vs having to spend in excess of $100,000 to retrofit to meet the new regs.
We have to book animals in at least five months ahead of time to get them slaughtered at the closest abbatoir which is an hours drive away, although there are several operations that will kill on the farm and take the sides to age and cut and wrap in their facility.