I won't touch on all disagreements...my argument is sound.
One thing, I am speaking as a cow-calf producer based in the US. No offense to Canadians, but NCBA and R-Calf are US based organizations who were formed to protect our industry and promote our product.
1. We need R-Calf because the are empowering individual producers within the US. NCBA already gets $1 to market our calves, there would be no added costs to retarget our marketing efforts. Individuals of a like mind do market calves successfully, but there is power in a national organization. NCBA is not dynamic and is slow to change, if nothing else R-CALF will force NCBA to listen to their membership. Competition is great and keeps everyone on their toes.
2. If all meat is COOL, the differntiation doesn't have to stop there. Individual companies can target seperate markets. Take clothing...Macy's sells clothes made in China, the same place that Wal-mart's and Target's clothing is made. All they have is different packaging, namely better astetics within the store.
3. COOL is a national effort to help everyone, individuals who ID their meat are one step ahead of their neighbor. Why should we negatively hurt the whole to protect the few that have profit gains from individually ID'd meat. Why not bring everyone on board. Education is the key.
4. I am not wrong about COOL, I am basing my argument on the fact that consumers associate quality with a country, namely their home country and it is all on perception. This response was from someone in Canada, in Canada they are very proud, proud of the hockey, films and agriculture. It is a competition, "I can produce it better then you." It is all about perceptions, if we can not produce a product that gives the perception of quality, so be it. That is business.
5. Everyone should make their own decisions about R-Calf, they are not your father's organization. Make that decision yourself, truly read what is said and why they are making the arguments.
6. Don't work on fear, I am a strick beleiver in the open market. If COOL persuades customers to buy meat from another country, so be it. The product is bad, you have time to improve that product and if you don't then customers won't buy it. American car companies nearly when out of business because they were making a bad product...there wasn't any loss there, we as consumers got more value from companies who followed market demands.
7. Very good, COOL is a decision making tool for consumers...it is our job as producers to make a good product and market it successfully.
Would you buy a T.V. without a brand name on it? That brand name gives the consumer a choice, based on that consumer's perception of quality. COOL will enable choices, this shouldn't drive fear into Canadian producers because, like I said before they are proud and implied that they love competition. There is no reason why they can't produce a better product then us, but COOL will leave it up to them to compete within our market, giving us a competitive advantage to our consumers (association). Why should NCBA fight giving our producers a competitive advantage? Why shouldn't the Canadians want their product differentiated, because they can produce a better product...
If you are interested in Economics read Richardo (very interesting divulgence into market forces using agriculture in england circa 1700's), if you are interested in controls, please read Porter (the world's leading mind on Strategic Decision making). Market economics explain why we need differentiation and Porter's control of the product lines will enable producers from one country indentify their products. Only one country because you must measure inputs and outputs. A seperate country would have different inputs and outputs.
Don't operate on fear, find out why there are so many people supporting R-Calf. I don't want to offend anyone because it doesn't promote disccussion, but calling R-Calf - R-CULT, implies that the writer doesn't know anything about the organization.
I read on this disscussion that McDonald was associated with the Democratic party, even though I am from California, I am a strong republican...I have contept for them, but don't judge someone by their party affiliations. Many of us are married to democrats or deal with them.
**Many people grew up with their parents associating with one party and now they feel obligated to defend that organization**