Ticked, Cattle Rack Rancher and frenchie:
You may have read some of this - I posted it all on another site - but as I am the author I have pasted it here as well.
The big problem as I see it is that people spent far to much time spinning in anger against something they have no control over - in this case it is R-CALF.
Far better to spend that energy in other areas.
In my opinion we caused part of this as well. Never again - once this is over I will never sit back and let foreign interests in kill plants become an accepted fact.
Integration at the level we allowed in Canada put us at risk - a risk we could never have forecast. But having experienced I can assure you it will keep a bunch of us - those who survive (hopefully I am one) - on our toes.
I may be a small guy, but all of my animals now go to a non-foreign owned operation. Small operator - but he is hanging in. Yes he is at risk - but until he is forced to close I will support him to the max.
No order buyer - no selling to unknowns. I now demand to know exactly who is buying my animals and I demand to know exactly where they are going. Period. If I do not get the answers - nothing leaves the yard. If I am going to go down it will not be by supplying what I have now come to consider the enemy.
Sooner or later things will change - I know in my own heart I have a very large hate on for foreign ownership now that I never had before.
Simplistic? Yes. I am just a wave in the sea of humanity - but that's what I have started to do.
I have learned free trade is a one way street. I am now not so slowly becoming very adamant about NOT supporting U.S. of A. interests in my own country. Lumber, oil, natural gas, cattle, sheep, hogs, wheat .... and the beat goes on. Water is coming - mark my words. Tariffs, tariffs, tariffs - what the heck happened to free trade? It is well and truly dead in my opinion. Time to find other markets. Foreign interests are rapidly killing not only this industry, but others as well.
There will be those who detract from my statements but in the end our own people can find markets outside of our borders. Our biggest cattle problem is finding some place to kill and process.
And if I can find a place that keeps my money in my back yard then you can be sure I will not spend it elsewhere. I once let the dollars flow as they wanted - never again.
As I said, there will be capacity to handle our own animals eventually - that will remove a great deal of risk. During this time I would hope the great marketing gurus of the meat world recognize we have other markets that can eventually be developed other than our neighbour to the south. In fact let's steal some markets if at all possible.
If a market demands testing - then screw it and do it. Let's beat them at their own game. Period. Play hardball or go home.
Live cattle are - in my opinion - the largest issue at the moment. We solve this one we are on our way. It will happen and it will be painfull - but the folks south of 49 who rake in the daily profit do not care. so, I have begun my small mission of boycotting them wherever and whenever possible - when I cannot I hold my nose and pay.
Ever been to the States - of course you have - ever notice the "BUY AMERICAN" advertisements? Good for them - I support this attitude - in THEIR home territory. Time for us to do the same. Start small and let it grow.
I reiterate - as a small guy - I do not let anything off the property anymore until I know it's final destination. Money stays in my country - I am tired of feathering the nest of corporations that are south of 49 owned.
If my guy started killing U.S. owned cattle - which he will not because there are none here - we would shut him down - for weeks -not a day. Hit them in the bank account - hit them hard - not in the media - money talks and B.S. makes them smile.
Look up the Lanark Landowners Association on the net - we have mirrored their efforts locally - in 20 minutes there can be 40 people standing in my driveway - blocking anything or anyone you want. Gotta' love organized phone trees, no sh!t determined people (read desperate) and cell phones.
We let the big guys come in because we all thought bigger was better - looks like we were wrong. Centralizing the kill plants, going bigger and letting folks outside of our country control the situation is not the way to go.
We have a major production area - Manitoba - with no kill capability - I bet they're now doing some major thinking on that subject. Ontario is planning to open at least one new plant - hopefully two. Quebec is going at it strong. As well, even tiny Prince Edward Island is now in the business and branding it's home grown beef. It WILL happen given time.
We allowed our live cattle to go south of the border instead of value adding (tired but true phrase) on this side. It was cheaper to ship them and be happy with the trade.
Live trade allowed us to ignore slaughter capacity. It simply was not required in the then fully integrated market. Turns out WE were wrong. By not completing the process here we let money slip through our fingers. Folks are waking up.
It will take time - but capacity MUST be built on this side of the border - and markets MUST be developed away from the U.S. of A. Less we are dependent upon those south of 49 the stronger we will be.
No different than investing in the stock markets - diversification is the key to success.
While we are prisoners at this time, if we are able to withstand the next 5 years, and we can eventually kill 80% of our own production (large number out of my ass) or if time and money and luck allow - 100% of our capacity - and never be beholden to outside interests again I will be a very happy camper. I suspect more than a few others would agree.
Just my thoughts,
Bez
