packer structure...

[PureCountry]

Let's say for argument's sake that we were all 'suppliers' of same-type cattle for Western Feedlots, or Highland, or whoever. Does that really guarantee a market? Are you still not a price-taker? I am not quite that dillusional to think that just because I breed their 'type', that they will buy them at the price I need. They'll buy them at the price THEY need, which is always as low as they can get, which in turn pads their pocket with more profit.

I will not believe for a second that the Cargill's or Tyson's of the world are intimately concerned with the well-being of the producers they source cattle from.

The programs these feedlots have and the prices they offer can be quite good, and they've worked well for some of you on this board. We're not where we want to be, and haven't found a real solid, consistent market for our product either, but, we'll continue doing what we're doing. We'll keep looking for a better way, trying to market a food product we're proud of.

Selling cookie-cutter calves to meet the demands of the feeders and/or packers is something totally different than what I want. They don't know how nutrient-dense their product is, only that it's tender and tasty. And I firmly believe we need to be able to tell consumers how nutritious their food is. Maybe it'll mean we have to market our beef directly from the farm, but so be it.

[whiteface]

Best of luck to you Pure Country! There aren't enough people like you running around with that much passion and love for what you do. Have a good day!

[PureCountry]

Thanks Whiteface. Rkaiser and I have talked this one over many times over many...coffees.lol I do get pretty passionate about these things. We're not just talking about our own health here, but our children's and grandkid's as well. What more motivation does a body need to start doing something about the way you produce your food?

Making a profit in some program with some corporation may be agriculture, but it's not my kind. J.M.Unhumble.O.

[smcgrath76]

While I certainly agree with PC on a lot of this, I am moreso in the CS camp on this topic. I do think that as producers move into the food chain, rather than the cattle chain that they will be forced by consumers to produce a consistent product. That may mean a tasteless chicken like product, or an especially nutritious on a local on individual farm basis.
There is a lot of neat work going on in the heritability of fatty acid deposition and so far it looks like the ability to select for non saturated fatty acid deposition could be as strong as the ability to select for milk. There are some other neat components that also show the same potential. In other words, breeding beef cattle that make you healthier for having eaten them. I suspect the big players will be on this like flint within a few years.
I think that no matter what scale, an individual operation is either going to have to produce a consistent product, or else be extremely aware of their diversity and search out a lot of different markets in the future.
Again, to back what CS is saying, most research I have seen by people I respect shows that roughly 8 out of 10 years the returns are better by owning your cattle longer. If you want to be rewarded for breeding and managing better beef cattle, it is best to own them until they are beef.
One good example that is getting up and running is natural valley in SK. I am sure they will have struggles, but they are working to price beef back from retail, moving their farmer shareholders into the food business and out of the cattle industry.
Will it work? Who knows.

[rkaiser]

Thank goodness that one good thing has come out of this BSE thing so far Sean. Just wish it was something BIG enough to help out more than a few producers. Every one of these initiatives helps, and the ranchers beef thing at Balzac is one more even larger step. Just wish that more of them would have kept things going.

You can all think I'm just a sour packer hater if you like - but my contention is that producers must not only become packers, but retailers as well if they are to survive.

[grassfarmer]

So when you talk about selecting for "non saturated fatty acid deposition" Sean is that high Omega 3 levels? If that's the case isn't the only really successful way to do that by feeding grazed plant material versus grain?
To me there seems two directions to go - high quality beef that is also a health food product(grassfed)or high quality generic grain fed beef from a feedlot. I suspect that most customers will still be happy with the latter but how much we can grow the other sector is what interests me.

[cswilson]

What is the sin in producing cookie cutter calves that all eat well-branded beef and retained ownership to the owner's plate is a noble idea-the realities are we still need some larger packer entities. Our good friends Dylan and Colleen Biggs have been at it for years but it is a long slow arduos process-as they will both attest. We've direct marketed grass fed beef for years but I'm not naieve or idealistic enough to believe that it would work on an industry wide basis.

[rkaiser]

Well Mr.wilson - I am not naieve enough to think that the goal of the multinational packer is to save the family farm in this country either.

Glad it's working for you cswilson. With your low costs and correct type of cattle, you may just last a little longer than most.

[cswilson]

Have i ever said their goal is to save the family farm-I'm sure some packer haters have bought cattle cheap from their neighbors,negotiated on a land rental-tried to buy feed as cheap as they can. For those of you that are trying to launch your branded beef deals you'll get alot more support and investment by accentuating your positives than by whining about the packers,the government and the ABP-we all know their in it for the money-admit that you are too and you'll lend yourselves some more credibility-anybody who shows up to buy my cattle and promises to help me out usually helps themselves first. I've been in the semen sales business for years-you don't sell much product if all you can do is run your competitors wares. Never expexted Cargill, Tyson, Randy Kaiser or Joe Blow to 'save' my ranch for me.

[coppertop]

good comments cwilson. Anyone who has sold bulls knows that the potential buyer is going to try and get the best bull for the least money they can, they aren't worried about how the seller keeps his operation going !!!