North American Integration

[blackjack]

...quote by kpb...see an inevitable shrinking in number of people in our business over the next five years...
...has that not been happening with our government's ag policies for years...I could be wrong but for the first time did ABP not actually say something about the Cargill's buying Better Beef in Ontario has not being good...maybe there is a glimpse of hope for them yet... our cattle orgs I think will need to change if we are ever going to put more pressure on government ... so far we all see that hasn't happened...again I could be wrong but I just don't see those of us in our early forties sticking around working for next to nothing..to many other options out here in Alberta...in saying that if our government lose us where will government find the next generation of farmers with the expertise of farming...

[grassfarmer]

kbp, It's not just f_s who recently thought of the packer being the only one gaining advantage from any new markets - I've said that for a long time. I stood up at a meeting in Nov. 2003 and challenged an ABP rep with that very topic - his response was to rudely put me in my place by telling me I knew nothing, the packers were our partners and we mustn't question their integrity or role in the current crisis.
Blackjack, they haven't really changed in two years - it took them over a month to backtrack on the Better Beef deal - organisations like the NFU made public statements denouncing the buyout the day after the announcement. ABP are always a deay late and a dollar short.
I thought that the mid point assembly of the organisation took place recently and if so it never featured here on Agriville or in the media that I saw. Is it so irrelevant to what is going on that no-one notices any longer? If so perhaps it is time to wind it up and give the levy to BIG - at least Ostercamp and crew understand the problems and even have a partial solution to the problem of foreign ownership of our industry.

[Horse]

I prety well agre with most coments here and go along with cowman ,until the govmt changes the rules and inforces them we are Screwed.