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Beef business going bust

GLA

Well-known member
Beef business going bust

Alberta may lose up to 40 per cent of cow-calf operations by Christmas

David Finlayson, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, October 27

EDMONTON - Marcel Turgeon cried when he watched 50 years of his life get sold for $56,000.

That's what the 63-year-old Lac La Biche rancher got at auction for 123 of the best charolais cows in the province.

They were so good they didn't need to be fattened up at a feedlot before going to slaughter, but that didn't matter to the packing plant buyer.

"I told him he stole my cattle, but he said he had no bidding competition so what was he to do," said Turgeon, who was banking on the sale to help fund his retirement.

Under normal market conditions Turgeon could have expected to get $200,000 to $250,000 for the pregnant cows, but he only got $479 apiece.

"I knew prices were low but I didn't expect that bombshell," he said. "I'm pretty depressed. I've put my life into this."

Turgeon is among thousands of ranchers quitting Alberta's heritage industry or drastically cutting their herds because of rock-bottom cattle prices and higher feed, fuel and other costs. Industry insiders believe Alberta will have lost as many as 40 per cent of its 35,000-odd cow-calf operations by Christmas.

Lois and Brian Scarrow of Donalda, east of Ponoka, have been raising cattle for only seven years, but are sending almost all of their 180 cows to auction next month.

"They've treated us well but we're stretched too thin," Brian Scarrow said. "Everybody's still hurting from the BSE days, and grain has gone up three or four times while cow prices have fallen."

"We'll keep a few, just enough for the grass, and maybe rebuild again."

The Scarrows will keep this year's calves and sell them in the spring, then concentrate on the trucking business they started in 1999, at least for a while.

Lois Scarrow said she and Brian, in their mid to late fifties, can't afford to keep losing money on the ranching side.

"I feel sorry for people who have spent years building up their herds, and then spend their retirement fund feeding their animals," she added.

Fairview rancher JoAnne Loland is selling half her 200 cattle because she can't afford to keep them, and she's ready to give up ranching altogether after 30 frustrating years.

"We had three years of drought, then three or four years of BSE and now prices are so low we're losing money," said Loland.

"Sometimes I feel like crying. I wish I'd never started ranching."

Not only have feed costs increased, cattle prices are less than half what they were five years ago, Loland said.

"Yet that's not reflected in the supermarket prices, so somebody's making money. If it goes on we'll all be eating beef from Brazil and Australia."

Gary Jarvis, owner of Triple J Auctions in Westlock, said he's already had a number of herds come through, and there are more scheduled in the next few weeks.

"Based on what I am seeing, we will lose between 30 and 40 per cent of cow-calf operations before Christmas, and they are the grass roots of Alberta ranching," Jarvis said.

"We're getting the same today for fall calves as we did 30 year ago."

A good young cow that's been pregnancy tested is selling for between $500 and $600, he said. Before the arrival in Alberta of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, commonly known as mad cow disease or BSE, such a cow would sell for as much as $1,500.
 

rkaiser

Well-known member
A few points that could stop this situation brought to you by Beef Initiative Group Canada.

ALMOST ALl OF THE POINTS YOU WILL READ HERE ARE BASED ON INFORMATION THAT I SOURCED EITHER FROM CANFAX OR CCA'S OWN DATA BASES AND CBEF. WHY IS IT THAT ABP DOESN'T SHARE THE SAME INFORMATION WITH YOU? FOR THREE AND ONE HALF YEARS, BEEF INITIATIVE GROUP HAS OFFERED A PLAN AND SOLUTIONS TO THE MANY PROBLEMS THIS CANADIAN CATTLE INDUSTRY FACES. ABP AND CCA HAVE KILLED DISCUSSION ON THE SOLUTIONS WE HAVE OFFERED, YET HAVE NEVER OFFERED TO SHARE THEIR PLAN OTHER THAN TO FURTHER OUR DEPENDANCE ON THE VERY U.S. MARKET AND U.S. PROCESSING INDUSTRY WHICH CREATED THE BOG WE FIND OURSELVES MIRED IN TODAY. IF TIME HAS NOT NOW PROVEN TO US THE NEED TO CHANGE, THEN WE DESERVE TO REMAIN MIRED IN THE BOG :







IN 2006, CANADA SHIPPED 2000 METRIC TONNES BEEF TO JAPAN. AUSTRALIA SHIPPED 406,113 METRIC TONNES BEEF TO JAPAN.

IN 2006, HONG KONG IMPORTED 207,000 METRIC TONNES BEEF, BRAZIL SHIPPED THEM OVER 100,000 METRIC TONNES.




OUR BEEF AND CATTLE EXPORTS TO THE US AMOUNT TO APPROXIMATELY NINETY PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL EXPORTS, YET NEVER EXCEED SIX PERCENT OF US ANNUAL NEEDS. WHEN WE LOSE TWO PERCENTAGE POINTS OF THE US ANNUAL NEEDS TO CHEAP SOUTH AMERICAN BEEF, THAT WILL TRANSLATE TO THIRTY PERCENT OF CANADA'S EXPORTS. WHERE TO THEN?




HERE ARE A FEW MORE POINTS THAT CCA AND ABP HAVE NOT TOLD YOU ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON AROUND THE WORLD:




IN JANUARY 2007, TYSON ANNOUNCED THEIR PURCHASE OF CRECUED INDEPENCIA, ONE OF ARGENTINAS LARGEST BEEF PROCESSORS, AND AS WELL, ALL OF CACTUS FEEDERS FEEDLOT HOLDINGS IN ARGENTINA. IN MAY OF 2007, SWIFT'S HOLDINGS IN THE U.S. AND AUSTRALIA WERE BOUGHT UP BY JBS FRIBOI OF BRAZIL, CREATING THE WORLDS LARGEST MEAT PACKER.




BRAZIL HAS GONE FROM 10% OF WORLD MEAT TRADE IN 2000 TO 35% IN 2006, SHIPPING TO EUROPE, JAPAN, AND SOUTH KOREA. FROM JAN TO JULY 2007, BRAZIL'S BEEF EXPORTS INCREASED BY THIRTY PERCENT OVER SAME TIME PERIOD FOR 2006. TYSON IS CURRENTLY DOUBLING THEIR CREUCUED INDEPENCIA SLAUGHTER OPERATION IN ARGENTINA, REASON CITED "ACCESS TO ASIAN AND EUROPEAN MARKETS FROM A BSE FREE ZONE" SOUTH AMERICA IS BEING COLONIZED BY U.S. MULTI NATIONALS, AND SOUTH AMERICAN BEEF IS SHOWING UP IN THE U.S. IN INCREASING AMOUNTS. OURS WILL BE DISPLACED BY IT. WE HAVE LOST THE "QUALITY ADVANTAGE" WE USED TO BOAST ABOUT. WE CANNOT COMPETE WITH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE BEEF PRODUCTION COSTS.




BRAZIL IS PLOWING ONE BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR FOR TEN YEARS INTO AGRICULTURE BIOTECHNOLOGY RESEARCH. HALF A BILLION A YEAR FROM GOVT, AND HALF A BILLION A YEAR FROM PRIVATE INDUSTRY. CANADA PALES BY COMPARISON. ALL TOLD, SINCE 2000, BRAZIL HAS LOST MORE THAN 60,000 SQ MILES OF RAIN FOREST TO CATTLE AND SOY PRODUCTION. THAT'S AN AREA LARGER THAN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.




AUSTRALIA CURRENTLY CONTROLS AND HOLDS 20% OF WORLD EXPORT BEEF TRADE, HELD BACK ONLY BY BRAZIL AND DROUGHT AT PRESENT.


FEDERAL GOVT GAVE CBEF ANOTHER 1.5 MILLION DOLLARS RECENTLY. LAST YEAR FEDS GAVE CBEF 1.3 MILLION DOLLARS. PROMOTIONS COST 5.14 MILLION DOLLARS LAST YEAR [1.48 MILLION SPENT IN JAPAN] THE 07 – 08 BUDGET IS 7.5 MILLION. HISTORICALLY, CBEF RECIEVES 30% OF IT'S FUNDING FROM CHECKOFF, 70% FROM TAXPAYERS. CBEF HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO SELF PROMOTION. A CASE IN POINT IS THAT THEY NOW INCLUDE MEXICO AS ONE OF THEIR CLIENT MARKETS OVERLOOKING THE FACT THAT MEXICO IS PART OF NAFTA WITH WHOM WE HAVE A FREE TRADE AGREEMENT. WE NEED AN EFFECTIVE CBEF BUT THEY HAVE BEEN HAMSTRUNG OF LATE BY CCA INTERFERENCE AND PACKER DOMINATION. WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THE MONEY CANADIANS SPEND ON CBEF FUNDING?




FEEDER CATTLE EXPORTS ARE UP 36.6 PERCENT AS OF OCT. 6TH 2007 YEAR TO DATE COMPARED TO SAME TIME PERIOD 2006. LIKELY WILL CLIMB. FAT CATTLE EXPORTS ARE UP 12% OCT 6TH YEAR TO DATE. SLAUGHTER UTILIZATION SITS AT 60%, YET CURRENTLY OTM SLAUGHTER VOLUMES IN ALBERTA ARE 35% ABOVE 2006 VOLUMES. WE ARE SHRINKING OUR MOTHER HERD, EXPECTED TO RETURN TO 2005 LEVEL THIS YEAR. CANADA IS EXPECTED TO IMPORT MORE THAN 200 MILLION DOLLARS MORE BEEF FROM THE U.S. IN 2007 THAN WE DID IN 2002. THIS AT A TIME WHEN WE ARE BEGGING THEM TO OPEN TRADE TO OUR BEEF, AND A RECORD NUMBER OF OUR FEEDER CATTLE ARE "GOING SOUTH". NO ONE CAN BLAME THE STRONG DOLLAR OR ETHANOL HYPED FEED GRAIN COSTS ON ABP OR CCA, BUT NEITHER HAVE DISCUSSED MARKET TOOLS SUCH AS VOLUNTARY BSE TESTING OR THE VERTICAL INTEGRATION OF CANADIAN PRODUCERS INTO THE VALUE CHAIN AS SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM OF KEEPING CATTLE IN CANADA.




OUR AGE VERIFICATION SYSTEM WILL NOW BENEFIT THE US SINCE FEEDER CATTLE EXPORTS FROM CANADA TO THE U.S. ARE UP 36.6 PERCENT, EVEN WITH AN ABOVE PAR DOLLAR. REASON? THE U.S. FEEDING INDUSTRY HAS AN APPROX ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE DOLLAR PER HEAD COST OF FEED ADVANTAGE OVER CANADIAN FEEDERS. IF VOLUNTARY BSE TESTING CREATED A HIGHER VALUE OFFSHORE MARKET, COULD WE LOGICALLY KEEP SOME OF THESE FEEDERS IN CANADA AND CAUSE A PRODUCER OWNED SLAUGHTER INDUSTRY TO DEVELOP?




US COW HERD IS CURRENTLY 7.5 TO 1 COMPARED TO CANADA. U.S. SLAUGHTER HOWEVER, IS 10.5 TO 1 COMPARED TO CANADA.




ABP HAS FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THE CURRENT POWER STRUGGLE IN THE U.S. BETWEEN THE LARGE MULTI NATIONAL PACKERS; THIS IS PLAYING OUT IN SOUTH AMERICA AS WE SPEAK AND WILL BE THE END OF THE CANADIAN BEEF INDUSTRY AS WE KNOW IT IF NOT ADDRESSED. WE CANNOT COMPETE WITH SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE BEEF IF WE DO NOT CHANGE OUR BUSINESS APPROACH.








WASHINGTON IS ON A DRIVE TO KILL SUBSIDIZATION TO AGRICULTURE. THEY HAVE NEARLY GIVEN UP ON WTO, THUS ARE PURSUEING BI – LATERAL TRADE DEALS, WHICH IN EFFECT ARE UNILATERAL TRADE DEALS. BY ATTEMPTING TO CAPITOLIZE ON NEW OIE "TRADE GUIDELINES" THEY ARE FORCING BORDERS OPEN TO THEIR BEEF, BUT HAVE LEARNED THEY CANNOT FORCE CONSUMERS TO BUY IT. THEY WILL ALWAYS PROTECT THEIR OWN CATTLE INDUSTRY OVER CANADA'S. THEY HAVE NOT HESITATED TO MANIPULATE CANADA'S BEEF INDUSTRY IN ORDER TO PROTECT THEIRS AS RULE ONE AND RULE TWO CLEARLY DEMONSTRATE.


RULE TWO GUARANTEES THE OTM LIVE CAPTIVE MARKET WILL REMAIN FOR SEVERAL YEARS YET, WHILE MUCH EXPANDING THE OTM BEEF MARKET FOR PROCESSORS. ABP AND CCA DO NOT POINT OUT THAT COWS BORN PRIOR TO 1999 WILL BE EXEMPT FROM GOING ALIVE TO THE U.S. UNDER RULE TWO. OTM BEEF TO THE U.S. WILL GO UNRESTRICTED, THUS THE PACKER WINS. HOW WILL YOU PROVE THE AGE OF YOUR CULL COW? HARMONIZATION OF THE NORTH AMERICAM MARKET IS AN ILLUSION.




BECAUSE RULE TWO ALLOWS IMPORTATION OF ONLY THOSE ANIMALS BORN AFTER MARCH OF 1999 WE FACE THE BURDEN OF PROOF OF AGE AND SINCE 1999 PREDATES OUR AGE VERIFICATION, THIS WILL BE AN IMPOSSIBLE TASK FOR THE OWNERS OF MOST COMMERCIAL CATTLE. HOW MANY YEARS MUST PASS BEFORE THE U.S. WILL CONCEDE THAT 1999 IS NO LONGER A BAR TO IMPORTATION? CONCIEVABLY A COW CAN REACH 17 OR 18 YEARS OF AGE WHICH TAKES US TO 2016. NOT EVEN I BELIEVE THE AMERICANS COULD HOLD OUR FEET TO THE FIRE THAT LONG BUT FOR THE NEXT FEW YEARS WE FACE A DEFACTO BAN ON LIVE OTM COW EXPORTS




JAPANESE BEEF CONSUMPTION IS DOWN 26% AND WE CAN'T BULLY THEM TO BUY IT UNTESTED, EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE TECHNICALLY FORCED THEIR BORDER OPEN WITH NEW "OIE GUIDELINES" UNCLE SAM HAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CONSUMER IS INDEED THE ULTIMATE JURY, NOT THE OIE, YET BSE TESTING FOR MARKET ACCESS REMAINS FORBIDDEN TO US.




WITH A COUPLE OF PRODUCER SURVEYS SHOWING PRODUCER WILLINGNESS TO VOLUNTARILY BSE TEST AT WELL OVER NINETY FIVE PERCENT, ABP HAS EFFECTIVELY USED OUR CHECKOFF MONEY AGAINST US FOR OVER THREE YEARS. ABP HAS FAILED TO GIVE A COHERENT REASON FOR IT'S OPPOSITION TO TESTING. THEY MAY CLAIM THAT SRM REMOVAL MAKES TESTING NOT SCIENTIFICALLY NECESSARY, WHICH IS TRUE, BUT IF IT IS A BUYER REQUIREMENT WE EITHER MEET THE REQUIREMENT OR LOSE THE SALE. WHY HAS ABP DECIDED THAT LOSING THE SALE IS THE RIGHT DECISION? WHY INDEED HAS INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP AGREED THAT BSE TESTING IS VALID AS A MONITORING MEASURE, BUT NOT AS A MEANS OF SATISFTING A MARKET ACCESS REQUIREMENT? INCIDENTALYY, MARKET TESTING WOULD EMPLOY EQUAL OR BETTER TESTS THAN THOSE USED FOR MONITORING PURPOSES.




A CASE STUDY OF COUNTRIES AFFECTED BY BSE SHOWS THAT ALL COUNTRIES WITH THE EXCEPTION OF CANADA AND THE U.S. TURNED TO BSE TESTING WITHIN MONTHS OF THEIR FIRST DIAGNOSIS OF BSE. [28 OTHER COUNTRIES STUDIED, McLAUPHLIN CENTRE, UNIV OTTAWA]




NEITHER ABP NOR CCA HAS RECOGNIZED THE NEED FOR POLICY CHANGE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IN FACT, BOTH HAVE EFFECTIVELY KILLED DISCUSSION ON BSE TESTING EACH OF THE LAST THREE YEARS BY SUPPORTING THE CFIA'S PERSISTENT REFUSAL TO ALLOW VOLUNTARY TESTING. IF THERE IS A VALID REASON FOR THIS POLICY, IT HAS NEVER BEEN STATED.




BEEF INITIATIVE GROUP HAS POINTED OUT THE POTENTIAL MARKET IN THE E.U. FOR THREE YEARS. NOW, THE U.S. MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE U.S. IS ON TRACK TO CASH IN ON THE E.U. MARKET IN 2008 BEYOND THE 11500 METRIC TONNE TARRIF FREE QUOTA. USMEF'S QUOTE "AT A TIME WHEN THE FOCUS IS ON ASIAN MARKETS, IT WOULD BE A MISTAKE NOT TO LOOK AT EUROPE. THEY'VE GOT THE MARKET AND THE NEED AND THE BUYING POWER". CANADA HAS SLEPT THROUGH ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY.




AUSTRALIA IS THE WORLDS SECOND LARGEST BEEF EXPORTER, YET THEY PRODUCE APPROX ONLY TWO PERCENT OF THE WORLDS BEEF. THEY ARE SECOND ONLY TO BRAZIL FOR BEEF EXPORTS. CANADA PRODUCES ABOUT TWO AND ONE HALF PERCENT OF THE WORLDS BEEF, YET HAS FALLEN BACK DRASTICALLY IN TERMS OF GLOBAL EXPORT STANDINGS. IS IT A COINCIDENCE THAT AUSTRALIA IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE GLOBE FROM THE U.S.? PRIOR TO FOUR YEARS OF POLITICAL MANIPULATION OF CANADA BY THE U.S., CANADA WAS THE THIRD LARGEST EXPORTER OF BEEF GLOBALLY. ABP MAINTAINED ON OCT 16TH 2007 THAT WE LIVE BESIDE THE "MOST LUCRATIVE MARKET IN THE WORLD". WE QUIT COUNTING OUR BSE LOSSES TWO YEARS AGO AT TWENTY BILLION DOLLARS.




SOME INDUSTRY SPOKESPEOPLE ARE IMPLYING THE BSE CRISIS IS BEHIND US. THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO SAY THAT ARE THOSE THAT HAVE NONE OF THEIR OWN MONEY INVESTED IN THE INDUSTRY.
 

Sandhusker

Well-known member
Seems I remember reading right here from some of the "leaders" up there that "You can't pick winners".

I don't they're smart enough to realize that they did. They sure picked the losers....
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
GLA said:
RKaiser,

Great reply. Could you put all this into a more brief statement for us.

Thanks!
Buy stock in friboi. The U.S. producers probably aren't far behind the Canadians. It's a low cost producer business.
 

Tex

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
GLA said:
RKaiser,

Great reply. Could you put all this into a more brief statement for us.

Thanks!
Buy stock in friboi. The U.S. producers probably aren't far behind the Canadians. It's a low cost producer business.

So were Kathy Lee's (sp?) sweatshops that used child labor to make her apparel. So was China's melamine laced feed additives.
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
GLA said:
RKaiser,

Great reply. Could you put all this into a more brief statement for us.

Thanks!
Buy stock in friboi. The U.S. producers probably aren't far behind the Canadians. It's a low cost producer business.

So were Kathy Lee's (sp?) sweatshops that used child labor to make her apparel. So was China's melamine laced feed additives.
...and your point is?
 

Tex

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
Buy stock in friboi. The U.S. producers probably aren't far behind the Canadians. It's a low cost producer business.

So were Kathy Lee's (sp?) sweatshops that used child labor to make her apparel. So was China's melamine laced feed additives.
...and your point is?


Sometimes things are meant to wiggle in your own mind, RR. I hope you can make some sense of all that wiggling.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
(FRIBOI )CHEAP GRASS FED BEEF From SOUTH AMERICA With NO traceback records! Tell those South Americans NO BEEF unless they have a SCORINGAG record. They would never send another pound to North America!!!


Matriz - São Paulo – SP
Av. Marginal Direita do Tietê, 500
Vila Jaguara
05118-100
Tel.: (11) 3144 4000

Andradina - Andradina - SP
Rod. Euclides Figueiredo, S/N
Caixa Postal 199
Bairro São Francisco
16900-970
Tel.: (18) 3702 7500
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (18) 3702 7524 / 3702 7560
Transportadora
Tel.: (18) 3702 7550


Araputanga - Araputanga - MT
Av. Hamilton Sebastião Simio
78260-000
Tel.: (65) 32112000
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (65) 32112000


Barra dos Garças - MT
Av. Atílio Fontana, 2550
Jardim Amazonas
78600-000
Tel.: (66) 3402 2900
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (66) 3402 2900


Barretos - SP
Av. Central, s/nº
Bairro Frigorífico
Tel.: (65) 3221 0400


Cáceres - MT
R. Barcelona S/N
Bairro Imperial
78200-000
Tel.: (65) 221 0400
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (65) 221 0400


Cacoal 1 - RO
Rod. BR 364, Km 3,5, nº 21995-A
Distrito Industrial
78975-010
Tel.: (69) 3441 2021


Cacoal 2 - RO
Rod. RO 383, Km 03, s/nº, Sala 03
Zona Rural
78976-230
Tel.: (69) 3441 8888


Campo Grande - MS
Av. Duque de Caxias, 7255
Vila Nova Campo Grande
79105-000
Tel.: (67) 2107 2500
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (67) 2107 2500


Carapicuiba - SP
Av. Deputado Emílio Carlos, 1581, portaria II
Vila Caldas
06310-160
Tel.: (11) 4182 8900


Contagem - MG
R. Andromeda, 1277, sala 01
Riacho das Pedras
32242-200
Tel.: (31) 2105 0201


Faria Lima - São Paulo - SP
Av. Brigadeiro Faria Lima, 2.391 - Conj. 22 - 2º andar
Edifício Jaguarí
Jardim Paulistano
01452-000
Tel.: (11) 3819 2867 / (11) 3812 7264


Goiânia - GO
Av. Lagoa Azul, s/n
Fazenda Caveiras
Zona Rural
74470-040
Tel.: (62) 3272 1313
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (62) 3272 1313


Iturama - MG
Rod. BR 497, Km 2,5, s/n
Zona Rural
38280-000
Tel.: (34) 3411 9400
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (34) 3411 9422


Luziânia - GO
Rod. BR 040, km 22,5
Caixa Postal 04
Chácara Santa Rita
72800-000
Tel.: (61) 3615 98 00


Osasco- São Paulo - SP
Av. Presidente Médici, 515
Jardim Baronesa
06280-00


Pedra Preta - MT
Rod. BR 364, s/n, km 176
Jardim Prodoeste
78795-000
Tel.: (66) 3468 4500


Pimenta Bueno - RO
Av. Marechal Rondon, 1900,
Anexo I - Distrito Industrial
78975-000
Tel.: (69) 3451 9293


Porto Velho
Estrada do Belmont, Km 18, s/nº
Salas 01 e 02
Bairro Nacional
78903-400
Tel.: (69) 3411 8400


Presidente Epitácio - SP
Av. Domingos Ferreira Medeiros, s/nº - Anexo I
Distrito Industrial
19470-000
Tel.: (18) 3281 9400
Compra de Bovinos
Tel.: (18) 3281 9400


Raposo Tavares - São Paulo - SP
Rod. Raposo Tavares, 8342, Km 18,5
05576-200
Tel.: (11) 3789 6700


Rio Branco - AC
Rod. BR 364, Km 10, s/nº
Sala 02 - 2º Distrito
69909-720
Tel.: (68) 2106 1000


Três Rios - RJ
Av. Zoello Sola, 1.100, Portaria II
Bairro Triângulo
25820-180
Tel.: (24) 2251 5000


Uberlândia - MG
Av. Taylor Silva, 920, Portaria II
Bairro Tocantins
38415-381
Tel.: (34) 3237 2388


Vilhena - RO
Rod. BR 364, Km 18
Distrito Industrial
Caixa Postal 441
78995-000
Tel.: (69) 3316 1300
 

rkaiser

Well-known member
This is the rest of the article penned by Cam and discussed in length by the rest of the members of Beef Initiative Group prior to release.

On October 16th, 2007, Ab Ag Minister George Groeneveld and senior staff hosted a meeting at the McDougall Centre in Calgary with five cattle industry groups in attendance, including, in the order listed on the meeting agenda, Beef Initiative Group, Alberta Cattle Feeders Assoc, Alberta Beef Producers, Feeder Assoc's of Alberta, and Western Stock Growers. For the first time in four and one half years, there has been discussion as to the severity of the crisis the Canadian cattle industry faces with no silencing of sensitive issues. Voluntary BSE testing for market access has finally been allowed to be talked about as a potential solution to breaking the captive market we languish under.

The minister charged this group with the task of designing a forward looking strategy for the industry to rebuild on and in fact survive, and suggested that we shall continue to meet for as long as that takes. He pledged the support of the Alberta govt, but stated that the industry would design a long term plan on it's own merit. On Oct 20 th the minister traveled to Asia / Japan and was charged by the groups present to discuss not only the testing question with Asian govts but also to determine if there exists interest there in investing with the Canadian cattle industry so as to bridge the cultural gap, forming a relationship based on partnership rather than attempting to force their borders open by WTO "guidelines" Also on the table was the idea that Alberta's mandatory levy be redesigned to either directional or refundable, thus empowering producers to invest in their own future in the manner of their choosing.

The regulatory burden on the industry was discussed at length, recognizing that if change is to result, federal policy governing the Canadian cattle industry will have to be taken on and reworked to allow producers to better their own lot. As Pres of Beef Initiative Group, and in light of the current condition of the Canadian cattle industry, I'm delighted to finally see a Canadian Ag Minister call all levels of industry from rank and file producers to the prov organizations into one room and hold nothing back in an attempt to find the answers. I suggested at the meeting on the 16 th that it is incumbent on all of us to support this minister and recognize the courage shown.

I will discuss now some disturbing global developments that thus far seem to be going unnoticed by leadership in Canada. I have at times been accused of attacks on industry leadership in the debate over our future. So be it. The election to a position of leadership must attract both criticism as well as expressions of support. This is likely the most serious fight this Canadian industry has ever faced, and the lack of leadership of the last four years risks the personal loss of the life's work of likely half the beef producer's in the country. I did not enter this debate as a popularity contest and will continue to say what needs to be said. We in BIG were responsible for forcing the voluntary BSE testing for market access debate three and one half years ago and the argument for testing as a large part of the solution to all of the industries problems is even more valid today. In the upcoming meetings with Alberta Ag, we will continue to demonstrate the need for this industry to change the way we conduct our affairs.

The following points are some of the matters that we will be taking to the table in the hopes that we can get the hell off the tracks before the next train hits us. That train will come from South America via the U.S.A. No one in a leadership position appears to be paying attention to the development of the growing global marketing power of southern hemisphere cheap beef, now feedlot finished beef from Argentina and Brazil and Australia as well. Nor are we acknowledging the colonization of South America by the very multi national processors which wined and dined here in 03, 04 and half of 05. We as producers paid for their party. Now they're whining and crying. We as producers are paying for their hangover.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
(FRIBOI )CHEAP GRASS FED BEEF From SOUTH AMERICA With NO traceback records! Tell those South Americans NO BEEF No SALES,unless they have a SCORINGAG traceback record. They would never send another pound to North America!!!
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
Tex said:
So were Kathy Lee's (sp?) sweatshops that used child labor to make her apparel. So was China's melamine laced feed additives.
...and your point is?


Sometimes things are meant to wiggle in your own mind, RR. I hope you can make some sense of all that wiggling.
Decon you don't make any sense under any alias. If you have a point, spit it out. I say that for Canadian beef or American beef to sell for a higher price, it has to be perceived and received as a better product. I think as Canadians and Americans we've done a good job of airing our dirty laundry. Most of the buying public is keenly aware of mad cow and ecoli but few see any problem with south american beef. I hope I'm wrong but it's sure the way it seems to me. BTW the house wife bought the melamine laced dog food from an American retailer and the Kathy Lee clothes was sold in an American store. That's the person that the consumer shook hands with. Most have no idea where anything comes from originally.
 

Tex

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
...and your point is?


Sometimes things are meant to wiggle in your own mind, RR. I hope you can make some sense of all that wiggling.
Decon you don't make any sense under any alias. If you have a point, spit it out. I say that for Canadian beef or American beef to sell for a higher price, it has to be perceived and received as a better product. I think as Canadians and Americans we've done a good job of airing our dirty laundry. Most of the buying public is keenly aware of mad cow and ecoli but few see any problem with south american beef. I hope I'm wrong but it's sure the way it seems to me. BTW the house wife bought the melamine laced dog food from an American retailer and the Kathy Lee clothes was sold in an American store. That's the person that the consumer shook hands with. Most have no idea where anything comes from originally.

Go talk to your wife and ask if she would do either with this knowledge.

We might learn a little more about you.
 

PORKER

Well-known member
Most of the buying public is keenly aware of mad cow and ecoli but few see any problem with south american beef.

Wana Bet;

In May a delegation from the Republic of Ireland visited Brazil. The findings are on the record: "The mission found evidence of non-existent, or totally unreliable cattle traceability, widespread illegal removal and cutting out of ear tags, totally inadequate movement and border controls, ineffective FMD eradication measures and the use of hormone growth promoters. Based on the evidence found, the European Commission must immediately impose a total ban on all imports of Brazilian beef into the EU."

BUT

Brazil's Sadia Food Co: To Invest BRL200 Million In Global Units

October 26, 2007: 01:54 PM EST


SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Brazilian food company Sadia SA (SDA) said Friday that it will continue its international investments with a planned 200 million Brazilian reals ($112.9 million) going into two new factories over the next two years.

The two factories will start operations in 2008 and 2009, respectively, a Sadia press officer said, without giving details about the location or activities of the units.

Sadia invested $78 million in a chicken-meat processing plant in Kaliningrad, Russia, to supply meat and chicken based products to McDonald's (MCD).

The plant will be inaugurated later next month, a Sadia press official said Friday.

Sadia, Brazil's leading chicken-meat company, reported third-quarter net profit of BRL188 million on Thursday, up sharply from BRL69.1 million in the year-ago period.

Sadia's net operating revenue for the third quarter was BRL2.15 billion, up from BRL1.79 billion a year earlier.

"The third-quarter results were good and, as expected, showed a strong recovery from the deep low of 2006. Exports improved substantially, and prices recovered across the board, resulting in solid growth and margin recovery. We believe results will be well received by the market," Credit Suisse said in a research report.

On Thursday, the company's ADR in New York closed at $65.24 and rose to $66.35 on Friday.

Brazil is the world's leading chicken and beef exporter.

The company also said it would invest BRL100 million in two new meat- packing facilities in Brazil in 2009, the local Estado newswire reported Friday.

-By Tony Danby; Dow Jones Newswires; 55-11-3145-1489; [email protected]

ITS ABOUT GLOBAL FOOD
 

GLA

Well-known member
Rkaiser,

I appreciate your attempts at trying to educate the rest of the world about the events in Canada. Thanks for your efforts. Looks like others are tying to make a mockery of your efforts!!

Since our company does business with Canadian feedlots, this is very interesting to us. We are sending one of our associates to Australia to investigate the feedlot business there. Hopefully when he returns, we will have a better picture as to what is happening in that part of the world.

As a company we have to hedge our efforts to other parts of the world to remain profitable. If we don't, others will. That apparently is what is happening now. Let's hope that someone will come to their senses and become the leader we need to head this country down the right track.

In the meantime, keep sending all the info you can get.

Thanks again Rkaiser.
 

Ben Roberts

Well-known member
GLA said:
Beef business going bust

Alberta may lose up to 40 per cent of cow-calf operations by Christmas

David Finlayson, The Edmonton Journal
Published: Saturday, October 27


For seventeen years, i've tried to tell cattle producers that by 2010/2012 it would be too late, to stop this destruction of our industry.

The United States and Canada have the genetics, the ability to grow the feed and grass it takes to bring a superior product to the world market place, and won't do it. We instead, choose to fight over the border issues, while we let four multi-national corporations and the existing cattle producer organizations in both countries take away not only our life-style but the life-style for future generations. Shame on us for sticking our heads in the sand, and looking to our governments for the help, that is not going to come.


Best Regards
Ben Roberts
 

Red Robin

Well-known member
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
Tex said:
Sometimes things are meant to wiggle in your own mind, RR. I hope you can make some sense of all that wiggling.
Decon you don't make any sense under any alias. If you have a point, spit it out. I say that for Canadian beef or American beef to sell for a higher price, it has to be perceived and received as a better product. I think as Canadians and Americans we've done a good job of airing our dirty laundry. Most of the buying public is keenly aware of mad cow and ecoli but few see any problem with south american beef. I hope I'm wrong but it's sure the way it seems to me. BTW the house wife bought the melamine laced dog food from an American retailer and the Kathy Lee clothes was sold in an American store. That's the person that the consumer shook hands with. Most have no idea where anything comes from originally.

Go talk to your wife and ask if she would do either with this knowledge.

We might learn a little more about you.
I still have no idea what you're saying.
 

Tex

Well-known member
Red Robin said:
Tex said:
Red Robin said:
Decon you don't make any sense under any alias. If you have a point, spit it out. I say that for Canadian beef or American beef to sell for a higher price, it has to be perceived and received as a better product. I think as Canadians and Americans we've done a good job of airing our dirty laundry. Most of the buying public is keenly aware of mad cow and ecoli but few see any problem with south american beef. I hope I'm wrong but it's sure the way it seems to me. BTW the house wife bought the melamine laced dog food from an American retailer and the Kathy Lee clothes was sold in an American store. That's the person that the consumer shook hands with. Most have no idea where anything comes from originally.

Go talk to your wife and ask if she would do either with this knowledge.

We might learn a little more about you.
I still have no idea what you're saying.

wiggle, wiggle, wiggle.
 
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