What If We?

[ValueChainFX]

Well folks, your idea has merit in words on a screen, but I have been at many many producer meetings and part of the make up of each producer is the need to be an independent. In fact when producers have got together many times they fail because the producer wants to grow the product and drop it off for his pay!

Those days are now over if you want to survive, adding value to your product and helping it through the supply chain is where you are going to find your extra income. You still need those guys that know what they are doing to make things work.

When your supply line is stopped then producers take note. Recently this happened in the Specialty meat industry. The supply chain lost a meat processor and essential gave a monoply to one player. This shut many producers down, as this player is unable or unwilling to kill and fabricate product.

Now the producer suddenly agrees on one thing! They have to take enough control of the market to survive. Putting the foundation together has been easier then I expected, as it not only opened the producers eyes, but the governments as well and we have had many people step forward to help champion the cause.

Pulling together is a good idea, but be prepared to have patience, lots of money and a strong leader (as he will be pulled a hundred ways) our united program is moving forward, our capitol is coming together and the producers have united at least to the point where they remain civil and focused to accomplish our initial goals. There is a long way to go but so far so good.

Oh and of course there have been many investors that have come in wanting a piece of the action with no role in the organization! But then that defeats the purpose dosen't it?

[Steve]

I can’t understand why farmers would go to Focus on Sabbatical meetings and pay $250.00 and agree to stop production; also invest billions of dollars to buy grain on the commodity market to create a shortage and try to resell the same for more money. ( also the fox would be watching the money)
This could bankrupt most participating farmers if this idea didn’t work.

Why would farmers be reluctant to join a association at no cost, voluntary honor participation, keep your independence, sell your product at a profit, look at the possible gain and nothing to loose?

Farmers keep howling at the Government because it is like banging you head against the wall and wonder if it is going to hurt and you may get a band-aid to stop the temporary bleeding.

I would start promoting a farmers association concept myself, but this old body has to many miles and the warranty may run out before I got started, so I will leave it to the younger believers.

ValueChainFX your idea for value added is okay for specialty products, but that is a very small market, maybe less than 1% of conventional meats. Processing that type of meat may be risky because of disease and animal activists that can disrupt your operation with no warning.
I can see you promoting value added co-operative processing because that is the only way you can market these specialty products, but don’t try competing with the big boys in the other 99% of the meats.

I have been at meetings where the organizers make money selling their book or charge admission to the seminars, but sure don’t practice what they preach.

Sorry but that is the way I see it.

[ValueChainFX]

Steve You are right on as far as going head to head with the big boys. I have
worked for those guys and built their programs with them. I know they have enough
behind them that head to head is a no win situation. But I also know that the markets
that are demanding trace back and soon to be the norm are very hard for them to
handle.

As we go more and more into modified foods and tracking those products the big
guys are going to have more and more challenges. But I also know that many
producers would market their own products if they had the choice. Since the size of
the Value Chain is small compared to the big guys, we can stay busy and still look
after the needs of producers. I sure see the caution out there as it should be. But, I
also see producers that are wishing they had options as well. All we are is an option
and choice is good.

There will always be the big guy and bless their souls. But there will always be
people that think they can help others out and provide choices. I rather like to be
someone that looks into the future with hope, then someone that looks at the present
with fear and despair.