It's all about Caring

[Northern Rancher]

Econ you get a gold star for that inspired work of 'FICTION'-not a lover of corporations but I realize they are a necessary evil. Unless you are a hypocrit I hope you boycott all goods,services and products that are produced by them. If you don't your just blowing smoke. Here's a question if a producer owned marketing iniative takes off and grows at what stage and size does it become an enemy of society.

 

[Econ101]

Econ you get a gold star for that inspired work of 'FICTION'-not a lover of corporations but I realize they are a necessary evil. Unless you are a hypocrit I hope you boycott all goods,services and products that are produced by them. If you don't your just blowing smoke. Here's a question if a producer owned marketing iniative takes off and grows at what stage and size does it become an enemy of society.

When breaking the law becomes common practice and they buy justice through their power.

It isn't just the corporation that has culpability here. I hope you realize that.

I just saw Lee Iaccoca on tv. He ran a few big corporations that didn't do these things, that I know of.

If you keep lumping the good with the bad, you will never be able to sort it out, NR.

I hope we do see a producer owned cooperative that is successful. I hope they are successful in part because they do not do these things and have a loyal following because of it. I hope rkaiser succeeds. I hope others do also.

Any big company can go downhill if the management isn't really overseen. Greed isn't only in big corporations. It is everywhere. There need to be systems in place to catch it. If they keep getting away with unethical behavior, there is likely to be a collapse. Like Enron, Worldcom and a lot of other corporations that have collapsed because it wasn't checked, a lot of innocent people will get hurt along the way.

 

[Sandhusker]

Econ you get a gold star for that inspired work of 'FICTION'-not a lover of corporations but I realize they are a necessary evil. Unless you are a hypocrit I hope you boycott all goods,services and products that are produced by them. If you don't your just blowing smoke. Here's a question if a producer owned marketing iniative takes off and grows at what stage and size does it become an enemy of society.

How much are you willing to bet on your "fiction" label? Maybe you're all in on this pot?

 

[Soapweed]

Have I left anyone out?

You should have been on hand when the cattle were loaded out, or had a reliable representative to watch out for your interests. Otherwise, you are in essence allowing the foxes to guard your chicken house. :shock:

 

[Northern Rancher]

But don't you all lump in the bad with the good.

 

[Econ101]

But don't you all lump in the bad with the good.

NR, I don't. Every time someone brings up "all corporations" I have said so.

I do talk about multinational corporations because they are playing the trade game to the detriment of domestic producers. Multinationals would be okay in my book if we didn't have a trade deficit and they treated the rest of the world they operate in as they should. Too many don't.

I don't include Canada in multinational arguments because the U.S. and Canada are so close as to not really have that much difference. We have similar cultures, language, wages, social structures, etc. The U.S. does spend a heck of a lot more on military, however, which may not be that good of a thing.

In the beef business, the fact that packers have control of Canada beef as well as U.S. beef and are able to get different policies in each country is concerning. You have already seen the results.

 

[Econ101]

Have I left anyone out?

You should have been on hand when the cattle were loaded out, or had a reliable representative to watch out for your interests. Otherwise, you are in essence allowing the foxes to guard your chicken house. :shock:

Soap, I hope you never get cattle rustled off of your place.

If it does happen, I hope nobody ever says that you should have been there to see that it didn't happen. It might be the one time you and your wife go off the place to child's wedding, a funeral or some other event.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

I do talk about multinational corporations because they are playing the trade game to the detriment of domestic producers. Multinationals would be okay in my book if we didn't have a trade deficit and they treated the rest of the world they operate in as they should. Too many don't.

I read the 'good vs evil' on here quite often, and I sometimes wonder if we're writing childrens fairy tails. Multinational corporations, especially the Cargills and Tysons aren't necessarily evil, however they do not work in the interests of producers as many would have you believe, but rather in the interests of their shareholders. Is this evil? I wouldn't say so, but rather good business sense. However the interests of the shareholders aren't the same as North American cattle producers.

If Canada and the US dropped over-quota tariffs on South American beef, how quickly do you think Cargill/Tyson/Swift/et al would rush to fill the North American market with that ultra-cheap beef? Do any of you producers in North America really honestly believe that we can compete with that beef on a dollar for dollar basis?

How about the plains on Mongolia? There are MILLIONS of acres of chest high grass, just aching for a few million head of beef. With Mongolian wages being measured in a few cents per week, do you think we can compete? But if Cargill/Tyson/Swift/et al get their foot in the door, you can bet we'll see that beef over here, as its going to be cheaper. Is this evil? No, once again, just good business sense that runs contrary to producer interest.

For those of you in North America who feel that our grain and beef trade is immune to cheaper alternatives, I ask that you wake up. You watch in a few decades as Canada and the US increase (or drop all together) quotas on South American beef (and Mongolian, once they develop the industry). You can bet Tyson/Cargill/Swift/et al will be right there to reap the benefits.

Evil? No.

Bad? I'd say so. At least for North American producers.

Multinational corporations are a good idea whose time simply hasn't come. When all countries are on level playing fields with regards to government, wages and standards of living, then I say let the multinationals operate to maximum efficiency. Until that time, government has to stop pandering to their desires and remember that they are there to represent the PEOPLE, not the companies they work for.

Rod

 

[Sandhusker]

AMEN, Rod

 

[PORKER]

Multinational corporations are a good idea whose time simply hasn't come. When all countries are on level playing fields with regards to government, wages and standards of living, then I say let the multinationals operate to maximum efficiency. Rod Quote

Really ,when everyone's currency value in the world was the same ,Corporations would NOT ship anything as freight costs would kill them over night. Transport costs money and it takes a cheap product to ship and make a profit . Bunker oil or ship fuel is on the rise and shipping a product without a sizeable profit is outa the question!

 

[Soapweed]

Have I left anyone out?

You should have been on hand when the cattle were loaded out, or had a reliable representative to watch out for your interests. Otherwise, you are in essence allowing the foxes to guard your chicken house. :shock:

Soap, I hope you never get cattle rustled off of your place.

If it does happen, I hope nobody ever says that you should have been there to see that it didn't happen. It might be the one time you and your wife go off the place to child's wedding, a funeral or some other event.

Your scenario sounds like something a local low-life would do, not representatives from an "evil" packing house corporation. :? :???:

 

[Texan]

Look at the bright side, Soap. Once the evil, greedy, big packer buyer finds out that you've been equally greedy and evil by using those nasty, evil implants, maybe he won't try to "rustle" any of YOUR cattle. You lucky dog. :lol:

 

[RobertMac]

Good post, Rod

I think corporations lean toward the evil side when they manipulate the law (and get away with it) and their profit becomes more important than national security. National security defined as military/defense technology, energy and food supply.

Do any of you producers in North America really honestly believe that we can compete with that beef on a dollar for dollar basis?

I don't know if I can, but that has been my focus for the last eight years. Hopefully my customers will stay loyal at a higher price over unknown foreign, cheaper beef. I know I'll be here longer than most.

Porker, I think any free trade agreement should have a clause to fix currency exchange rate. I'm no economist, but I think that would help things be more fair. Maybe Econ can explain more?

I agree with Econ...some here will never take this seriously! :???:

 

[PORKER]

Porker, I think any free trade agreement should have a clause to fix currency exchange rate. I'm no economist, but I think that would help things be more fair.

At least bring currency exchange rate into a balance!

 

[Econ101]

I agree with Econ...some here will never take this seriously! Say what?

I think that was how the poultry producers lost their industry. The ones who took it seriously were slammed and even though it was illegal, the government looked the other way and actually helped the integrators abuse their market power against individuals. Those individuals who stood up against it, were made an example out of by the integrators with the help of GIPSA and their do nothing policies of fraud. Politicians looked the other way because of the big payoffs from the industry.

It is unfortunate that you have to have a political consensus in order to get anything to change. It shows how far gone the politicians are when it comes to supporting the tenants of democracy......"and justice for all."