Hats off to Agri-Ville

[ValueChainFX]

Thank you Agri-Ville for making such a worth while contribution to the Agri-Industry. Now the thanks are in place, we can get started on the business of the forum.

I recently had the pleasure of being interviewed for a position with an association in Alberta that was looking for a General Manager. The reason behind going to this interview was that I felt that my contribution to this association could assist dramatically their place in the Alberta sheep industry. What was amazing to me through the process was, firstly the lack of knowledge about the big picture of the industry itself! Secondly that although well documented and laid out directions and goals were in alignment with the associations goals and directions, the interviewers were scared that implementation would reflect directly on them as a board as if they themselves made the final call ......... (just thought that members actually had a say) thirdly that although the pay for service was so low it was almost embarrassing to talk about and developing outside programs, partnerships, and innovative and creative budget building components left the interviewers beside themselves with visions of a bright future.

I guess the point that I am trying to make here is simple! I believe the producer is the board, each member has their own business, if your board does not represent what you want then you best be looking at doing something about that. If you believe that a board can operate without making partnerships and alliances and building a stronger budget to work with then you really are having a hallucination not a dream! The future is where we are all going, if you stay with the status quo (doing the same things over and over again expecting different results) you will end up in the future being as frustrated as ever. If you think I am in a complaint mode or just poking at the associations, you are probably right. But this is my opinion and does not have to be yours! All I know is that ultimate power breads ultimate corruption and when any board dictates what you are going to do and pay and get for your product, that does not sound like free enterprise to me. What ever, I guess this opens a nice little door for your opinions now!

[nakodo]

Sounds like it was a good thing you did not take the job, you might have been a little frustrated :-).

My experience with volunteer boards and associations indicates one must walk a mile in their shoes, learn the real reasons for the risk aversion and make change come from within not from outside pressures.

While change will not occur as quickly, it will still take place at their own speed and they will "own" the results and be able to apply what they learned to new challenges.

[jamesbond]

As a sheep producer, I must say that I am frustrated with organizations like the ASWC and the Canadian Sheep federation. A year ago they were pushing for implementation of the ID tag system. An operation that will add more cost to the already struggling producer for a system that quite possibly won't work. A number of producers suggested that finding ways of putting money back into the producers pockets more important .
Will the ID tag system work? The United Kingdom has an extensive ID tag system , so lets take a look at the numbers for hoof and mouth outbreak. As of Oct. 18 they slaughtered 601,000 cattle, 3,170,000 sheep, 139,000 pigs, 1,000 deer, and 1,000 others for a total of 3,912,000 animals destroyed. There were between 2000 and 3000 that tested positive for the disease; a kill ratio of almost 2000 to 1. The ID tag system did not work there .
They pushed the ID tag system through with the promise of cheap tags and an easy system. With wool prices sitting in the bottom of the toilet bowl and the lamb prices spiralling down into the bowl as well; in a year like this, one could not afford them, no matter how cheap they come. And from what I hear the CFIA doesn't like the system that was voted in; they want a more expensive tag sytem yet, hmmmm where is the money going to come from?
Some of us think that the organzations should be lobbying the government on various issues. For example, they could join other groups such as the Truckers in getting fuel prices back down. They could work on marketing stategies, possibly in joint ventures with industry. At meetings when marketing has been brought up, the response has been " this is Canada, we can move all the lambs we produce". Well there is a difference between moving them at a profit or a loss and this year we are definetly losing! The associations and the federation have to ask producers for their ideas and more importantly, they have to listen!

[woolpuller]

Hi James Bond:
Suggest you look at the complete picture of why ID. If Canada doesn't then wil there be an industry. ID is also in AU $ NZ. It is a way to track from farm to diner plate. The general public wants it. It is also a way to eliminate the cheaters.
Have a serious look at the complete picture.