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Maxine and others

A few years ago, I sold the majority of my calves to Tson Foods..I did well, but saw more pportunity in sellng meat direct. I got licensed to do so and set up with a USDA Inspecte Plant that is small....

I used to look at carcasses as far as graing and wt on the rail. I was into the Beef I raised, but not even close to what I donow...

I have kept prett care-free cattle as my hors have been very tied up.... I tell you one thing..The information on you and your operation is a novelty that will get some sales, but ultimately..You have to have the best danged Steaks, Roasts, Burger and other products that these folks have come accross... That is where your business grows and it can be astronomical and scary...

You have to be a bit inventive. I appreciate the Beef Council, but there is nothing like it being your dollar to come up with the best ways to have a carcas cut up... If you are wrong, you get rewarded with inventory that ties up freezer space and cash flow...

I am in the Beef business, both by hours and focus.. I love the cows and they are great reward, but I am in the Beef business both in statement and how I spend my time,


PPRM
 
Ben, what is your objective with that question?

I could not state it better than PPRM has.

However, we do not currently directly market our beef.

We are no less in the Beef Business because of that fact, however.

Anyone who raises cattle and does not realize they are truly in the Beef Business is serving neither themselves, nor their industry well, IMO.

Every management decision we make is with the quality of the end product, beef, in mind.

Cattle producers who don't consider beef quality when selecting breeding stock, animal health products, injecting meds and vaccines properly, moving/handling cattle properly, minimizing injuries or bruising, and every possible means of assuring a top quality beef product at the end, are either not aware, or don't care, that they really are in the Beef Business..........and there are too many cattle producers who are not beef producers!!!!!

mrj
 
PPRM said:
A few years ago, I sold the majority of my calves to Tson Foods..I did well, but saw more pportunity in sellng meat direct. I got licensed to do so and set up with a USDA Inspecte Plant that is small....
PPRM
Click to expand...

PPRM, with this statement, do you believe, you are in the beef business?
 
I will jump in here. I am a cattle producer. There are so many things that happen to the product I sell that I have no control of, or that I have good enough knowledge of. My expertise is in producing cattle that will market well enough to make me a profit. I am just one segment of the beef industry.

I am no more a beef producer then the miner in Wyoming who mines coal, is a producer of electricity, or the iron miner a steel producer, or the wheat farmer a flour miller or a baker.

However I do need to be concerned of what the other people who are engaged in this same industry desire or what the consumer desires.

This is the reason, that while I do favor the beef checkoff, I am only luke warm to it. I am to far away from marketing, so I prefer to let those more familiar with it, do that job.

Now let me back up one step farther. In reality I am a harvester of grass and forage. I use cattle to harvest a product man can not eat, and try to convert it to the best product I am able to so, it can be made into something that is benefit to him.

In order to do this I have to have a great concern for the health and well being of my livestock. This includes proper handling to prevent injury, proper vaccinations, and providing as much comfort for them as I am able. Along with that I also must be concerned with the management of my grass and rangeland. This alone is a tall enough job for the rancher, so lets let the seed stock producer find the direction we must go for the right type of cattle we raise, and let the feeder, the packer and the marketer take care of their own end.
 
I have to agree with Clarencen, It fits my operation to a tee. Although in the future I hope to be able to direct market some beef, right now that is just not economically feesible in my area.
 
Clarencen said:
This alone is a tall enough job for the rancher, so lets let the seed stock producer find the direction we must go for the right type of cattle we raise, and let the feeder, the packer and the marketer take care of their own end.
Click to expand...

Clarencen, i'm glad you jumped in here. I would have to agree with most of what you say. Only thing is, the packer/marketer are not taking care of their own end. The producers are funding their end with Check-Off-Dollars!

There is alot of difference between being in the cattle business, and being in the beef business. Over the years the NCBA has been very successful, in educating their membership, that they are all in the beef business. When only a very small amount of them truly are.

Cattle/Beef/Meat are truly three very separate industries, what is ones finished product, is the others raw goods.
 
Ben, you are going to have to clarify the difference between Beef and Meat.
Here is how I see the industry(you can show me where I'm wrong)...

Producer

Feeder/Finisher

Processing/Packaging

Distribution

Marketing...putting the product into the hands of the consumer.

Each job has to make some profit from a calf. I do all these jobs except the processing/packaging(vertical integration) and get most of the value of my calves.
 
Ben Roberts said:
PPRM said:
A few years ago, I sold the majority of my calves to Tson Foods..I did well, but saw more pportunity in sellng meat direct. I got licensed to do so and set up with a USDA Inspecte Plant that is small....
PPRM
Click to expand...

PPRM, with this statement, do you believe, you are in the beef business?
Click to expand...

Ben..Read the whole context of my post.... I decide the cuts, and Sell the cuts. I ntake money for Hamburger in 1 1/4 pound packages of hamburger.... You have no idea how many people I have turned onto Chuckeye steaks for example..That takes selling. I sell meat, I raise calves...

Here...I AM IN THE BEEF BUSINESS... It is not believe or don't believe. I am........

Is that clear?

PPRM
 
RobertMac said:
Ben, you are going to have to clarify the difference between Beef and Meat.
Here is how I see the industry(you can show me where I'm wrong)...

Producer

Feeder/Finisher

Processing/Packaging

Distribution

Marketing...putting the product into the hands of the consumer.

Each job has to make some profit from a calf. I do all these jobs except the processing/packaging(vertical integration) and get most of the value of my calves.
Click to expand...

I hand the end product to my customers..... I tell the packer I use how many days to dry age, what cuts and the size of the packages.

PPRM
 
PPRM said:
RobertMac said:
Ben, you are going to have to clarify the difference between Beef and Meat.
Here is how I see the industry(you can show me where I'm wrong)...

Producer

Feeder/Finisher

Processing/Packaging

Distribution

Marketing...putting the product into the hands of the consumer.

Each job has to make some profit from a calf. I do all these jobs except the processing/packaging(vertical integration) and get most of the value of my calves.
Click to expand...

I hand the end product to my customers..... I tell the packer I use how many days to dry age, what cuts and the size of the packages.

PPRM
Click to expand...
I do the same except I let the customers do the cut list(they are buying whole or half carcasses) and it's aged 2 to 3 weeks(most of the time 3).

"I sell meat, I raise calves... " I like that. :D
 
RobertMac said:
Ben, you are going to have to clarify the difference between Beef and Meat.
Here is how I see the industry(you can show me where I'm wrong)...

Producer------CATTLE

Feeder/Finisher------CATTLE

Processing/Packaging------BEEF

Distribution------MEAT

Marketing...putting the product into the hands of the consumer.------MEAT

Each job has to make some profit from a calf. I do all these jobs except the processing/packaging(vertical integration) and get most of the value of my calves.
Click to expand...

RobertMac, You understand the system.

My point/question of this thread, was to ask why the producers are paying for the advertisement of the packer/marketer product, (Check-Off-Dollars) producers are in the cattle business, not the beef business!
 
PPRM said:
Ben Roberts said:
PPRM said:
A few years ago, I sold the majority of my calves to Tson Foods..I did well, but saw more pportunity in sellng meat direct. I got licensed to do so and set up with a USDA Inspecte Plant that is small....
PPRM
Click to expand...

PPRM, with this statement, do you believe, you are in the beef business?
Click to expand...

Ben..Read the whole context of my post.... I decide the cuts, and Sell the cuts. I ntake money for Hamburger in 1 1/4 pound packages of hamburger.... You have no idea how many people I have turned onto Chuckeye steaks for example..That takes selling. I sell meat, I raise calves...

Here...I AM IN THE BEEF BUSINESS... It is not believe or don't believe. I am........

Is that clear?

PPRM
Click to expand...

PPRM, It's very clear to me, you are in the cattle business on the producer end and the meat business on the producer end. I believe that's great! So, why can't the producers across this country magnify what you are doing, and help themselves. Producers don't need to be packers (beef) they just need to be in control of the system (like you are) was this so hard for you to do. When one producer, organized, can work with a small packer, then many producers, organized, can work with larger packers.
 
Ben Roberts said:
PPRM said:
Ben Roberts said:
PPRM, with this statement, do you believe, you are in the beef business?
Click to expand...

Ben..Read the whole context of my post.... I decide the cuts, and Sell the cuts. I ntake money for Hamburger in 1 1/4 pound packages of hamburger.... You have no idea how many people I have turned onto Chuckeye steaks for example..That takes selling. I sell meat, I raise calves...

Here...I AM IN THE BEEF BUSINESS... It is not believe or don't believe. I am........

Is that clear?

PPRM
Click to expand...

PPRM, It's very clear to me, you are in the cattle business on the producer end and the meat business on the producer end. I believe that's great! So, why can't the producers across this country magnify what you are doing, and help themselves. Producers don't need to be packers (beef) they just need to be in control of the system (like you are) was this so hard for you to do. When one producer, organized, can work with a small packer, then many producers, organized, can work with larger packers.
Click to expand...

Ben,

I know Oregon Country Beef and Painted Hills are.... I posted in another thread and will leave those remarks there for those interested...

My views of the Checkoff dollars differ from yours. Two Reasons...

I get marketng material for free that has been vry helpfull. I dount I would of known of or een able to sell a Flat Iron Steak without the work they have done..So they helmy business with some ideas and marketing..

Secondly, I was a Graduating Senior in College the year after the checkoff. I remember well the job prospects and opportunities in the Industry. I feel the Checkoff dollars have made Beef a more popular choice.... As the Commmodity end does better, so will my branded end...Also, I need the commodity end of my calves to have a good home...

I think we have the opportunity the Beer Industry had in the 80's..Think about the Audacity to think you could take on miller, Coors an Anhueser busch...I spelled the last one wrong...

Think about it...But the Microbrew Industry is a strong reminder that doing things a bit different.........Has positive results....

I say that because I don't think the checkoff is the big problem. If The packers are not contributing, I do think that should change.... The bigger problem is the Commoditization of our product. If i do a good job on the calves i sell to Tyson, my reputation ca be smeared by someone who dos not..Or by Tyson not doing thier part...

PPRM
 
Sorry Ben, but I can't agree with your biases.

How the cattle producer manages his cattle affects the quality of the end beef product.

There are separate segments of the beef industry, but if they do not coordinate to some degree, there is redundancy and lost income in the system.

Beef Checkoff advertising and other programs which you claim benefit only the packers sell more beef. Selling more beef benefits everyone in each segment of this industry.

I'm sorry if you cannot differentiate between cattle producers THINKING we are in the beef business and ACTING (in the way we care for our cattle) as if we are in the beef business. Too many ranchers who insist they ONLY raise cattle do not follow correct vaccination procedures and make other cattle handling decisions which cost money in other segments of the industry.......and some are even proud of that fact, as they feel they are somehow getting even with those 'evil packers' by causing them hidden problems such as injection site lesions or bruising.

mrj
 
mrj said:
Beef Checkoff advertising and other programs which you claim benefit only the packers sell more beef. Selling more beef benefits everyone in each segment of this industry.
mrj
Click to expand...

Maxine I've never said or made claims as you say, "benefit only the packers sell more beef." What I have stated before, is, I believe it's wrong that producers Check-Off-Dollars are used to advertise the packers product (BEEF). You are not in the beef business! Your interpretation of that industry is the same as the NCBA's. You have been sold a well packaged web of lies.

Maxine, right now I don't have the time to respond to your entire post, ( I'm harvesting) I will respond later when I have more time.
 

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