SASH
Well-known member
Portage Farmer Confronts Federal Ag Minister Andy Mitchel
2005-03-30
By: D Thomas
Portage La Prairie cattleman Jim Murray, drove to Winnipeg Tuesday night to attend a press conference organized by Federal Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchel. He told the minister the money is not enough to help those people who are in trouble. He says there is getting to be more of those guys every day. Banks are saying we have given as much as we can give. The $19.00 per head for cattle producers based on 2003 or $3.00 per acre isn't enough. He adds the worse this problem gets the less money is being directed toward it. Murray says producers don't want to look like beggars. He says put this money into slaughter plants and get them up. He adds the bureaucracy on this is appalling. Murray says he was disappointed the minister refused to answer his questions. He says he asked the minister how much of the $488 million has been put into slaughter plants. He said they have 2 plants up and going. Murray said he told Mitchell he had not answered his question because most of that $480 million is just a loan guarantee, there is no money out of pocket. Murray says he is involved with a group called Fair Market Beef that is launching a class action suit against R-Calf for 7 million dollars per day. He says in the 2 weeks they have been going they have already had R-Calf call them asking them to back off until after the July court date is heard.
2005-03-30
By: D Thomas
Portage La Prairie cattleman Jim Murray, drove to Winnipeg Tuesday night to attend a press conference organized by Federal Agriculture Minister Andy Mitchel. He told the minister the money is not enough to help those people who are in trouble. He says there is getting to be more of those guys every day. Banks are saying we have given as much as we can give. The $19.00 per head for cattle producers based on 2003 or $3.00 per acre isn't enough. He adds the worse this problem gets the less money is being directed toward it. Murray says producers don't want to look like beggars. He says put this money into slaughter plants and get them up. He adds the bureaucracy on this is appalling. Murray says he was disappointed the minister refused to answer his questions. He says he asked the minister how much of the $488 million has been put into slaughter plants. He said they have 2 plants up and going. Murray said he told Mitchell he had not answered his question because most of that $480 million is just a loan guarantee, there is no money out of pocket. Murray says he is involved with a group called Fair Market Beef that is launching a class action suit against R-Calf for 7 million dollars per day. He says in the 2 weeks they have been going they have already had R-Calf call them asking them to back off until after the July court date is heard.