ABP annual meeting

[rodb]

Has anyone else been in to watch the circus this week?

I still feel I could have got something out of being a delegate, had I been a bit quieter during elections, however after sitting in on day one of resolution presentations I realise that the biggest thing I would have got was frustrated.

For those of you who made or supported resolutions that may have seen any semblance of change to ABP policy, my condolances.

Interesting how the folks that bring forward these resolutions from producers, voted on and approved at producer meetings, see fit to make fun of them and oppose them before they step away from the mike.This happened on several occasions, as did derogatory remarks from the outgoing chairman, and incoming chairman. Throw a label like socialism out in a room full of Alberta ranchers, and any words in the resolution mean nothing any more. I could not beleive the fear over wording when conceptual understanding and approval was all that was asked to bring forward more debate or conversation.

I sat through 19 resolutions and saw three pass. Those three basically meant nothing.
I did talk to a good friend, delegate, and fellow BIG C member, who by the way got the only round of applause when he talked of representing his producers.(The motion he spoke on still was defeated) Greg Bowie said that on Teusday there was a little more movement with a suggestion the Packers own 10% or less of their annual fed slaughter cattle.
One or two more positive notes, but 9 of ten technical committee resolutions were defeated as well.

Is this process a true representation of the producers of the province?
What do you think cowman, should the opposition rise up and tear this thing apart with a lawyer or two?

[grassfarmer]

That really makes my blood boil, after the work some people put in to motivate producers to attend meetings and move resolutions. If this is how the resolutions are treated at ABP board meetings we need to either get this organisation turned around next year by having true producer representatives in the majority or totally discredit it so the Government pays no heed to it - which would meet building a new organisation with full producer participation.

[Willowcreek]

Randy your ABP operations remind me a lot of our NCBA. When they are talking to you face to face they are willing to look at anything. But when they get herded up at convention they slip back into the good old boy, don't rock the boat, way of thinking.

I know NCBA is in the packers pocket. Kind of sounds like ABP is too.

[Horse]

I had a resulition passed at a fall meeting a few yr ago when they used to publish all the resulitions after the annual but mine was not published by an oversite acording to those in power but I feel it was silenced because it was to have the whole mater of grazing leases put out to the public at large and get those cows off welfare it is amazing how things can be supresed by our elected representive in this democratic country.

[Horse]

Democratic is the word in question Horse. The Socialism label that was brought forth by our new ABP chairman describing a checkoff funded, producer owned packing industry was simply amazing. What made it even astounding was the fact that it came from a man who found his way to the top of an organization brought to power by about 5% of the cattle producers in Alberta. This "club" once elected wields a confident, arrogant, we know everything attitude, subdueing most of the wonderful, trusting cattle folk that make up the ranks of the delegate body. These people are well informed, but intimidated by the Board of directors which changes very slowly and with precise planning and scutiny.

Call this democracy in action,,,, what about things like Cattle Feeder council, or the newly formed Cattle industry council which sees people sitting on the board without having to climb the ranks of election.

If there is any labeling to be done, maybe words like authoritarianism, or unlimited rulership, would more decribe ABP, than democratic.

Yeah grassfarmer, I'm pissed too. I do know now that grassroots movement will not happen in my lifetime through the ABP or CCA.

The best words spoken lately were spoken by our Deputy Prime Minister Anne McClellan, when she said to Cam Ostercamp, "We are starting to see that the voice of the producer may not be coming through the channels of ABP or CCA."

[cowman]

You know Randy, I once was just about where you were in regards to this whole ABP thing. Around 1994 I believe?
Some producers had got up enough signatures and made enough noise to get the whole ACC(ABP) checkoff put to a plebisite. A local rancher(Jack Olson) was one of the main drivers behind the whole thing and he sold me! I got right with the program both financially and with time spent visiting producers! Obviously we lost. People who had told me they were sure as hell were mad and were going to vote to get rid of the checkoff, never even bothered to vote.
But it taught me a valuable lesson...You can't fight city hall all by yourself and people really don't give a rip one way or the other...they'll let you do their fighting for them! So take care of your own business and consider the ABP as just another nuisance, like the government, that you have to deal with? Just one of the costs of doing business!
If you aren't careful you can waste a lot of time and money on a lost cause...and that isn't productive for your own situation! Take care of yourself first and let the rest of them take care of themselves?

[cowman]

Without a doubt ADSCAM is a scandal but as the so called "JOHN" clearly points out, it is just business as usual?
Does anyone doubt for a minute that this is an isolated event? That is just how politics works.
One hand washes the other. Always has been, always will be?
Sometimes the boys get a bit sloppy and things come out in the open! A few peons go to jail but the garbage never ends! The federal government could teach the Mafia and the Hells Angels a few tricks when it comes to organized crime!
The only difference is one group are "honorable members" and the other group are "low life scum"?

[boone]

Sorry to hear they hold their ABP meetings like a Kangaroo Court, have seen it before in Farmer Owned Grain Company meetings (Est. early 1900's) Don't quit you will overcome.
The highest measure of democracy is neither the 'extent of freedom' nor the 'extent of equality', but rather the highest measure of participation.
A. d. Benoist

[ivbinconned]

Oh well ...better to live in a lawless, gangster ridden country than to live poor in a democracy!!??

[boone]

If 50% of the producers that sat at home during all the ABP Zone meetings would have gotten involved do you think that changes would have been made to ABP ?

[grassfarmer]

50%?? try 85-90% that sat at home. Perhaps with turnout figures like these we should try to encourage a total boycott next year instead of a bigger attendance. If no one turns up how could they claim to represent producers. Maybe hold Beef Initiative Group Producer meetings to run at the same time?

[cowman]

If the ABP got 15% of producers out to vote, I would be surprized! That would be a vast improvement over the 12% they got to vote on whether to scrap the whole darned thing back in the early 90's.Maybe they need to change the way the vote is taken? How about mail in ballots like the CWB does? I wonder what the percentage of producers vote in the CWB elections?

[cowman]

I understand that some of the ABP 'brass' seemed to be fairly arrogant during the meetings. I blame nobody but the producers whose apathy have allowed this to happen. I attend the Zone meetings each year and vote for the candidates I feel will best represent the concerns of the cow/calf producer. Government views ABP as the INDUSTRY, so perhaps the message needs to get to Government if there is a wide dissatisfaction with the way ABP is representing us.

[pandiana]

Without a doubt the cow/calf producer is not being heard.

As has been said ad nauseum on this forum, unless our representatives have a strong voice behind them they do not have the power to make change. We need 500-700 people at these zone meetings, rallies or any get-together if there is a serious effort at being heard.

All sectors of this industry have their problems. Some however, are much better at getting the message out to those that can make changes happen. As long as cow/calf producers are willing to play the 'last man standing' game, their message will be drowned out by the louder, more powerful voices.

[boone]

On a lighter note.

There is always a way.

The little shopkeeper listened in amazement as the two managers pitched their offer, they had just taken out the option on the rest of the block of prime downtown real-estate, so they were offering to buy him out and split his 50 foot frontage that lay in the direct centre of the block. In a thinly veiled threat they made it clear that once they opened their new monster stores with bright departments and children's entertainment and daycare his time would be short in business. He listened to them and then gently declined, as his elderly mother was still running the till and the rest of the workers had been with his father for many years before he had passed on, his store was more than moving in product and stacking up money, it was a lifestyle and a larger community.
So the construction began and true to their words they levelled everything on both sides and built two of the most modern and exciting department stores. Well the much anticipated grand openings drew near and the morning finally came. Strangely enough when people lined up, they were all trying to get into his little store and were fanned out in both directions. He had prepared in several ways, he had done his research and brought in extra people and the newest and sought after merchandise, but how wondered the two managers had he incited the people to even bother with his little store in deference of their great offering. So they went down to the street and made their way slowly in line to the centre of the block. When they stood in front of the little store they turned amazingly different shades of red and white. For the other change the little shop keeper had made was to his sign. From eve to eve was the largest and brightest sign they had every seen with the original message gleaming below still announcing Lieberman's since 1925, but above it were the bold new words 'MAIN ENTRANCE'. As his father had taught him. There is always a way to fight back.