Class Action Rally

[rkaiser]

March 31st Red Deer Westerner Grounds. Stockmans center.

Some ideas for posters and advertising...

BSE CLASS ACTION INFORMATION SESSION

March 31, 2010 at 11 - 12 am ish

Westerner Park Stockmens Pavilion
4847A-19 Street
Red Deer, AB


What is the BSE Class Action?
What is happening with the BSE Class Action?
What can I do to help speed a payout?


TAKE BACK THE CATTLE INDUSTRY ‘ONE STEAK HOLDER AT A TIME’

An advertising budget is being put together and bus departure sites are being established.

[rkaiser]

About 15 years ago I was promoting cattle out at the Regina Agribition and an older man, who turned out to be one of the most influential purebred breeders in Canada, said that he used to have cattle like mine. I asked him why he sold them. He turned the question to me and asked why I was in this cattle business?

I said that I loved the animals and liked the fact that I was able to supply beef to people.

He said --- BullShit.... You are in this to make money and he also said he sold the cattle he had because someone made him a very good offer.

Now don't get me wrong. Profit is not a dirty word.

But why are all of you in this business of raising cattle? And don't try to bull shit me about making money cause none of us have made very much of that for years.

Yes we need some money --- but money is, and always has been a tool to accomplish a goal.

I don't know about the rest of you, but my goal and "purpose" is to raise animals that "yes" I love; with as much compassion as possible and convert that energy into a wholesome nutritious human food for humans that appreciate it and that I can be proud of.

The stage is set folks..... All we need to do now is set aside our ego's, and put as many people as we can in the Red Deer Stockman's center on MARCH 31ST.

[Sawbones]

The stage is set Randy
Our offer to purchase the former Rancher's Beef plant has been accepted and it is now up to you producers to put up or shut up. We need you to invest $30/cow for calves you're willing to commit. You can invest as breed, brand or regional calves. if you're interested, let us know

[per]

It was a pleasure to meet you yesterday Sawbones. Guys, many of us have been down this canoe trip once before with bad results. We have all learned from the experience and plan not to repeat the same mistakes. The need for a plant to kill value chain beef has never been greater. This is not about capacity, it is about taking some control over our future. If we all step up to the plate collectively we can make this work and start to build the puzzle around the major pieces toward a sustainable industry. This is a chance to show cooperation instead of a fractured industry.

[dluther]

OPTIMISM! OPTIMISUM at it's best, when you get more details I will spread the news to my depressed friends. It will be a big sell BUT WHAT OTHER CHOICE DO WE HAVE?

[grassfarmer]

Congratulations Sawbones, i'm pleased somebody appears to be making headway. One random thought occurred to me when I read your post - has your group considered running the plant as a custom kill plant like the one in Lacombe? I realise this might not fit with your complete value chain idea but it would protect the plant from the predation that closed it the last time when they got squeezed out of the market by the bigger players. It would be a way of externalising risk while still allowing fledgling groups access to processing capacity. It would likely be more attractive to bank lenders also?

[smcgrath76]

Sawbones,

We might be pretty interested. We will
have to schedule a visit to get some
details.
We have been burned once, but are still
pretty keen.

Sean

[rkaiser]

Yes Grassfarmer the custom kill thing is the main thing that we are interested in as well. I will be taking this to our group and would only hope that gaucho and every other group already in the value chain game grabs hold as well. Not only securing ourselves a kill time and date, but a share in a plant and and and and --- almost to good to be true sawbones.

And I think I know where we can git some cash to roll with...If we all make some noise AT THE SAME TIME.

It's only a few hours out of each of your days folks.

March 31st at noon.

Our gal Gloria is putting out a press release today and has an advertising proposal put together. BUT our main thrust will be word of mouth. Please get your lips flappin.

[Sawbones]

Devil's in the details but a toll plant is exactly the format we're looking at and the numbers we're putting together make it look relatively attractive for both the toll processor and producer. That's why we need commitment of 100,000 head. We want 20 groups of 5000 whether they be by breed, brand or region. If you're just by yourself at this time with 100 calves, we still want you and we'll put you intouch with someone headed the same way whether it be Canada Gold, Prairie Heritage, Spring Creek, Angus, Charolais, Hereford Simmental, or Speckled Park, Lloydminster, Ponoka, Westlock, Grande Prairie, or Fort Macloed. We need 20 groups of cow/calf people. One half of the investment will be made to purchase the plant and the other half will be invested with matching funds from an operating company to run the plant.
More details to follow as the pieces come together

[PureCountry]

What can I do to help speed a payout?

I'd call it a settlement. The word payout sounds bad to me, but I'm just splittin' hairs o'course.

I'll spread the word around the East country.

[paladin]

Sawbones - how do we contact you/find out more info on this?

[kato]

Here's one way to help. Be a pest, like I am. LOL

I got a letter from the Ritz office today responding to yet another pestering one I sent him. It says, of course that since the case is in the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment, but on the other hand, it also says he's taken note of my suggestion to appoint a mediator.

This is the closest to acknowledgement that I've gotten so far, so I'm thinking we might be making some progress here.

As my Grandma always told me, it's the squeaky wheel that gets the grease. So all we have to do is have enough of us squeak long enough and loud enough, and sooner or later something just might give.

Imagine if Mr Ritz came to work every morning and found his inbox stuffed full of letters from cattle producers, who all agreed on the same thing and made the same suggestion. Wouldn't that be great?

[Sawbones]

Paladin
my phone # is 780-872-0148