Twitter Battle: Brad Wall calls out A&W on claims regarding Canadian Beef quality.

[Blaithin]

If your saying hormones haven't been found to be causing health issues maybe you do some research yourself.

The problem is I see a and w benefitting from the slogan but don t see higher prices for the producer or is there?

There can be premiums for "naturally raised" beef, yes. But there aren't any actual regulations to define that term currently. I know of cattle being raised in feedlot settings and being sold at premiums as "natural" as they don't receive implants. Yet who would consider feedlot settings as natural?

Because the feedlots so effectively cut off beef that haven't received as many inputs (I would never want to see a feedlot that DOESNT treat prophylacticaly), producers pretty much have to start direct marketing themselves. It's definitely not an over night change with guaranteed higher prices but it can be done.

http://earthworksfarm.ca/

That's a farm local to me that I believe are doing fairly well. You can see by their prices that they're charging much more than the average farmer whom you might just purchase beef on the rail from.

The biggest issue with supplying a franchise chain would be demand. They'd require more beef than the average individual producers can supply. Until a time when farmers form some sort of cooperative or there's a great industry shift to supply such a thing, it's most likely going to continue to be contracted out to the areas that don't funnel their calf crops into feedlots. Australia and NZ being big ones.

[littledoggie]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't all beef in Canada supposed to be antibiotic free due to required withdrawal times before processing? Also, I believe that there are many more hormones (estrogen) in soy and cabbage, etc. then there ever is in beef even when implanted. A&W could be accessing a lot of their hormone/antibiotic free beef from old cows out on the range that have never been handled. No wonder some of their hamburgers are so tough.

[the big wheel]

If your saying hormones haven't been found to be causing health issues maybe you do some research yourself.

The problem is I see a and w benefitting from the slogan but don t see higher prices for the producer or is there?

[Blaithin]

I haven't been to A&W since this message started. Like Hamloc have switched to Mcdonalds and too have been pleased compared to 20yrs ago.
Blaithin,
No one cares if they want to promote a product to a certain clientele, that's just good business. It's the insinuation that traditional beef is bad for you that is a problem. Keep in mind that they toned down their original campaign after a couple weeks after pressure from industry.

Our ag industry has few producers compared to consumers. A negative attack on any aspect including beef production is a negative mark on all of our ag industry. No one wins in a battle of mine is better than yours because it's a full circle and sooner or later your on the bottom.

I would say they're promoting traditional beef as better. It's the current model of more, quicker that they're not supporting.

For the most part this doesn't apply to cow/calf producers. It's the feedlots that aren't supported. The problem is the general consumer doesn't differenciate between the two. To them it's all the same stuff and procedures. Which is where educating the public comes in handy.

Personally I've never got the feeling of them saying one beef is healthier than the other in any way. Just catering to what the customer wants "You don't want beef given large amounts of antibiotics when you can have beef that doesn't have any do you?" sort of deal. But then I don't have TV so don't see many of the commercials.

However they are absolutely catering to people with only a minute understanding of the situation. And have to cram it all in to twenty seconds. Their vegetarian chicken ads still irk me. It's one thing promoting a certain product but it's a whole other thing spreading ignorance about it.

I agree that putting down a sector of the industry isn't ideal. I'd much rather someone promote their product without attacking another. But then, saying something isn't hormone implanted or prophylactically treated isn't putting anything down so.... If there is an ad (and there absolutely could be) that directly says implanted beef is terrible for your health then that ad would fall in the category of the veggie chicken ad supplying improper knowledge.

[sk_wheatking]

"....Isn't enough that matches our standards"....???????¿

What? Not enough lips and assholes, nuts and udders in it for ya A&W?

Fast food is all ****ing garbage anyway.....if they had to make a living off my support they all would have been out of business years ago!

Don't tell those chamomile tea sipping, tattooed, toque wearing, tree hugger anti-everythings how much fat and sodium is in that SHIT!

Whatever.....people are so worried that if they have a quarter Pounder with cheese well that's it I'm ****ed call the lawyer make up the funeral arrangements! You explain to me how any member of guns and roses or motley cru are still alive with their healthy lifestyle choices!? I think I'll super size that order please.

[sofa.king]

They seem to blame ranchers for the hormones and I do t know of anyone who uses hormones myself included. If they are being used it's the feedlots and most I know are custom feeding feedlots who get paid by the day for feeding so more days means more money and as for antibiotics they only treat the sick ones because of cost. A 250 ml bottle of some antibiotics can cost 500 bucks or more so nobody wastes that shit. It's just a marketing gimmick to get sales and the general public is ignorant and believe everything they are told.

[Jay-mo]

"Absence" advertising. Really turns me off.
Like bullshitting (maybe literally) about their hormone free beef but not explaining how the exact same "evil hormone" is present in even higher amounts in the bun holding this great beef patty?

[the big wheel]

So do those ranchers get a premium? Because I don't see auctions labeled as grass finished or is there direct contracts with a and w etc?

And for someone to try tell
Me hormones and etc are ok for you. Sorry not buying it.

As for sprays I do minimal spraying as possible have found as Klause has other methods are nearly as effective and I do feel better about it.

[farmaholic]

What prompted Wall to make the comment in the first place? The post of the Twitter comment could only be a snapshot of a longer exchange. Does his famlly ranch somewhere?

[grassfarmer]

Yep that's true. Where are they getting their antibiotic and no hormone beef from? Where are they getting it so
Cheap to compete with the others

Three sources - blending product from Australia, Montana and Canada.