Sandman: "I think the root of the problem is not the agreements themselves, but the power that SOME can weild because of them - and the power increases with size. These contracts can be used to lower cash prices if one outfit holds enough contracts."
That is nothing more than a baseless conspiracy theory. There is absolutely no proof to support this allegation. Bidding less money for cattle because you already have part of your needs bought is not market manipulation, it's business pure and simple. If the packers had the ability to manipulate markets they would never show a loss. It's nothing more than a baseless bullsh*t conspiracy theory unsupported by facts.
Old fart: "Why should my business mangement be hindered and controlled by the persons who chose not to use forward contracts."
My sentiments exactly!
What you have here is a bunch of packer blamers most of which do not even sell fat cattle, telling those of us who do sell fat cattle HOW WE ARE GOING TO MARKET THEM, then force us to report the price WITHOUT REPORTING THE VALUE, then pick and chose who can and who cannot bid on our feeder calves.
What you have here is the Democrat party of the cattle/beef industry looking for more government intervention into our business WHEN THERE IS NO JUSTIFICATION.
This is the same crowd that claims to be in the "cattle industry" and not the "beef industry" yet they think they know more about the "beef industry" than those who actually sell beef.
These blamers are the plague of this industry.
You bet it will impact you Old Fart. It will limit your market options because these folks think they know more about marketing your cattle than you do. They are the epitomy of arrogance.
Old Fart: "What are the plaintiffs asking for?"
They don't even know what they want. What they say they want they already have, competitive markets. In their ignorance of not realizing this, they are trying to destroy the markets we do have.
Old Fart: "that everyone receive exactly the same dollr as everyone else?"
That's part of it. These are the folks who wanted the government to force feeders to report their prices. A price means nothing if you don't know the value of the cattle. Yeh, you could say that is exactly what they want, "socialized cattle marketing" where everyone gets the same price and the LMA carves their commission dollars out of the pie. The LMA would love to have all fat cattle sold through their sale barns so they could sell them as calves, yearlings, and fats and get three shots at those commission dollars.
Old Fart: "They are putting everyone in exactly the same positions and allowing for no premium or discount for quality, condition, supply or demand or any of the other hunderds of factors that result in a fluctuating market."
You got it figured out partner!
Congratulations!
I wish more producers could see through the smokescreen of R-CALF/OCM/LMA.
Old Fart: "Don't restrict my options because of your choices."
Amen Old Fart! My words from your mouth. Like I said a while back, this Captive Supply Reform Act bullcrap will be a bloody battle for the very reasons you mentioned.
Guys like OCM want to save you from yourself and tell you how you need to market your fat cattle. He probably doesn't even sell fat cattle himself.
OCM: "The main objection to captive supply is the unpriced contracts (which is 98% of marketing agreements)."
This objection coming from many producers who do not even sell fat cattle.
98% of marketing agreements are not unpriced.
That is absolutely untrue.
75% of captive supply cattle are forward contract cattle which have a price established at the time of the contract.
25% of captive supply cattle are packer owned cattle.
Grid and formula cattle are not captive supply because they are not owned by packers long enough to have any impact on the market. Most are sold on Thursday or Friday and delivered the following week. I know because I have sold cattle on virtually every formula out there.
OCM doesn't know what he's talking about. He's just repeating what he's heard.
Old Fart: "If so why would so many folks sign on the dooted line all the while knowing of the possible risks you explain."
Old Fart: "Those folks signed the contract knowing it could work against them or for them. THEIR choice after reading AND signing the contract. THEIR CHOICE"
EXACTLY!
Guys like OCM and Sandman think they know how to market your cattle better than you do.
Old Fart, do me a favor and tell your Senators and Representatives exactly what you told me because these packer blamers will try to change how you and I do business but I can assure you it will not be without a bloody fight. I'm sick and tired of these conspiracy theorists dictating to others how they will market their cattle.
Keep on fighting the good fight Old Fart, you damn sure got it figured out.
~SH~