Government Should Not Be Running Agriculture

[farmers_son]

Should MLAs be making deciding how primary agriculture operates in Alberta? I ask because I have been following the debate on Bill 43 the Act that takes away Alberta Beef Producers, Alberta Pork’s and Alberta Lamb’s secure funding. See:

http://www.assembly.ab.ca/net/index.aspx?section=doc&p=han

Second reading debate took place on Wednesday May 13. If you read what these people say when they stand up in the Legislature you would have to wonder if they are drunk or worse. These MLA’s really honestly do not have a clue about what they are voting on, the issues and the implications. Any one of the contributors to this Beef Forum could do a far better job of explaining the pros and cons of Bill 43. These MLA’s, most of whom are city MLAs, should not be deciding the way agriculture operates. To allow Government to make those decisions is certain to be a train wreck for all of us. Cattle producers should be deciding the future of their check off themselves though a plebiscite vote and not allowing Government to decide the future of our organizations.

Bill 43 has passed second reading and third reading is expected before May 25. Whether you are for a refundable check off or in favour of secure funding you should be in favour of a plebiscite on issues of this much importance. Yes, those who want to see a refundable check off will tend to favour Bill 43 and the Government’s heavy hand. But what about the next time Government wants to impose itself on agriculture? Those same people might not be so happy.

Bottom line, it certainly appears Government does not have a clue about agriculture and if you read the Bill 43 debate that becomes all too clear. We need to be very, very careful about Government controlling the direction of our industry especially when these things could be far better decided by producers themselves through a plebiscite.

[BFW]

Farmers Son, you know perfectly well that those who favor Bill 43 do not favor a " heavy government hand." You can put any spin you want on it and throw out all the BS you want but at the end of the day the proposed changes will enable industry to move forward and help ensure its success in the future. When will you stop beating the plebiscite drum? What you are really asking for is to allow "mob rule" to decide the day when in fact we know that method will decide nothing.

[per]

Have been out inserting seed into the ground and not able to read Hansard or watch the video. Having said that, and having followed the Leg proceeding in the past,I would say the a complete understanding of most issues is not always abundant on both sides of the house. They are however, duly elected by us and this is their job. Good thing we don't all think the same way, it would be pretty dull.

[grassfarmer]

It is certainly worthwhile reading the Hansard, what disappoints me any time you study what politicians say is that so much time is spent trying to make wise cracks at the competitors expense, and scoring political points. I guess I always used to imagine politicians were really smart guys who spent all their time making profound decisions that would help everyone in their constituency, province and country.
What really amazed me to learn with Bill 13 was that the minister proposing it hadn't even read it!! Initially he was arguing with Joe Anglin as to what was contained in the Bill - and the minister was proven wrong every time.

Having said all that I can't really see what you are complaining about in Hansard, F_S. It seems all the talk from the opposition parties indicates they have bought into the ABP BS distribution network portraying this as a "big versus small" battle with ABP always being the heroic defenders of the "small".
How ironic then that the NFU is fundamentally opposed to most ABP policies because they are based on giantism. The NFU does represent family farms and consistently fought against upping the CAIS limit to $3 million - where was ABP on that one farmers_son? were they backing the big guys or the small guys? How could it be that they backed this increase all the way if the organization is run by cow/calf operators versus the evil feedlots?
The truth is ABP is peddling a bunch of lies and misinformation in an attempt to save their crumbling empire. I hope they get caught out in their lies.
I sent an email to the main MLAs spelling out some truths on the issue and suggest others do the same.
Another inaccuracy that the MLAs seem to have swallowed is that BIA is a feedlot operators group which is not really true.
Certainly the Alberta Cattle Feeders Association is a member but both the Beef Initiative Group and the Western StockGrowers’ Association are solidly cow/calf based groups. I never understood why the Feeder Associations of Alberta were involved in BIA as they are essentially a Government backed lending organization. In reality Bill 43 has backing of quite a large and diverse cross-section of the beef industry.
As an afterthought F_S, have you checked with the MLA for Strathmore-Brooks to see whether he backs the bill? my guess would be yes but I'd be interested to know for sure.

[per]

ABP has a full court press on right now. We all know that a full court press can also result in a break out pass and a slam dunk on the other end and all that will we left to them is a foul/free throw fight the clock game. Wait, maybe that is where we are now.

[farmers_son]

The topic of this thread is government should not be running agriculture. But what the government and the big feedlots are saying is average producers like you and me should not be running agriculture either. Producer organizations like Alberta Pork, Alberta Lamb and Alberta Beef Producers which represent the broad cross section of primary livestock producers are being sidelined by the Stelmach Government which really has only disdain for the average guy.

The fact is the average producers of this province are the ones who represent the most investment in agriculture. Yet our voice is being muffled out.

Whether you are a big feedlot or just a cow calf guy like me we are going to end up working in an agriculture industry that is run by Government. Government is not going to ask our opinion whether that pertains to a check off plebiscite or our views on age verification, premise ID or vaccination records.

Sure if you are big feedlot you may have the ear of the Stelmach Government on a given issue but you will find as soon as you don't agree you will be shown the door. Really your input did not matter in the first place. You were just being used as a pawn in Governments larger strategy to run this Provinces entire livestock sector, hogs, lambs, cattle.

[grassfarmer]

See my quote above f_s:
"The truth is ABP is peddling a bunch of lies and misinformation in an attempt to save their crumbling empire. I hope they get caught out in their lies."
And on and on you go, no attempt to answer any of the questions or arguments, just keep on spinning the story.

[farmers_son]

Bill 43 is not about ABP. Bill 43 impacts Alberta's entire livestock industry, other than poultry. Hogs, lambs and beef are the target. It about Government controlling the entire Alberta livestock industry.

To use Pers analogy of a basketball game, maybe the Government wants to view themselves as a benevolent coach who has all the knowledge and we cow calf producers as the energetic but naive young players who do all the leg work.

But when you see the Bill 43 debate it is obvious the government is not all knowing. In fact Government does not know shit from beans. They are not all knowing, they are all controlling. It is my farm, my investment, my responsibility. Government is taking away my ability to make my decisions based on my perception of the marketplace. Instead I get more regulations, more fines, more government.

And anyone who dares to stand up to that is crushed like a bug by a government that has been in power for way, way too long.

[BFW]

FS, I have read through the Hansard documents and have to agree with you that the comments for the most part show that alot of the MLAs speaking do not have a clear grasp of what is happening in agriculture. It is clear though by their comments though, the ones in opposition at least,that they have bought in to the propaganda being put out by ABP that this is an issue of big VS. small, of corporate and factory farms vs. the small producer, good vs, evil. Shall I go on. Their comments even suggest that many of these operations are foreign owned. The ABP is the one who is creating the division in the industry. They, at least the ones currently in charge fail to mention the good of the industry at every turn and instead continue to spread misinformation. I hope this is rock bottom for the ABP and that we have no where to go but up from here. Judging by the lack of response both on here and a fairly muted response to our elected officials I wonder if anyone really cares. We just need to get on with business...

[grassfarmer]

On the contrary F_S, Bill 43 seems to be all about the ABP, at least in the beef sector. ABP are the only group contesting this issue but in reality the only thing that Bill 43 does is it allows producers more freedom. Nobody is forcing producers to do anything they don't want to. Producers can decide to leave 100% of ABP funding intact if that is their wish, to suggest otherwise is dishonest.
The only problem ABP really has with Bill 43 is that they fear they will lose a significant amount of revenue - and if that comes about it will be because they have not adequately represented beef producers whether they be large, small or in between.

Your "more Government, more fines, more regulations" comment maybe refers to your view of ALMA but it does not pertain to Bill 43.

[farmers_son]

Actually from my vantage point Bill 43 is all about more government involvement and a smaller or non existent producer voice. It is about ALMA controlling the entire livestock industry in Alberta and not to stop there it is about the Stelmach Government exercising greater control over policy directions of the Canadian livestock industry.

The ALMA model is about centralized funding and decision making coming from the appointed ALMA board. Under that model Alberta Pork, Alberta Lamb, Alberta Beef and the producer voice are really just unnecessary distractions. If Bill 43 was only about ABP then you would have expected the Government would have just pulled the plug on ABP’s funding. Bill 43 is just one small step in the overall ALMA strategy that strategy being ALMA will control all of the Alberta livestock industry.

In five years we will not even recognize livestock production within Alberta. In five years we will have adopted a European regulatory control type agriculture without the European financial support systems. All Alberta livestock producers, hog, lambs, cattle will be highly much more regulated, bearing the cost of whatever value chain enhancement this Government dreams up but realizing no benefits from the marketplace. Not to say there will not be benefits but those benefits will not find their way to you and me. And without Alberta Beef, Alberta Lamb, Alberta Pork and any other producer organizations left no one will be there to stand up to Government and say this is not right.

Check out the Alberta Livestock and Meat Strategy at:
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/com12203/$FILE/AB_Livestock_Strategy_Public_Doc_June_9_2008_FINAL .pdf

• There is going to be major change…whether we approve of it or like it does not matter.
• The Government believes livestock production has a bright future…if we do what Government says.
• Government is going to significantly “improve” strategic direction and governance
• (Gotta love this one) Redirecting and refocusing government marketing funds to produce clear measurable results for Alberta exporters…note no measurable results for Alberta producers
• Enable “smart” regulations
• Facilitate the transition of the livestock industry to ensure effectiveness (however the question remains who the industry will be effective for).
• Build enhanced capacity in Government (more Government involvement in our industry)

Bill 43 is just part of the Government strategy. That part being to eliminate any producer opposition to ALMA and to ensure ALMA was the only organization that could direct the industry. The changes to the Animal Health Act came first. Bill 43 was next. There will more.

The Government of Alberta believes that the initiatives in this plan will help set the stage for long-term success. However who asked you and me? No one asked because we do not count.

The ALMA board is smarter than we are and they are going to fix our industry in the way they see fit whether we like it or not. It that leadership or is that dictatorship. It is not democracy.

And when you see these so called leaders get up and speak in the Legislature we see they are leaders only be virtue of getting the PC nomination in their riding not by having a simple clue about the livestock industry in Alberta or Canada. Government should not be running our industry.

[grassfarmer]

"The ALMA board is smarter than we are...." Don't know about that but in my opinion the ALMA board is a lot smarter than the ABP board.

[farmers_son]

But the ALMA board has no heart and soul for our business. Does Kee Jim has my best interest at heart? I really think not. Our industry can go in different directions and who decides which direction it goes in makes a difference. It makes a difference who is calling the shots. If you look at the ALMA board who there gives a damn about the average producer?

And when the Government makes participation in the great ALMA scheme mandatory we have no choice but to go along or exit the industry. Our Ag Minister has made it clear that is our two choices.

[farmers_son]

I should have added that the refusal of the Stelmach Government to allow producers any choice is made most clear by the outright refusal to allow producers to have a vote through a plebiscite.

[grassfarmer]

"If you look at the ALMA board who there gives a damn about the average producer?" Ditto the ABP board.

"I should have added that the refusal of the Stelmach Government to allow producers any choice is made most clear by the outright refusal to allow producers to have a vote through a plebiscite." Ditto ABP.