Are we in a free country still?

[grassfarmer]

I wrote a letter a while back to both the Alberta Beef Magazine and Cattlemen Magazine regarding the ABP and democracy. I got an enthusiastic feedback from editors and assistant editors at both papers but I am furious to see neither have in fact published it. Lack of space? maybe... I rather suspect it didn't get past their ABP proofreaders. How ironic if this bastion of freedom and free enterprise were censoring letters much like a communist regime would do. Time to wake up producers and realise what is going on with your levy dollars.
I include the letter below as at least Agriville provides an opportunity for free speech.

"The winter edition of Grass Routes, the Alberta Beef Producers magazine, arrived recently and I was annoyed to see the list of twelve resolutions passed at the Annual General Meeting in December but no list of the eight defeated resolutions. This was conveniently explained as being due to space restrictions. Perhaps in future an extra half page of black and white print could be freed up by not publishing five full colour pages of directors’ photographs - especially since half of them had their photographs in the previous edition as potential candidates. In truth I suspect the ABP were more interested in concealing the list of defeated resolutions from beef producers.

Three of the defeated resolutions centred on the issue of BSE testing but more particularly, asking potential beef customers around the world if they would consider buying our beef if it were BSE tested. Apparently, the directors of ABP don’t believe the adage "the customer is always right." Also defeated was a resolution asking that ABP install a cow/calf council to protect the interests of these primary producers, in the same manner that a feeder council was introduced in recent years to look after feedlot owners’ interests. The other defeated resolutions were fairly innocuous and centred around harmonising costs of RFID eartags between provinces and possibly reimbursing producers to switch to RFID tags on breeding females as other provinces have done.
I feel confident that most producers in Alberta would have been in favour of all these resolutions, given that they were proposed by producers in the first place. Perhaps in these times of government orchestrated plebiscites on "marketing choice" the time is right for one in the beef sector? The choice would be whether beef producers in Alberta want to continue to pay check off dollars to an organisation that appears arrogant, anti-democratic and working against producers’ interests. I’m sure having to compete with other producer organisations for their share of farmers and ranchers hard earned dollars would be welcomed by an organisation that preaches a free market philosophy."

[Willowcreek]

I got to give you a big "ATTABOY" grassfarmer...If some more Canucks had a spine and would try to lead instead of enjoying the view and air they get from following-- the Canadian cattle industry would be in much better shape....Hell- there might actually still be a Canadian industry...LOL

[brian99]

Grassfarmer, why don't you start up a website, possibly in conjunction with Agri-ville.....There are alot of reasons these motions don't pass, and I would like to hear them. Get a couple of ABP reps to respond, get some good dialog going and some good motions for next year. Move this industry forward.

[rkaiser]

I would like to point out brian99 that ABP reps do read this site and will read this post.

Yet they will be too chicken to reply to grassfarmers post. ABP is run from the top, and gang mentality is the only way to describe their meetings and AGM.

Yes there should be a website, or some way other than agriville for producers to voice their displeasure with ABP's arrogance and out right distain for opposition of any kind.

For crying out loud, every political organisation in the free world not only provides funds for the ruling party, but provides funds for the opposition as well.

Run for a positon they say, vote at the meetings they say. What a joke. The structure of ABP allows for no democracy and they cannot argue that statement.

Speak to Lee Gunderson at Alberta Beef magazine himself Ian, it seem that they have not got quite the screening process as Cattlemen magazine, although a letter to the editor in Cattlemen should be the purpose of their magazine as well.

[grassfarmer]

Brian99, "Get a couple of ABP reps to respond, get some good dialog going and some good motions for next year. Move this industry forward." That sounds great in theory but really it's a case of been there, done that.
We have got good resolutions passed at zone level but when they reach the AGM they are always binned. What gets passed at AGM is what the ABP leaders have on their agenda - producer originated resolutions do not get passed. This is not a democracy. The only think to improve it must be a mass upturn in interest and involvement of the majority of producers. Unfortunately if you are not allowed to communicate with producers through the media how do you get your message across?

Rkaiser, Lee was 100% behind the letter but I'm thinking he doesn't really call the shots? I'll be contacting all the editors again to demand an explanation.

[Horse]

I may have to take the blame for not publishing the defeated resolutions as the last time I seen defeated motions published was the yr before I had a rather crafty motion to do with crown leases and in the motion I included the rates so at least everyone would know how many welfare cows are out there and low and behold my motion was somehow missed in the anual pamplet and ever sence them there has been no defeated motions published.

[farmers_son]

Grassfarmer: Certainly Agri-ville provides us an opportunity to get our views published. I have on occasion had a Letter to the Editor or two actually get printed. Even one to the Cattleman I think although that was a long time ago and for the life of me I do not remember what burning issue I was writing about.

It is my impression that it is really difficult to get a Letter to Editor printed in either the Alberta Beef or Cattleman Magazine because they only print one or at most two letters once a month. I have had more success getting letters published in the Western Producer which publishes quite a few opinions every week.

But for goodness sake if either Alberta Beef or the Cattleman does not print your letter your angst should be directed towards the publishers of those magazines. It is not ABPs fault that your letter did not get into print.

I have put forward resolutions that were passed at the fall meetings but defeated at the AGM. I have even put forward resolutions that were defeated at the fall meetings. I have also put forward resolutions that passed at the AGM and are making a difference in our cattle industry today. I guess you win some and loose some. I know you, like myself and others too, are trying to make a difference in our industry. I can only say hang in there, some good is bound to come of it.

[grassfarmer]

farmers_son, some useful comments from you as usual but there is an important point of freedom of speech and democracy at stake here. I was appalled when someone revealed on this site that the only reason that BIG-C got favorable coverage by Alberta Beef magazine for a while was because a bunch of members put their hand in their pockets and "bought" the space. Not advertising space - editorial and article space. Is that how poorly freedom of speech and democracy are treated in Alberta?
I generally find Alberta Beef to be a rather parochial comic which certainly seems to be the mouthpiece of ABP so it would not surprise me if ABP used their power and monopoly position to dictate what gets published and what doesn't. Some of their senior members are certainly arrogant enough.

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I personally believe its time to revamp the CCA/ABP/SSGA, et al. These organizations were originally formed to safeguard the interests of cattle PRODUCERS, including feedlot owners. Now it appears as though producer votes mean little in the grand scheme of things. If a resolution manages to be passed in each of the zones, how is it that it doesn't get passed at the general meetings? Its time to modify the voting structures of "our" producer groups so individuals like directors, who wish their voices to be heard, must only count as 1 vote in a regional vote.

Rod

[farmers_son]

Grassfarmer: I think what you are talking about happens quite a bit. The days when the editorial policies of the press were determined by high morals is probably long gone, if it ever existed. If nothing else that highlights the importance of alternative avenues for the general public to get their voices heard, for instance Agri-ville. The Internet does reduce the power of the press to control what the public gets to read.

You are really talking about two separate issues. One is should the ABP publish the resolutions that get defeated as well as the resolutions that pass and become policy of the APB. Without being flippant, I would suggest that sounds like a good resolution to me.

To be fair, few if any organizations advertise the resolutions that do not pass. I believe you support the NFU and I checked out their web site to see how they do things. NFU policy is there for all to see but I am sure there were resolutions brought forward by NFU members what were defeated and there is no mention of them. It would be difficult for any organization to define itself by what it does not do or by what its policy does not include.

The other issue is that the magazines and newspapers we read do exercise editorial policy and that policy seems to be determined by the almighty buck. There is a whole host of people trying to sell their ideas and products to primary producers and money talks. However there is a newspaper we get for free that seems to be true free speech, I think it is called the East Central Alberta Regional. I doubt if it gets circulated as far as your area but it has a pretty gutsy editorial policy; shoot from the lip and tell it like it is. Not much of that going around these days.

DiamondSCattleCo: I, for one, certainly do not want to see a situation where every resolution passed at any particular fall meeting is rubber stamped at the AGM. I think all of us could see the problem with that. I am not aware of a situation where a resolution passed at every fall meeting has ever been defeated at the AGM. Typically a resolution will come forward from only one fall meeting yet it still gets debated at either the AGM or in the various committees. Many get passed but not all.

[jensend]

abp and the boys know that the correct strategy is just to be quiet and wait it out. they've done it for years now and it's worked real well for their masters. i can't believe that i'm still disappointed at how they do things.

[grassfarmer]

Farmers_son,
I still value free speech and part of that is having free press, not press that is controlled by Government, big business or private interest groups. The fact that Alberta Beef Magazine has a regular "grazing" feature written by someone from DowAgro Science is a good example. This is blatant advertising masquerading as unbiased advice and information.
I like Grainnews because they have at least remained impartial and print the thoughts of alternative thinkers like Cristoph Weder - people who really care about seeing ag producers making a successful living from the land without abusing the environment. Stockmangrassfarmer is also a model publication with regard to honest editorial and content.

I would disagree with your comment that I am talking about two issues - The fact that I think ABP should publish it's defeated resolutions is linked to the issue of editorial policy because as you say "that policy seems to be determined by the almighty buck." I would contest that ABP is using some of our levy bucks to buy control over what is written about them in the publications in question.

Yes I am proud to support the NFU - an organisation totally unlike the ABP. If I bring a matter of concern to the NFU it is taken up by them and they will lobby on my behalf. That is how a producer representative group should work. That is the basis of democracy.
If I raise a matter of concern to ABP at a Fall producer meeting by way of a resolution I have to fight tooth and nail for them to accept that I have a valid concern. If I'm lucky they may approve it but only for it to be dumped at the next round - the AGM. ABP should exist to represent it's members interests, not to follow an agenda set by a small numbers of controlling people that runs contrary to the wishes of the members.
Take the BIG-C initiative for example. In 2003 western producers came out in droves to support Ostercamp and Co - certainly far more people attended those rallies than have attended ABP fall meetings over several years combined. It was clearly the wish of western producers to support the aims of BIG_C yet to this day ABP leadership has fought a hard battle to absolutely deny the wishes of producers that they(ABP), as our accepted representatives, lobby Government to back the aims of the BIG-C group. Where is the democracy in that?

The most amazing thing I have ever seen in farm politics was the press conference announcement of the "investigation" results of the inquiry into packer profiteering back in 03 (or was it 04?) Now I don't think any western producer, even you farmers_son, would agree that there was no wrong done by the packers post BSE. The investigation was a joke, with the parameters of investigation carefully set so that the Alberta Government got the result it wanted. To have Shirley Mclellan sit there smugly and assert that nothing wrong had occurred was only topped by the spectacle of Arno Doerkson sitting beside her backing her up. How could ABP be taken seriously as a producer organisation after this travesty? It is clear that they were on the opposite side to producers interests. Of course, as I've mentioned before, the travesty of justice that occurred that day was topped off by an NFU leader being removed from the room by security on Shirley's request before he even spoke a word - again supported by Doerksen.
Time to wake up beef producers!! there was a farm leader that day prepared to stand up for your interests in front of the assembled media. He was silenced and we all stood by and let it happen. Shame on us!

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Farmers_Son,

I'm not actually looking for a rubber stamp at the AGM, but I do wonder how resolutions passed at a regional, producer level somehow don't make it through the AGM?

What I would envision for a Canadian producer organization is an umbrella organization with no individual voting, just the regions. As resolutions are passed at each region, they would be filtered to the other regions for member votes. At the AGM, those regions vote as their members have requested.

Each cow/calf producer, backgrounder, and feeder get one vote at their regional level, and no more than one vote. No votes would be given to non-producers, and no votes for any director or SIG.

Pure, outright, unadulterated democracy needs to come back to the CCA.

Rod

[bombay_43]

Just as an add on note to your post Diamond;

How many beef producers are aware that each and every 4-h member that raises just one beef, is also allowed to vote in ABP elections? In doing so, we are now having someone, who most certainly does not live off of cattle farming, and in many cases are acreage “dwellers”, dictating where our industry is going. By these same ABP rules, two partners, who’s sole income is from beef, carry only one ABP vote, if their cattle are all sold in the business’s name.

Go figure, why we have no say!

[grassfarmer]

Bombay, As long as only 2 or 3% of eligible producers choose to attend and vote at ABP meetings you can't really complain if a few 4H kids are eligible to vote, I doubt any of them would be interested in attending anyway. This whole organisation could be turned around in two years if 80% of beef producers attended the meetings and voted for change - the answer is in producers hands.