Canada's False Depedency on the US market

[kpb]

rkaiser and everyone else who thinks the border should remain closed--before you guys jump on pr_fire's bandwagon about closing off our biggest customer (pre-BSE) I would suggest you look again at intr3est's numbers.
As intr3est said in his post we are not going to eat our way out of this problem. Unless you guys are now in favor of a dramatic downsizing of our domestic herd? And, don't forget we have more beef than ever now.
We must be the only business in the world that is contemplating shutting out our largest, by far, customer and trying to make it sound like the right thing to do. Does this sound logical and reasonable to all of you?
rkaiser, you've always struck me as a reasoned person and, although we've sometimes disagreed, you seem thoughtful. Tell me again, are you saying we should turn our back on our largest customer? And do what with all this beef we've got kicking around in this country? I agree we need to process more beef domestically and develop more international markets. But I don't see either of those things happening soon. And an open border to our largest customer is something that we should be striving for and working towards--then we can work towards the other goals. If we don't get the border open our industry will continue to languish--look at intr3est's numbers a few posts up and consider our domestic production vs. demand and imports. I think it's a pretty simple calculation.

[rkaiser]

kpb If you think you or I or any other producer will have any influence over the boxed beef trade going on with Cargil Tyson, and their American cutomers, we all need our heads examined. I believe that what our new friend is refering to is live cattle and the border. At least that is what I would like to see left shut. I don't think that another bovine should cross that 49th parallel unless he or she is a breeding animal.

But I am certainly all for opening new markets with testing, and maintaining the size of the Canadian breeding herd. I think that a cull is a waste of perfectly good food.....period. Test them and sell them is my attitude. How many bloody cans of BSE tested beef could we send to the tidal wave victims for 400 million dollars.

I will never agree with you on two areas you stress kpb. Burying cows, and dropping Canadian beef herds to supply only Canada.

[intr3est]

put another way Randy, Canadians should not ship the raw product to the US so they can add value to the product and then export it to those markets we as Canadian producers could have if we are willing to add the value here. What value, the vlue that consumers tell us they are willing to pay for. Let's build a Canadian product and ship it as a superior product! For example, after March 7th, when the border opens (hopefully), if all Canadian product said "tested for BSE", would the American public buy our product or the US product(with all the consumer info. being promoted), even if COOL rears it's ugly head again. I'm assuming that we would be further ahead of the US if we get started now.

[rkaiser]

Right on intr3est!

[intr3est]

rkaiser, could you email me, I'd still like to talk to you about what you are doing with BIG and the possibilties. murgen_89@hotmnail.com

[rkaiser]

I sent you an email the other day, guess it must have lost it's way over Winterpeg

Randy Kaiser
Crossfield Alberta
(403) 946 - 0228

Have to go do some evening chores and then find a Burger. My wife is on a tropical vacation in Estevan Sask, and I don't like cooking much.
Back later this evening 8ish Alberta time.

[BigMuddyrancher]

Randy you will be pretty jealous of your wife when she gets home with that tan she got in Estevan

[intr3est]

Must be a hole in the ozone we don't know about!

[rkaiser]

Well dar gon it Big Muddy, now you got me thinkin.
When she phoned and said it was 30 degrees and she didn't have much on, maybe she was in the tub wanting to do that phone se)( thing and it was 30 below not 30 above.

[whiteface]

Randy, Randy...
My eyes, my ears, you're going to corrupt my innocent youth with all that se)(talk...
Please try to stay focused!!!
And warm!!! Have a good day!!
Love Whitey!