ABP Magazine

[rkaiser]

How can there be so many like minded folks here on Agriville yet the editor of Alberta Beef Magazine says that the wise minds at ABP/CCA prevail. LOL

Thank God for a little rain hey boys - I'm on my third vodka and clamato since it started. Funny how us dipshits who depend on only a cheque from our pathetic "nature dictated" "multinational ruled" commodity celebrate things like that. Cargill will get their 21 bucks tomorrow - cowman will get his oil cheque (and maybe waste it on a renewal of his BIG C membership), and ABP/ CCA will continue to collect their 3 bucks a head.

Great post kpb. I hope the closet ABP/CCA folks are tuning in tonight. I might have a bit more to say after that 4th caesar.

[grassfarmer]

kpb, Yes i'll tell you that we,as producers, are the ONLY people that can change the representation we get through ABP. Don't for a second think that that means I back the majority of the current ABP people because I don't. 50% of ABP reps get elected every year - if the majority (probably only 10 or 15% of eligible voters) turned up for the next two years fall meetings we could replace every clown on the payroll. It's that simple - one meeting per year for two years to attend and even that seems too much of a committment for most people.

That said even if ABP were lobbying on our behalf instead of against us I wonder if the Alberta Government would listen to them as much as they do now? Perhaps lobbying the Federal Government might be a better bet?

The point you make about packer concentration killing small feedlots and cow /calf guys is so obviously correct yet the ABP claim not to believe this. The ABP/Cowman claims that the packer business is losing money showing that it's a good job we didn't get involved in it is the wrong conclusion. If the packers were to lose money they bid less on fed cattle, feedlots take a hit and tighten their belts which means they pay less for calves but who does the cow/calf man pass the loss onto? No-one it's his loss. And then Cowman sits here and whines about how hopeless it is to make money off cows but refuses to accept that packer concentration has anything to do with the problem. Still, a belief that we are better off with no government interference will carry us through better than holding onto the cows tail eh? Never mind that Cargill, Tyson and co were all funded, subsidized and encouraged by the same Alberta Government that refuses to extend the Alberta advantage to Alberta producers.
We have been sold out, lock stock and barrel.

[grassfarmer]

Randy, I heard a prime 2 year old dairy heifer that had never calved (infertile) was sold from this area recently - 31 cents/lb for 1450lbs. Now if they only make $21 on that one what will a steak sandwich cost? $1?, $2?

[rkaiser]

Well Grassfarmer - now that I am back in your ABP zone - we're at least going to have a lively night or two next fall. And ya - I'll stay out of the Vodka on those happy happy evenings.

[gwf]

I wondered how long it would take to have this topic discussed again. I cancelled my subscription to Alberta Beef sometime ago. I like Lee Gunderson as a decent, clever and caring individual, but unfortunately he doesn’t call all the shot at the magazine. One of the few articles to appear in the magazine on producer funded packing had to be paid for. Ten parties put up $250 each. I am sure the support from the ABP for the magazine must be worth more than this. If one is going to pick sides, you will likely go with the one that is in the drivers seat. The ABP.

The original proposal that BIG-C adopted, called for a levy on all cattle to finance the capital requirements necessary to build and support new and/or existing facilities provided the product was marketed other than the US. The reason for this was to not be in competition with existing processors and at the same time provide an alternative market for our beef products with the least amount of risk. It was proposed that the corporate vehicle would be a public company that would provide liquidity for investor’s head levy. It was never the intention to have producers directly involved in the operation of the plant. Cargill and Tyson are going to be around for quite a while and they are playing, and will continue to play a big part in exporting most of our beef. We have an over supply of cattle for the present markets to utilize, and it would appear that Cargill/Tyson will continue to look to the US for their main market.

Calf prices this fall scare me. The feedlots have pulled their horns in on the prices that they can afford to pay. Most backgrounders have lost money the past three years, so they are not going to be too bullish in the near future. It all comes back to the cow/calf producer who is at the end of the line.

[rkaiser]

Thanks for that gwf - any rain down yer way ---- if so how's the whiskey --- or vodka - or whatever.

Hope things are well with you.

Randallofsky - the Rcalf supporting socialist LOL

[cowman]

randy: The $21 was the difference between the wholesale carcass beef price and the daily quote on live cattle. I am assuming they are talking AAA or AA steers? Consider that if the price rose 2 cents on live cattle, without a corresponding rise in wholsale...the packer would then be into negative margins? Now I don't know if Ag Canada is cooking the books or not...I like to believe they are telling the truth?
I am sure Cargill adds value to their product when they can and probably has found they can supply some of their own services to cut costs, eg. trucking? But bottom line is the packing business? I don't think we can include all the subsiduaries or maybe we should be throwing in the grain and fertilizer business too?
I have no idea where anyone ever got the idea I support in any way the ABP? I don't even get the newsletter! Somewhere in the ABP files I am probably labelled as a total traitor! The ABP is just another cost of doing business in my opinion...another tax if you will. I spent time and money trying to get rid of them back in the early nineties...probably as much as you did promoting BIG C! That didn't work.
I guess one thing is very clear though? Manitoba will get a packing house. The great experiment will take place! We'll all just have to wait for the results.

[cowman]

kpb: Sorry to hear Salmon Arm closed. When Ed Paul came to the mart cow prices went up right now! He bought a fair number of cull cows in central Alberta, for awhile!
Not sure who in the end owned Salmon Arm? I know they were offering shares but I think in the end only a few big boys owned it? I heard basically Ed was the main owner? I guess he'll have to regroup back to his bar business! Never a loss in the booze business!

[cowman]

and finally mb rancher: I do not have a job with an oil company! I do have a joint venture company that privately contracts services. To oil and gas companies, municipalities, Alberta Highways, both railroads, industrial, and lots of farmers!
Without a doubt these ventures are my bread and butter! I also have an 1100 acre farm...again in a seperate joint venture...that occupies a lot of my time! It is NOT a tax write off and has never failed to turn a profit....I pay taxes every year!

[coppertop]

randy,if the rain has driven you to the bottle, I sure hope that it doesn't rain all summer or you will be in a mess by fall, and I for one, am looking forward to seeing you run as an ABP delegate. Sure will help you as much as I can at this end of the zone.

ABP is a classic example of an organization run from the top down vs being run by the grassroots. The provincial government, particularly AAFRD is run along the same lines. For as much as Ralph was always the peoples premier, that is gone with the wind. The government is run by bureaucrats, and patronage appointments so is it any wonder that ABP top dogs want to stay ingratiate themselves with government, then they can tag along on the ministerial sojurns around the world !!!

[cowman]

Now I will wade into troubled waters a bit here!
My ABP rep here is a truly good guy...doesn't mean I don't agree with him! What can I say...we were in grade one together...we played on the same ball and hockey teams?
He believes in the ABP! Obviously I don't! We certainly don't get all bent out of shape about it! We have a good relationship. We can just accept that we have a different viewpoint?
Why is this so hard to understand? Some people on here get very passonite about these kind of things? In the end does it really make any difference?

[coppertop]

cowman, without a doubt many of the ABP reps are very good people, work hard in their own communities and likely ran as delegates with the best of intentions. I do know that some of them have become very disillusioned with the direction ABP has gone, and many good delegates don't serve for long because they don't want to continut to butt their head against a brick wall.

I think the BSE crisis is what really turned the majority of cow/calf producers againsg ABP, prior to that things were good in the cattle industry for a few years so many people didn't pay much attention to how their check off dollars were spent or what the ABP executive was doing.

Having said that, it never ceases to amaze me at how some of the delegates seem to get elected year after year. In my zone, in 2004 I felt that at the zone meeting I attended there were what seemed to be clear cut choices, which weren't the old standby delegates, but after all the zone meetings, some of the old boys were back in all their glory !!!

One addition to the ABP staff that is an excellent choice in my view is Rich Smith. He is a former engineer with AAFRD, then worked for a time in a senior management position with Elite Swine prior to being hired as the ABP environmental expert. His expertise should be what is listened to by government vs the good old boys that seem to have the ear of bureaucrats and ministers alike.