Education Specialty

[ValueChainFX]

It was the early to mid seventies when I in combination with Alberta Agriculture (Ted Darling) offer the first on the farm killing and meat cutting course (like a Haccp thing) We had a good turn out and after the course was over I saw a dramatic improvement over the processing of on farm beef (for their own consumption).

Since that first course I have worked with producer in many forms to help them in one way or the other with adding value to their operations. I must enjoy the punishment as you can imagine it was not all easy.

However here we go again ... LOL ... I find myself neck deep in the specialty meat industry and a new concept that I feel will help the producers manage their operations.

We have developed a total Value Chain from the start to the finish, we are very very close to actually making this project a reality. It has many components that save the producers costs up front, assist them with marketing in the back, and keep them in control of the process from start to finish. Being who I am I have made sure there is a very strong educational component, and an even strong communication component.

The folks that are working with me on the project are very well educated in their areas of expertise, but more important is they agree with me in wanting to see the success of the producer.

I am looking for the very best meat cutters in Canada that are wanting to learn more about the EU and Asian cutting standards,specialty meat production and getting paid for what the job is worth.

Education, communication, stabalized incomes and a balanced supply chain is a future worth getting excited about!

[cowman]

Value chain: Have you ever seen a modern boneless beef operation? I believe IBP in Brooks runs one. After the specialty cuts come out of the carcass there really isn't a great deal of hamburger.
The call for a smaller animal by the meat business(so the steaks will be smaller) is basically pretty lame after the bones are out. You can cut the steak to any size you want. There is also an excellent little steak in the front shoulder(chuck tender) that rivals a New York strip anyday. Of course with deboning you can't sell the bones for $10/lb. like you do with a T-bone. Just think if we could sell a beef with the hide on, like they do with chickens, how much money we could make!

[ValueChainFX]

Right you are cowman, yes, I have seen the modern plants in operation, in fact I have worked the chains at Cargill ... LOL ..., I worked many of the special projects in the High River plant and know the challenges that they have!

I also know that like you I would like to see a self supporting system in place that everyone could make a living! Someone has to start somewhere my friend. As usual I like hot water and so here I am in it again! Come on in cowman the waters fine!

[cowman]

I got an exclusive little tour of Cargill before they ever started production. My friend (baseball teamate) was the cooler foreman. Fascinating place. At that time they did not have a boneless beef setup...just a breaking room as everything was going to go into a box. A lot of the personale were friends of mine including the first manager Bill Buckner and the superintendent Tom Plunkett.
I never got to see Cargill in full production but I sure would like to.

[ValueChainFX]

Cowman, it is for sure a sight one will never forget, they are running double shifts in the plant on both kill and fabrication. The kill floor can do about 3500 head a shift and the fabrication about 2000 to 2500 per shift. That is a lot of beef!!! You can tell they make the money on volume as long as they can keep people working in the plant! That work is pretty hard on the hands. As long as they are in the commodity business it is pretty hard to go head to head with them!

But when it comes to cutting a specialty product and doing it right every single time and doing it to trace back the animals, then the bigs guys fall down. At the moment there is no way they can do that. An animal can be traced up until it reaches fabrication once it hits that floor (about the size of two football fields, then it is gone LOL.

The fellows you spoke of are still their Tom still looking after the kill and Mr. Buckner well he is the king of Cargill now and looks after all their meat operations. If you ever have the chance for a tour it is worth the trip for sure.