The Value of Japan

[cowman]

Rick Paskal was on the news last night saying the opening of the Japanese ban on American and Canadian beef would add another $25 to $75 on EVERY feedlot animal! He said it would put that much money in the pockets of the feeders. Now is this true?
If it is true I wonder how some people might explain that? The R-CALF boys have always said they couldn't care less if Japan ever opened the border because the packers would take all the profit anyway! Also stated very clearly here by our own little bunch of packer haters?
If the price rises $25-$75 do they have to admit Cargill/Tyson are actually competing businesses that have to compete in the market and that there actually is such a thing as supply and demand? I would think that might be kind of a shock! Having to admit you might have to rethink blaming Cargill/Tyson for every evil thing that ever happened in the world? Maybe a few lights will come on in some peoples heads!

[Ron]

Paskal was also quoted as saying that he pays $25.00 more for each calf that has proof of birth date information. Korea and Taiwan should follow suit and allow Canadian beef into their countries as well. The word yesterday from AAFRD was that the beef export levels will exceed the pre BSE amounts.

[cowman]

I wonder how many people, who said I was an idiot to age verify my calves, will be getting out the old tagging gun after reading that?
Not sure if the powers that be have decided if age verification will be mandatory yet, but it should be? Of course...there will go the $25 premium!
Hopefully the day will come when it will be mandatory to register every antibiotic, pesticides, hormones given to an animal all along the food chain? Safe food should be a priority for every producer? We should always remember the lowest common denominator should not be tolerated!
And hopefully someday down the road we will get something back for our effort? We do all the labor, we pay for the tag and we keep the records...and the rest of the industry reaps the rewards! It would be nice if we could get some info back as a reward? Nice to know how your calves did in the feedlot and on the rail?
Of course that is unlikely to happen because then the feedlots/packers might have to pay you what they are worth?

[rkaiser]

Hey cowman, have you ever used the word "Pirates" in any of your posts?

Of course the world looks better when the markets start to function. FUNCTION. We have been dealing with a disfunctional market since May 20, 2003. And all of this time, the packers in this country have taken full advantage of the opportunity presented to them by BSEconomics. Decisions made mainly by the USDA which somehow gave the packers in Canada a free ride.

Yes cowman, time will heal. In time, folks will see Cargill and Tyson as the hero's and forget about the millions of dollars that they "PIRATED" out of the pockets of producers in this country.

The only thing missing over the last 3 years has been competition, and funny thing, that competition has become even more challenged by the events of the last 3 years.

Yip, money is everything. And those of us who can forget the equity losses we suffered the soonest and jump for joy when Rick pascal says he will give us another $25.00 per calf will be the winners.

Nothing against Rick, I think he is a true survivor and one who actually stood up with a voice throughout this debacle. Good on him if he can get his calves for $25.00 more and sell them for $75.00 more.

Cheers
Randy

[cowman]

Well Randy I don't think I've ever called anyone a pirate...but I might be wrong?
I wonder if a pirate actually thinks of themselves that way? Or do they think they are doing the job they were being paid to do...maximizing the shareholders/families profits? Isn't that just good business?
Anyway pirates will be pirates and wolves will be wolves and in reality the only one to blame is the government, who allowed them to be that way?
I always liked Rick...long before he became this super feeder...just an order buyer! He was always willing to share his insights and always appreciated the view from the grassroots! He is/was a good guy.
Hope you are finding your northern location better...where occasionally you can go outside without the damned wind blowing you over! Be happy things are turning around and this wreck is coming to an end!

[farmers_son]

Well Pascal did not say when we might see $75 more per animal. We are still receiving $180 less for a fat steer than would be received if that same steer was sold in the United States. While the wholesale price of beef remains equivalent or slightly higher in Canada than in the U.S.


The real optimism from the announcement about Japan is that once trade actually does resume with Japan the U.S. would be expected to relax their restrictions on importation of our live cattle, both UTM and OTM. Until then I would expect to see continued discounts of our live UTM cattle in the range of $175 to $225 per head and discounts on OTM cattle amounting to $400 per live cow.

I for one have used the pirate word and it still applies today. Our markets are still not functioning. Realistically we cannot continue to look to the U.S. as a dumping ground for our cheap live cattle. Attention needs to be paid to the real problems that still exist in Canada regarding pricing of live cattle. Bottom line, nothing has changed.

[cowman]

Farmers son: Patience is a virtue? Yes I know this thing has gone on too long but the fact is it is getting done?
Instead of blaming the "pirates" perhaps you should be looking at how our government handled the whole thing? They really made a pathetic attempt and weren't exactly bold in getting it solved? Now maybe they had no options, but I would suggest a little bit of co-operation with the Bush administration might have been helpful instead of calling him a moron and a bastard? I think the Liberals need to take a class on "How to make friends and influence people" and that you catch more flies with honey than vinegar?
This is just basic common business sense? If you are trying to sell a bull to a customer do you tell him he is an idiot and doesn't have a clue? You know people are funny...they really don't like to be put down...especially by some halfwits who aren't fit to shine their shoes! Why would they do business with them?
Martin continues his anti-American tactics, lecturing the American government on "global conscience" when in fact he had nothing to crow about...in fact had done a lot less than the Bush administration!...and this from the leader of a gang of proven thugs in Ottawa! The absolute hypocracy of the man!
However it seems to be playing well with all the "nationalists" who think everything in America is evil and wicked!...read that as old Commies pretending to be socialists!