New approach at ABP

[coppertop]

randy, are you concerned with some of the members of the new Premier's campaign team ?

[rkaiser]

Well, I guess we could let the Willow Creek Gang hijack this thread with their gravy train garbage or we could try to debate the Canadian testing issue which is truly none of their business.

How about the part of the paper discussing the Japanese indicating that Canada is not supplying the marbling they would like with these under twenty month carcasses. I would imagine the Americans are in the same boat. After eating D1 cows in Canada for the last few years, I would guess that the Canadian consumer could atest to the quality of our white fat cows. Would these BSE tested D1 cows not satisfy the marbling qualities demanded by the Japanese, and kill two birds with one stone - so to speak. Open a market for the packers and end the captive supply of cows in Canada. Wait a moment - end the captive supply????? Smells like a packer deal to me.

[rkaiser]

concerned - as in the noun coppertop - interest

or the verb - relate or have reference to.

Either way coppertop - I think Ed is and always was the man. First time I have had to involve myself in a closed mouth way, but politics dictates those things at times.

[WilIow-Kreek]

Hillbilly!!! LOL we will see who the hillbilly's are when you have nowhere to dump your beef.We are getting tired as a nation of protecting people who only look to take advantage of us.

[rkaiser]

Sounds like you should join the Marines Willow Kreek, and go show some of those olive skinned folks a thang or two.

[coppertop]

randy, I was involved in Ed's campaign from very early on, he had an excellent cross section of the agriculture industry working hard for him, and advising him on agriculture matters, and of course, he has been a farmer his entire life.

I am very interested in who the Ag Minister will be.

[blackjack]

...have you not seen what has bappened in the cattle industry the last three years coppertop...was ed not around the cabinet table then...or was he happy how shirley handled it...i too watch with great interest who the new ag minister will be...

[cowman]

Probably Doug Horner? Why change things? No one voted for change? Horner was doing some heavy sucking up on election night, saying Ed was the best thing he'd ever seen!

[coppertop]

Doug Horner jumped on the Norris bandwagon right off the bat, of course he was doing some damage control. I am expecting to see quite a few changes in cabinet, the new premier will want to put his own stamp on it, and he has had plenty of time to consider who would fit in which portfolio.

Look for Iris Evans to have a very prominent portolio, perhaps even Deputy Premier.

Likely Doerksen will remain in cabinet, as well as Hancock, Oberg and Luke. I look for Lloyd Snellgrove to get an appointment, and perhaps Mel Knight from the GP/Wapiti.

The cabinet may be smaller, some porfolios amalgamated, who knows? Likely we won't know for a couple of weeks, because the premier elect must be sworn in before he announces his cabinet.

[SimplyCanadian]

Your thread shows your passion on this subject and passion is always a good thing when pointed in the right direction.
The debate about BSE or free trade (with the US) or any discussion that puts information out there is worth a read.
First on the BSE issue, I have 40 plus years in the industry (not that I need to justify my comments)and the only time our government paid my marketing bills was when I worked for the big multi-nationals. (The funds were all legally acquired through "programs" but funny how few others got funds from these same programs) So the point is, if I want to spend the extra money for testing anything it should (and will end up) being my choice. My goal is to meet the needs of my customer and market my quality points to them. Our plant lab would sure be built to meet standards for these tests but would be used for other lab work as the plant required.
Second point, our friends from down south can stir the pot all they like and we have a choice to consider the source. My thoughts are simple, if I work for Safeway I sure don't go to IGA for industry information or strategies.
Third point, Alberta has a new provincial government getting ready to take off. If these folks believe for a second Alberta Agriculture, Agri-industry and all the other supporting agri-business will prosper without dealing with our root causes of stagnation they are dreaming. Our top level beuracrates have stiffled growth throughout the industry since Cargill, IBP, XL and few other arm twisters have taught them the art of sufficticated suffication through hypnotic repetition.
You folks building any kind of business would be well advised to not depend on the government as your saving grace, not take to your competitions advice and make your choices based on business choices.

As for Mr. Ed?? I sure wish him well and do hope that whatever he does he trims some of those fat cats out of the ag offices and replaces them with some folks that can make some positive changes.