ABP Resolutions

[grassfarmer]

Anyone come up with some good resolutions to take to their area Fall Producer Meetings?
I quickly wrote down 4 that I thought of along with a brief explanation of each. Anyone else care to share, brainstorm or are folks just too depressed to show up this year?

1 "Be it resolved that Alberta Beef Producers request the Federal Government launch immediately an inquiry into the profitability of the beef processing and retailing sectors in Canada." - We need to properly establish who is making money in the beef production chain before we are in a position to formulate agricultural policy relating to the beef sector.

2 "Be it resolved that Alberta Beef Producers lobby the Federal and Provincial Governments to introduce parallel legislation in Canada to the “Marketing Fairness Act” in the United States." - It has been long argued that we have an integrated North American beef market – if that is so how can we NOT introduce parallel legislation on this important issue?

3 "Be it resolved that the Alberta Beef Producers substantially amend their proposed refundable levy structure to ensure a simpler, less bureaucratic process that is easier for producers to use." - The current proposal looks like it was designed to make it as difficult as possible for producers to get a refund.

4 "Be it resolved that Alberta Beef Producers decrease their funding of the Canada Beef Export Federation to the levels contributed by the export members." - $1.2 million Alberta check-off dollars contributed by producers per year versus $223,000 contributed by the export members (the packers who benefit from the promotion) Hardly seems equitable does it?

If you support any or all of these resolutions please take them along to your area meeting and propose them.

[Sawbones]

Sorry GF..There is an election in our area but 4 are ABP re-runs and only one new voice. The chances of making a change are minimal

[grassfarmer]

There is no election in our zone either but that doesn't mean we shouldn't try does it? I don't think we need to replace every face at ABP to facilitate change - if we had a huge turnout of producers at every meeting demanding change it just might work given the new accountability put on ABP with the refundable levy.

[per]

Be it resolved that the ABP consider the use of LIS to collect and distribute the checkoff.
LIS has the database and many of the pieces of the puzzle already in place for use in their core mandate.

[coppertop]

grassfarmer when producers in my area
thought there would be a delegate vote
they were all enthused about attending
the meeting in Breton tomorrow evening
but now I don't hear much about it.
Hopefully it is announced at the Auction
Market here tomorrow, maybe that will
jar people into attending. I agree with
you, the faces at ABP don't necessarily
need to change, as long as there is
solidarity among producers to move
resolutions forward.

[kato]

Can I add my bright idea from the other thread?

How about the producer decides whether the ages of their calves are released for public access or not? We do not get paid for the ages. We do the work. Allowing feedlots and packers to scan for ages removes any incentive to pay back the producer for the information. I resent the fact that those up the line can get the benefit, while I provide the information for no benefit.

The CCIA would still have the traceback they need, and we would control who does what with those calves ages.

Like this idea would go over at a meeting controlled by big feeders and packers eh???????

[smcgrath76]

I heard a similar idea from another
source.
Each user of the tag information pays a
surcharge back to the producer who
originally paid for the tag and did the
work. Not sure how to do it so it doesn't
get bid back out of the price.