Judith said:
Interesting how people label. I see farmer or rancher as a badge of honor.
Here in Vancouver they are building at a rate that is stunning. The farm land is being sold for condos and no one is thinking about the fact that some of the best farm land in the world is being covered up. Really sad how short sighted the powers that be are.
Welcome to the site, Judith. I hope the site returns to what it was before so much antagonism was stirred up against Canada beef producers.
While my living depends upon the cattle we raise, I do not believe the Canadian beef is a threat to the US cattle producer. We both face far greater threats to our livlihood.
The problem is, that some people leading cattle producers tell them that Canadian beef IS our great problem and holds our cattle prices down. That theory just doesn't stand to reason, since we have been enjoying the highest cattle prices ever, for just one reason.
It seems more reasonable that competing proteins, consumer finances, and anti-beef propaganda whether it comes from animal worshippers or from unfounded claims that "Canadian beef may be tainted with BSE" are far more dangerous to US and Canadian beef producers than we are to one another.
I agree with RoperAB that we cattle producers, especially those living across the western US and Canada, have much more in common than separating us. Many of us even have relatives in the other nation.
Your point about the sales of good farmland and covering it with buildings and pavement is an interesting one. Reminds me of the buzz over talk some years back, some from Al Gore, but probably originating with many more highly placed in the liberal 'think tank' hierarchy than he, to the effect that farming was a peasant occupation, causing too much environmental damage and mess to be done in the USA.
Some stories I've read were enlarging upon that idea to the end result that we should move agriculture production and other "messy" business off-shore and return the USA to a 'pristine' state for the enjoyment of the better class (educated) people, who are too intelligent to waste their talents on manual labor, or to take the service jobs beneath the dignity of 'the educated'. Maybe that is to follow the movement of manufacturing jobs to countries with less educated people and expecting our citizens to educate themselves to take higher paid, less polluting jobs. Before anyone shoots the messenger here, I'm only mentioning things I've read in the past, and with which I heartily disagree!
Anyway, welcome and hope you will jump in and contribute your thoughts on subjects you find interesting, or ask questions where you will. Maybe some of the other departments of ranchersnet will be more to your liking than this one because we do tend to react strongly at times, unfortunately.
MRJ