Oh, the issue concerns me but it is obvious that it doesn't really concern anyone in a position to do anything about it. Our current "industry" system is financially unsustainable so people are bailing out right left and centre. The "big cull" isn't some grand scheme we have to plan, it's happening all around us - we are in what - year 3?
As a free-market advocate how else would you see it happening? For Government to step in in any capacity to halt or reduce the decline in cow numbers would effectively entail subsidising unsustainable and unprofitable production - would you support that?
The way I see it the cull goes on, cows aren't worth much but there is still a lot of land that could grow grain so it would make sense that the cowherd decline until they fit the non-farmable acreage. I expect grain prices will rise and that this year's are an anomoly. Kill capacity isn't really a problem - as we reduce cows we also reduce calves plus there are US plants under capacity. Environmental impacts of grain versus grass? - horrible but again who cares? - the politicians don't - this is a fossil fuel driven economy and the more we burn the more revenue the Government gets. Environmental effects hurt the next generation, politicians don't look beyond the next election.
Foreign competition - how do we handle it? "we" don't the retailers do and they will buy as much as they want for whatever purpose they want - again the free market at work.
Not saying I like or agree with the way things are going Sean but it seems to be the way they are going and I don't see how to change it.
As a free-market advocate how else would you see it happening? For Government to step in in any capacity to halt or reduce the decline in cow numbers would effectively entail subsidising unsustainable and unprofitable production - would you support that?
The way I see it the cull goes on, cows aren't worth much but there is still a lot of land that could grow grain so it would make sense that the cowherd decline until they fit the non-farmable acreage. I expect grain prices will rise and that this year's are an anomoly. Kill capacity isn't really a problem - as we reduce cows we also reduce calves plus there are US plants under capacity. Environmental impacts of grain versus grass? - horrible but again who cares? - the politicians don't - this is a fossil fuel driven economy and the more we burn the more revenue the Government gets. Environmental effects hurt the next generation, politicians don't look beyond the next election.
Foreign competition - how do we handle it? "we" don't the retailers do and they will buy as much as they want for whatever purpose they want - again the free market at work.
Not saying I like or agree with the way things are going Sean but it seems to be the way they are going and I don't see how to change it.
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