Corporate question

[grassfarmer]

So what was the point of posting the later thread about the packers in the US being found guilty of price fixing? Did you forget you were trying to convince us that the packers have done no wrong? For that matter why were you proposing a marketing board for beef - if everything is working great at present?
This is why I've never posted on Ranchers.net - a lot of the participants argue and trade petty insults for the sake of it rather than having a genuine concern and belief in what they write.
My opinion.

[rkaiser]

The good old packers are shutting down to help open the border for me SASH?

Who said I want the border open.

I'd rather see every pound of beef go south in a box even if it is the Multinationals that do it.

I won't even bother to respond to the rest of your lecture............

[rkaiser]

rkaiser, I agree with you. The folks in this area that have been marketing inspected beef either from home or truck load sales are limited to the number of animals they can get slaughtered ( 2 per week at the nearest abbatoir).I know that they have really been pushing for ranchers own to get off the ground and have every intention of keeping on marketing their beef.
The next month is going to be a very interesting one in the beef business !!

[cowman]

So what is the story on Ranchers Own? Have they started construction? Bought some land? Have they got all their financing in place?

[cowman]

They have the land in the Acheson Industrial park near Spruce Grove and they have a significant amount of funding in place. My understanding is that a lot of the local producers are getting on board so they have a market for their cull cows.
Cost per share is $5000.
$500.00 upon signing, and the remainder over a period of time or paid for with cattle shipped to the plant.

I think it is one of the few that really will get on stream within a year or so.

[grassfarmer]

I'd like to see them succeed emrald - they have a $500 deposit of mine. Pre Christmas I read they had sold 600 memberships but they need 6000 to raise the funds needed. The progress report on the various plans in the Cattlemen magazine makes depressing reading - so many are a long way from getting the funds needed.

[grassfarmer]

ranchers own had a booth at last weeks Agricultural Serviced Board Convention in Red Deer. During the time I was there no-one was at the booth, so maybe they just decided to put material out for people to take home.
I do think that the cost and the opportunity to pay the amount over a period of time makes it a positive opportunity for producers. Lord knows that there are enough producers in west central AB to get involved and get the thing built.

[kpb]

grassfarmer, I agree with you that the status of the proposed domestic packing plants makes for tough reading. Does anyone know what is going on with the proposed Sunterra plant near Calgary? I heard that Mountainview County had given approval but that was before Christmas and I've heard nothing since then. A lot of these plants cannot raise the funds to being construction--there's just no easy way of saying it other than that. The fact is that producers will not invest to a great enough degree and there are no other investors stepping forward because of the risk involved. As I said last fall, these plants cannot attract the type of outside investment needed for construction because they do not offer a good enough risk-reward profile. The only way they are going to get built is if some level of government steps forward with money. And I don't see that happening either, I'm sorry to say. It's kind of a bleak picture.

[mcfarms]

The Sunterra Plant will be constructed over this coming year, from everything I know. Saw Doug Price at eh ABP meeting and he said its been tough, though he said something interesting they thought the money would be the hard part and the regulatory and other hurdles(city people) would be easy.
It's turned the other way around, If anyone can get it done and do it right and suceed its the Prices. I have to admit I balked at the 100 grand at the time and now I am really questioning my decision, wishing they had 100 partners at 50 not 50 at 100 cause I would have been one of them. Went and listened to ranchers own and didn't come away way near the same optimism I get when I listen to Sunterra. They both have some self interest in their proposals granted.

[grassfarmer]

I was interested to read that Cor Van Raay is one of the major investors in the Sunterra plant - I would think he will contribute to it's success.