TY TopHand. I think the solution is to cut the packer out of my business.Sure you can just grow your cows and calves and never sell any and just bury them when they die --good idea---
Anyone that doesn't share information with me, means they are attempting to acquire more of the total end user pie thereby cutting me out what I deserve to survive, and I therefore won't share information, or raw product for that matter, with them (the packer). There are a couple of ways I intend to go about this, both of which may eventually train the packer to treat the small guy better. That's the whole point --- you don't deserve anything --who says you deserve anything?? you jest.... when you show up with your product to sell it and you dont have any info -- they will say well we can give you bottom price and if you want better bring me some real data
The first and for limited captitalized ranchers, is to sell directly to the retail end user and cut the middle guy out. You could do that but since your product is so un-uniform you will have difficulty selling it to the return customer- consumers want to be able to have a piece of beef that is exactly the same every time, you say that isn't fair-- I say too bad -- for example: wendy's hamburgers taste the same whether you buy one in Olympia or Miami. So you want to cut the stocker, feed yard and packer out? Never happen, you need them to push your un-uniform products
Half Organic themes could be used to take double market share from the packer. I managed an Organic beef cow/calf, stocker, feed yard, dairy veal, turkey (in season) and swine operation and Organic Meats brought the following--- $41.00 / lb for Ancient White Park beef primals, organic veal $17.00 / lb primals; SH/Angus beef $32.00 / lb primals; 12.00 / lb for Swine primals, and Thanksgiving Turkeys (organic) $200.00 per 20 lb bird (dressed). so half organic won't get it --- let's call it natural beef instead -- that is what you are talking about. Organic Standards are high and most operations can't meet the HAACCP guidelines or their Farm Plan designated by Organic Inspections.
The second way for well capitalized ranchers, would be to start with establishing several southern packing operationsyou going to pay union labor? you bet you will with good corn connections you better line up some feed yards first and who is going to do that job? that would be willing to treat the small rancher with respect and provide them with informationNews flash-- no one cares about you and your small operation --my whole point to being able to work together-- ranchers won't work together for a common cause because everyone thinks they know all they need to know already. of what is hot and what is not.Here again, I don't want to burst your bubble, but until you can raise an uniform product, you cant get the capital holders to invest in that kind of operation; plus everyone knows that the US rancher is too independent and won't cooperate well enough for success-- the bankers know it too.
In other words, treat one like they would want to be treated (one of the ten commandments) Sounds good, but doesn't happen too often ( good, bad or otherwise) in business practice. can al you say be done -- sure it can be done, but not until you can find many producers that will work together. To be respectful to you, I will reply in the spirit of your post and willingness to educate.