Beefman said:
Econ101 said:
Beefman, the meat manager said the meat "was out of this world"? Are you using a little poetic license here? Was the meat labeled anywhere on the package or the surrounding area that it was graded select? If they were so proud of it and paid to get it graded, you would think they would advertise it at least on a sticker or on a sign.
I would have no problem with eating a select rib eye. That cut of meat usually has no problem in the select category. Some categories do. If you get one of the other categories where it does make a difference, the consumer could be disappointed.
It is funny beefman, that you are obviously involved in the beef industry packer side and you are the one who excuses lower quality processes for the money. The readiness to do this by that side of the industry is exactly the problem with the system. You are ready to stand up and "sell" a lower quality grade, Select, just for the money. At the same time, you call on producers to breed, and feed higher quality animals. Maybe you try to sell the higher quality you ask from producers instead of the lower quality Select grade. Real beefmen should be able to sell to the customer based on reality, not try to make just a self serving profit maximizing sale that may drive a customer away from selling a lower quality cut meat for something that it isn't.
I know that there is only a certain amount of higher grading cattle out there and that you have to sell it all. Selling lower grades at Walmart may look good price wise, but when it comes to a pleasurable eating experience, it just doesn't cut it. A high grading whole Sirlion tip is worth buying for the grill, a lower grading one may not be. A lower gradin Each piece has to fit into the highest category it can for maximum eating pleasure and not be bumped up to one where it doesn't fit just for higher profit. When you do that, it hurts the reputation of the industry. It is a short term gain for a longer term loss of consumer confidence. It is how retailers ruined the red delicious apple market.
It is the age old structural problem in the industry that the grading system was designed to counter. The grading system is supposed to be able to pass information on to the customer so that they can make good decisions about their meat purchases. This information is many times not being passed on to the customer.
I did go to Walmart last night in response to your investigation into my allegations. The guy stocking the meat counter at Walmart did not even know about the grades of meat and said he had only worked in the department for a month ("knowing the grades" could be taught in the first day). He did try to call the supervisor and couldn't get him. To be honest, I did call the number on the back of one of the meat packages to ask about the grade and this time the lady said the meat was definitely Select, not Choice. Someone has corrected that particular communications problem with the staff that is supposed to officially be answering questions. Kudos for that honesty and correction of that problem at least this time. The problem should not have happened in the first place.
Almost all of the meat individually wrapped (in the gas packs) had an additional salt water solution added. What is the process to get this solution into the meat?
My arguments against the exertion of market power have been levied against Walmart and against Tyson. It is not because they are big, or successful that I have done this. It is because they are the ones who have used their corporate governance to okay the abuses of market power and in Tyson's case, use their ill gotten gains to influence politicians and or the courts/regulatory agencies into making sure they did not pay for their abuses.
The political problems congressmen are now experiencing comes from the realization from the populace that instead of governing this country, they are selling it out. We seem to have a slate of politicians who are willing to wait until we have a crisis in our country and then look as if they are doing everything they can to correct the situation when the problems they are facing are the result of many poor decisions in the past that they themselves have made.
For example, the judges on the judiciary are appointed by the executive branch, and approved by the Senate. It is disingenuous for Democrats or Republicans to blame the judiciary when they have been part of the process that has allowed legislating from the bench to happen and then not take immediate action to correct the problems and errors the judges make. It is bad governance or non existent governance. Those politicians get paid to govern, not crisis management. To allow the country's problems fester until they explode instead of attempting to cure the ill beforehand is bad or incompetent governance by our elected officials. It has been shown to be pervasive in the govt. Examples include 911 attacks, fuel efficiency standards and our oil crisis, federal debt, court decisions, moral high ground when dealing with opponents (abu graib), corporate governance, tax policy, disaster relief and general good old boys spoil system after elections, political use of national secrets, following the rule of law instead of the rule of power, etc..... The list goes on and on.
Is this the result of the dominance of 1 party rule in our country? Do our current politicians not have the integrity to make good decisions when it is not a crisis? Do they always have to have the other party look over their shoulder to keep them honest? Does Tyson?
Nice statement.
You complain about the meat / shoes / lawnmower you bought at Walmart. Knowing you, you probably get your haircut there, and bought your Sunday suit there also. You were in there last night hassling the poor man trying to load the meatcase. Probably didn't leave the store empty handed, did you?
You shop at Walmart more than anyone I know. Practice what you preach, and take your business elsewhere.
I knew what I was buying, beefman. The lawnmower was for a rental property I own---I don't like getting a good mower for a place when it might get stolen.
The shoes have been a continual problem. We don't have a lot of good options on that one but I did buy a pair of reebocks I hope will last. It seems I have enough boots to last quite a while--no, not from walmart.
Never bought a suit from walmart. I did buy a suit off of a friend once. I said I liked it, he said I could have it, and I ended up buying it off him (literally). The last suit I bought before that I bought in NY city. Never wally world.
The guy at the meat case was a nice enough fellow. Most of the people working there are nice. I have no beef with them at all. They are trying to make a living.
I bought some juice my daughter likes, some of those hawian rolls, and a few little other things. Then I headed over to kroger to get some things.
Walmart has run a lot of the little stores out of some items. I have noticed that once there is not as much competition, they raise the prices.
I have owned a snapper mower and from my experience, after Sam died and everything went to china, the quality of goods went down. The murray mower was one example. I think walmart has a philosophy of using their market power to get the lowest price, selling cheaply, but making you buy the same thing 3 times more often than a quality U.S. well produced item. It fools a lot of people and my thoughts on this subject come from experience.
Keep taking up for wacky world. You may work there one day. I can just picture you greeting people walking in saying, "Our beef is the best in the world" and then going home to eat some real quality meat from another source. :lol: :shock: