For All Of You Doubters

[Ben Roberts]

Sandhusker ask this question on a previous thread. "What are you going to do, or wish you had done, when the packers can get all the beef they want from Brazil?"

After I thought about his question, why should I answer his question! What I say and do has no impact, so I ask that very same question this morning, of those that represent the cattle producers, of this country. I called the NCBA first, their answer was " the NCBA supports free trade" I knew that, but I called and ask anyway. Then I called R-CALF, they have a three step solution, COOL, Trade Agreement Reform and Country Of Origin Reform. I knew that also, but called anyway.

I support free trade! Only because we now live in a global market place, like it or not. I believe that the cattle producers are the ones that should be making these trade agreements, not the multi-national corporations. The only way the cattle producers are going to position them-selves to make these agreements, is to take back the control of our industry!

I have given a outline here in the past, on how we can achieve this. That outline, met with some criticism and has even been called a dream. I am a dreamer, this world has been and still is full of dreamers. Example- Wilber and Orville Wright (dreamers) inventors of the airplane, on December 17th 1903 their dream flew 300 feet at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, how many people told them it wouldn't work? Everett, Washington July 8th 2007 Boeing (dreamers) celebrated the premiere of the 787 Dreamliner, the worlds first mostly composite commercial airplane. No one could convenience the Wright Brothers or Boeing that their dreams were not achieveable.

What we are doing now in the cattle industry, is not working! We need to change the way we market our product, and who markets our product. In the United States and Canada.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

 

[PORKER]

A Start .

 

[Sandhusker]

Ain't it nice that NCBA is going to stick to a principle even though it has the potential to completely wreck the industry. :shock: The story of the Pied Piper comes to mind....

Ben, I hope you can get it done, but if the government is against you (and if you're trying to upset the big packers, the goverment IS against you) you're spining your wheels. You can't win a ball game if the umpires are paid off.

 

[Ben Roberts]

Ain't it nice that NCBA is going to stick to a principle even though it has the potential to completely wreck the industry. :shock: The story of the Pied Piper comes to mind....

Ben, I hope you can get it done, but if the government is against you (and if you're trying to upset the big packers, the goverment IS against you) you're spining your wheels. You can't win a ball game if the umpires are paid off.

Sandhusker, you are the biggest cheer-leader of an organization, that is spending all of their money in Washington, DC spining your wheels, can't win a ball game, umpires paid off, government against you, upset the big packers........ Aren't you contradicting youself here? your organization is doing exactly what you are telling me, can't be done! The difference is, your organization is trying to do it, where it can not be done, Washington, DC. I'm trying to do it where it can be done, with the farmers and ranchers of North America!

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

 

[Sandhusker]

Ain't it nice that NCBA is going to stick to a principle even though it has the potential to completely wreck the industry. :shock: The story of the Pied Piper comes to mind....

Ben, I hope you can get it done, but if the government is against you (and if you're trying to upset the big packers, the goverment IS against you) you're spining your wheels. You can't win a ball game if the umpires are paid off.

Sandhusker, you are the biggest cheer-leader of an organization, that is spending all of their money in Washington, DC spining your wheels, can't win a ball game, umpires paid off, government against you, upset the big packers........ Aren't you contradicting youself here? your organization is doing exactly what you are telling me, can't be done! The difference is, your organization is trying to do it, where it can not be done, Washington, DC. I'm trying to do it where it can be done, with the farmers and ranchers of North America!

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

I'm not contradicting myself at all, Ben. I'm telling you that you can't win if Washington is against you. If you don't believe me - ask the boys at Creekstone. R-CALF is in Washington trying to get them if not for us, at least not against us. The government can be swayed, the packers have been doing it for years. I've just presented two examples that you can't argue against, so why are you giving me grief? :lol:

I don't think you can unite the farmers and ranchers of North America - it's too big of a task. I'm generally optomistic, but also a realist. Look at the Farmer's Union in the 70s, R-CALF vs NCBA, etc... It's hard enough getting 10 farmers/ranchers to agree on anything, let alone everybody.

 

[Ben Roberts]

I'm not contradicting myself at all, Ben. I'm telling you that you can't win if Washington is against you. If you don't believe me - ask the boys at Creekstone. R-CALF is in Washington trying to get them if not for us, at least not against us. The government can be swayed, the packers have been doing it for years. I've just presented two examples that you can't argue against, so why are you giving me grief? :lol:

I don't think you can unite the farmers and ranchers of North America - it's too big of a task. I'm generally optomistic, but also a realist. Look at the Farmer's Union in the 70s, R-CALF vs NCBA, etc... It's hard enough getting 10 farmers/ranchers to agree on anything, let alone everybody.[/quote]

Sandhusker, and do you believe that the government (USDA) is pro, R-CALF? Creekstone, is a perfect example of what i've been telling you, one company or individual doesen't have a chance, it takes numbers. True, the government can be swayed, but you and R-CALF don't have enough money or votes to sway them! Sorry, about your two examples.

Sandhusker, if you are the realist, that you believe you are, and in the banking business I would believe, that you would be promoting unity. Look at what "unity" has done for the non-smokers in this country, one, could do nothing but complain, together they stoped smoking in public buildings. These non-smokers are from all walks of life, and they united, with only one thing in common. Cattle producers don't have to agree on anything, we just have to agree on one thing SOLVENCY, agreed.

Respectfully
Ben Roberts

 

[Sandhusker]

Ben, "True, the government can be swayed, but you and R-CALF don't have enough money or votes to sway them!"

I don't believe that, Ben. I see R-CALF making headway. Granted, it's tough and uphill, but we've found somewhat of a champion in Harkin, we've got COOL closer than it has ever been, the problems with GIPSA are in the light and undeniable, committees are asking us for input, etc.... It won't happen overnight, but you can't say R-CALF hasn't gotten anything done in Washington. We're fighting the three-headed beast of the USDA/AMI/NCBA, and it's not easy.

I wish you well on your endeavours, but you're not going to get the numbers unless this industry has a heck of a wreck, and by then it'll be too late.

 

[Ben Roberts]

I wonder what the odds makers in Vegas, are giving R-CALF?

R-CALF vs USDA...... packer influenced
R-CALF vs AMI......... packer controled
R-CALF vs NCBA...... packer influenced
R-CALF vs GIPSA..... packer influenced

Your "champion" Harkin.... Rags to riches Senator from Iowa 38 years in Washington, DC! How much better off are the cattle and hog producers, in his own state, in his 38 years of service! How much better off are the multi-national corporations, in his own state, in his 38 years of service! Compare them Sandhusker, and see what your "champion" has done.

"We've got COOL closer than it's ever been." Tell me in September of 2008, how well you like COOL! Then we will all have to live with a bastardized version of what you thought would be the holy-grail.

You are correct in saying this industry will have-to-have a "heck of a wreck" before a change will be made! Can't you see the on-coming train! By 2010/2012 the train will have, arrived.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

 

[Anonymous]

You are correct in saying this industry will have-to-have a "heck of a wreck" before a change will be made! Can't you see the on-coming train! By 2010/2012 the train will have, arrived.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

I think the whole country is on a the fast track for one heck of a trainwreck--and it probably will be before 2010...

 

[Ben Roberts]

You are correct in saying this industry will have-to-have a "heck of a wreck" before a change will be made! Can't you see the on-coming train! By 2010/2012 the train will have, arrived.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

I think the whole country is on a the fast track for one heck of a trainwreck--and it probably will be before 2010...

Are you willing to just set-back and watch it? I'm not! I have family to provide for.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts

 

[Sandhusker]

Ben, "I wonder what the odds makers in Vegas, are giving R-CALF?
R-CALF vs USDA...... packer influenced
R-CALF vs AMI......... packer controled
R-CALF vs NCBA...... packer influenced
R-CALF vs GIPSA..... packer influenced"

Did I say it would be easy? What did the odds makers give Rosa Parks?

Ben, "Your "champion" Harkin.... Rags to riches Senator from Iowa 38 years in Washington, DC! How much better off are the cattle and hog producers, in his own state, in his 38 years of service! How much better off are the multi-national corporations, in his own state, in his 38 years of service! Compare them Sandhusker, and see what your "champion" has done."

NOBODY in any state is better off! One man can't do it all - at least he's standing up and trying.

Ben, "We've got COOL closer than it's ever been." Tell me in September of 2008, how well you like COOL! Then we will all have to live with a bastardized version of what you thought would be the holy-grail. "

It sounds to me like you're saying, "We can't win, so we should quit". Blame the bastardization on the bastards, not the folks who tried to do something that actually benefitted producers and gave them a weapon against the competition.

Ben, "You are correct in saying this industry will have-to-have a "heck of a wreck" before a change will be made! Can't you see the on-coming train! By 2010/2012 the train will have, arrived."

Heck yes I can see it! It's called South America via the free trade express!

 

[Ben Roberts]

Sandhusker wrote_ "We've got COOL closer than it's ever been."

Ben wrote_" Tell me in September of 2008, how well you like COOL! Then we will all have to live with a bastardized version of what you thought would be the holy-grail. "

Sandhusker wrote_"It sounds to me like you're saying, "We can't win, so we should quit". Blame the bastardization on the bastards, not the folks who tried to do something that actually benefitted producers and gave them a weapon against the competition."


Sandhusker, I know you don't want to here this again! Cool, started out as a means of protecting the interest of a few ranchers, who thought they were doing the right thing. Lack of knowledge of the industry, as a nation, by those ranchers and their inability to admit they were wrong, is the reason why COOL will be a bastardized version of what they (the original group of ranchers) wanted. The rest of the cattle producers of North America will have to live with the results of what will be implemented in September of 2008. Even after the original group has jumped-ship the leadership that is left is trying to hang on to a issue that will become the demise of a good organization, that could have had a impact, in the cattle industry.

Best Regards
Ben Roberts