The ABP semi-annual meeting is being held on 15 and 16th June in Edmonton and I feel we have some issues to bring to their attention.
At their most recent AGM several resolutions were passed that have not been implemented, namely,
1. Be it resolved that ABP and CCA lobby the provincial and federal governments to investigate pricing practices of the packing and retailing sector.
2. Be it resolved that ABP strike a committee of producers, industry and government to report back to the June 2004 meeting and recommend improved price discovery mechanisms and supply management arrangements that encourage ongoing investment required for a sustainable Alberta beef industry.
3. Be it resolved that ABP and CCA lobby governments to implement legislation requiring packers to report the number, price, quality and class of cattle under their direct ownership, contractual agreements, cash and formula or grid pricing agreements, such reported to be regular, timely, forward-looking and publicly disclosed in the aggregate.
4. Be it resolved that CCA lobby the federal government to investigate implementing mandatory price reporting of the marketing of cattle.
5. Be it resolved that ABP conduct a literature review on research that may link BSE to environmental factors and report findings to producers.
6. Be it resolved that ABP encourage CCA to investigate the relationship between BSE and vCJD and it's correlation to infected feed products.
7. Be it resolved that CCA lobby the federal government to refrain from penalizing tariff quota holders who have not used 90% of their imnport quota and who have not turned in their quotas for the years 2003 and 2004 in order not to encourage usage of additional imported beef.
None of these resolutions have been acted on and ABP officials seem content to ignore them altogether hoping everyone else will to.
As they are our elected industry body I suggest they must be made accountable to their members or they should be removed from their posts.
Please consider contacting your local ABP representative and give them a strong reminder that farmers want these resolutions acted on - that after all is why WE pay these people to represent us.
At their most recent AGM several resolutions were passed that have not been implemented, namely,
1. Be it resolved that ABP and CCA lobby the provincial and federal governments to investigate pricing practices of the packing and retailing sector.
2. Be it resolved that ABP strike a committee of producers, industry and government to report back to the June 2004 meeting and recommend improved price discovery mechanisms and supply management arrangements that encourage ongoing investment required for a sustainable Alberta beef industry.
3. Be it resolved that ABP and CCA lobby governments to implement legislation requiring packers to report the number, price, quality and class of cattle under their direct ownership, contractual agreements, cash and formula or grid pricing agreements, such reported to be regular, timely, forward-looking and publicly disclosed in the aggregate.
4. Be it resolved that CCA lobby the federal government to investigate implementing mandatory price reporting of the marketing of cattle.
5. Be it resolved that ABP conduct a literature review on research that may link BSE to environmental factors and report findings to producers.
6. Be it resolved that ABP encourage CCA to investigate the relationship between BSE and vCJD and it's correlation to infected feed products.
7. Be it resolved that CCA lobby the federal government to refrain from penalizing tariff quota holders who have not used 90% of their imnport quota and who have not turned in their quotas for the years 2003 and 2004 in order not to encourage usage of additional imported beef.
None of these resolutions have been acted on and ABP officials seem content to ignore them altogether hoping everyone else will to.
As they are our elected industry body I suggest they must be made accountable to their members or they should be removed from their posts.
Please consider contacting your local ABP representative and give them a strong reminder that farmers want these resolutions acted on - that after all is why WE pay these people to represent us.
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