Highland Cattle

[rkaiser]

Found some nice pictures for ya cowman.

http://www.thorbardinranch.com/index.html

[Rodjam]

Thanks for the link, looks like they are doing it right.
My Scottish grandfather would be so proud of if I had that set up.

[cowman]

Well I don't know if grassfarmer was all that thick skinned but he definitely had his opinions and he stuck to them!
Besides the fact I enjoyed roasting him at every opportunity I also enjoyed his point of view on several things? He actually made me consider some of his more "out there" ideas!

[ianben]

Hi Tom Looks like you are right and our plant does not use new process.

It is up and running though.

I think we are about to see huge advances in the processes involved in biomass uses. Global warming and higher fossil fuel prices will send more and more resourses into R&D. What may seem uneconomic today may only need an alternative high value use for a biproducct as in JD's example. I think in 5yrs there will be plants producing things we havent even thought of.

Wheat I am told has the most possibilities for value added products in an industrial process.

It should make those long haul places in Canada ideally situated to take advantage of these opertunities.

Will the your goverment and farmers pull out all the stops the make it happen

[cowman]

interesting comments on this topic. I value all positive comments about the beef industry and it certainly should not matter if those who post on this site have ten cows or ten thousand !
It is certainly a place where newcomers to the industry can gain valuable information on a lot of issues from experienced cattle producers. Sometimes personalities get in the way, but that's human nature. Possibly the best way to deal with opposing viewpoints would be to treat each other in the same manner we would if they were sitting across the table .

[TOM4CWB]

Ianben;

You are right for sure!

We must concentrate on value added... which leaves a great deal of uncertainty with the CWB... as crossovers into non-feed uses is quite extensive.

Only feed wheat/bly for livestock use is specifically exempt domestically from the CWB "single desk monopoly" which leaves many of us with a very bad taste in our mouths... about being blind sided after spending $$$Millions and finding out after commitments and contracts are in place.

Vader;
Can the CWB request a change to the CWB act to allow value added processing of new innovative projects non-board outside the "single desk monopoly?

Or

Are we supposed to just trust the CWB... after reading the fine print of the CWB act... and finding we are NOT exempt from the "single desk monopoly"!

If we are exempt from the "single desk monopoly" where can you point to the exemption specifically in the CWB Act?

Since I have studied it... the words "Human Consumption" are not even in the CWB Act or Regulations... how can you claim biofuel/products are exempt when they are consumed by humans and not animals?

[Vader]

I can only refer you to what is in practice today. API in Red Deer, AB diverts a portion of its fractionation products into the "human consumption" market. As such they are obligated to purchase that same percentage of their raw material from the CWB. For the balance of their "non-food" production they are free to purchase wheat directly from farmers.

I think that you are correct in that the words "non-human" consumption do not appear in the CWB act but for quite some time now that has been the operating principal.

I inquired specifically about ethanol and was told that the best interpretation is that ethanol is not a "wheat product" as defined in the CWB Act and therefore is not subject to the conditions of the Act either. If you do fractionation and the gluten or the wheat germ find their way into either the domestic human consumption market or into the export market then that portion of the grain would be considered subject to the Act.

[TOM4CWB]

Vader;

I don't understand why the byproducts portion as a % of milling yeild that enter the feed market for animal consumption wouldn't be exempt from the buyback for that portion ending up as feed.

Why would API be different from Robin Hood on these animal feeds created from the wheat?

[TOM4CWB]

Vader;

COnversly:

If I set up a processing plant that produces no animal feed at all, Ethanol, frac. components that are not gluten or germ any more... but new products...

What would stop the CWB from forcing my venture to buy back the wheat going in... if the CWB Board of Directors decided to do so?

I need a specific exemption before spending millions upon millions... and if I were at the Lloyd Husky plant I would be really nervous right now!

Has the CWB specifically given a letter of exemption to this plant?

[pettie]

I thank each and every one of you for your comments, good and bad. I truly believe that to make an informed decision, one must always consider both sides of the coin. I live in central New Brunswick . I have no intention of raising Highlands for profit, but for my own use. Our intention is to have no more than 5 at a time. If by some chance, we can sell the hide or extra meat , to pay for the upkeep, well then, that's a plus but our main concern is the rearing, the troubles, the temperment, but mainly, the meat!.
So, onward and upwards . Again, thanks to all

Heather