We've been out of the business about 10 years since Dad died, but I still remember the big whoppin .51 cents/HDWT. Glad people are seeing better.

Ed

 

Guys........

There are a few comments in this thread that are making my blood boil....

I'm glad there are some fellows down south who are making a fair buck. God only knows we all work hard enough a deserve to earn a fair living....

But for those of you who seem to take pleasure in another mans loss, hardship, tragedy... Than I know one place where you are welcome to go...

We sent out 2 young heifers 2 weeks ago, that turned up open (we had implanted embryos in them but they didn't take) weighed 1,100 lbs a piece.

They brought $0.26/ lb live weight. They brought home less than $200 each.

If anyone can make a living at that....
Please let me know...

I'd be more than happy to learn how.

Good friends and neighbours of mine are on their way into recievorship as we speak.. Perhaps 4 'th or 5'th generation farmers going bust?? One fellow I know well, is allready in for over a million dollars loss...... No B.S!!


So you are telling me... That one day they find 1 cow.... out of a herd that had been importing heifers from Montana that is found to be a BSE suspect carier...
Out of the what????? 15 20 million head of cattle in Canada.. (anyone have a head count up here?) That a man and his family should not only not be able to make a living but potentially loose everything they have???

So we investigate the situation...

hmmm, we testand we test.... independant researchers cannot find another beast infected!!

But wait!!
Here are two more, in the good ol' USA....... Where they have been seeing record rices/profits since closing the border.

hmmmm, anyone ever heard that statistic being flashed around?? 27 million illegal aliens in the USA, can't track one of them down... Two cows supposedly infected with BSE (and been living in the USA for what 7 years of their lives,(of course there is no chance they may have been infected down there)) and you can pinpoint the exact time and location where those two cows were born and trace them to the stall where they lived.

Atleast there is some humor to be found in a grim situation.

Can we all say "illegal barrier to free trade" together please folks...?

Tell you what.

You boys all enjoy your good prices...

I'm going to go have a burger and think about it.

 

Tool, I agree with some of the "statistics" you talked about. Heck, maybe I am different, but I had trouble keeping up with which calf was from what bull. I never could get the cow to kiss and tell after the fence went down. Also, boughtt many from the yards that I had no idea their background. Only knew they had passed the health checks. In other words, they were still standing.

There is a bunch of good people that are being put in a bad position. One can only hope that things settle down.

Notfixintoomuchfencenow Ed

 

I have had the pleasure of working down in southern USA (Texas, New Mexico, and Louisiana) since August. I have met a lot of nice people down, here but I have to admit that 95% don't have a clue what's going on in the world outside of the USA. Let's just say that the recent election was really interesting from a foreigner’s point of view.

All I am going to say is that the boarder is remaining closed for no other reason other than to cripple the Canadian cattle industry and weaken the Canadian economy, while allowing the US economy to recover.

Carl

 

I can't remember the exact percentage but the cattle coming out of Canada into the US is only one or two percent of the total cattle here. Hardly anything that has a major effect on our cattle market down here, anyone that tells you different doesn't know much about the cattle market. Increased demand, cattle cycle, cattle numbers, etc is the major influence in our high markets right now, not the border being shut down to the north. There are several goups out there such as R-CALF that is putting out a lot of missinformation and has a view of Canadian cattle being the root of all evil to the US cattle market.
I feel very badly about what is happening to our fellow livestock producers to the north but you can't sit there and tell me that if there was a CONFEREMED case of BSE that ORRIGINATED in the US that Canada wouldn't shut down there borders for both live cattle and meat.

 

I will not retract my statements; they were not intended to be sadistical or personal. Carl said it best; the closing of the borders with Canada is in the U.S.'s intrest, and allow for the U.S. market to recover. I know nothing about the cattle market, I don't even know if that's what's really happening- rather, it is the basic idea that the American government is standing up for American industries that makes me happy. For in standing up for domestic industries, we are placing the rights of America at the forefront of American foreign policy, which is something critically needed. It gives me pleasure to see our foreign policy blatantly go against another's country's wishes. Call me a moron, go ahead- but I believe that we have nothing to pay to anybody else. I believe that we need to stop concentrating on what everybody else thinks of us. The rest of the world is going to hate us anyways, it is not our position to make friends. It is our position to defend ourselves and our rights, regardless.

As previously stated in my other posts, I am being a hypocrite here; I really do not support the closed borders with Canada. I believe in total free trade. What I do support is the fact that American government is finally getting chest hair on its foreign policy- somebody in the government is saying "screw you, Canada, we don't care if you go bankrupt". Unfortunately, the country has to be Canada, probably the most friendly country on the planet, and it really doesn't deserve the restraints we are placing on it. I hate when you people have to paint a face on everything, but whenever there is wealth there is poverty somewhere. And I want, I desire above all else, that our country moves as much said wealth into its own borders as possible, and we ideally wouldn't care for who gets thrown into poverty at our gain. And this is what our foreign policy must do; act in our favor. And in this case, that is what it is doing. And I support that 100%, even though I do not support the closed borders with Canada.

I bet that's gonna catalyze this thread.

 

It would be really nice if somone in OUR Government had the cajones to turn off the water, power, gas & oil, and pharmaculticles you boys down south enjoy so much. Fair is fair - right? If you dont want our beef when you surely dont want or need anything else from Canada, right?? I know what would happen if I ran this country.

Sickening if you ask me...

 

Interesting thought.
But if we consume that much of what you produce, (and we account for a large percentage of your exports) then turning off the spigot would basically shut down most of your economy as there would be no demand for your products.

Please consult with Mini-Me before taking such drastic actions.

"Why have Billions, when we can have Millions......... "

 

maybe so, but when california goes dark someone in washinton WOULD sit up and take notice......

 

Begle,

I understand what you are saying, and believe me, I wish Canada had a tougher foreign policy than it does, but a foreign policy that distances the US from its closest neighbor is simply not a great idea, and instead of applauding your gov't, you should be expressing concern over the policy as its costing you more money at the supermarket. The US counts on foreign countries (especially us Canucks) to feed its people. You guys simply don't have the land base to provide enough food for your tables, despite gains in production in recent years.

A few examples: Saskatchewan provides 35% of the world's wheat that is fit for human consumption. Much of that is in the US food chain. 18 - 20% of the beef you guys consume in the US comes from Canada (not necessarily born here, but some born in the US and finished here). Vaquero, that 20% is a number thats about 7 years old from the US Ag sites, so it may be off by todays numbers. But I don't think its too far off given the number of slaughter plant closures in the northern US since the borders have been closed. 100% of the mustard you spread on your hot dogs comes from Canada. I have no idea how much power, gas and oil you guys get from us, but I'm sure the effects would be felt if they went away, especially power as you can't get that from anywhere else.

By the same token, Canada relies on the US for a whack of our own consumables and goods. Life in Canada without the US would not all that pleasant, at least not until we replace the goods that largely come from the US, maybe in 30 years or so. And even then, do we really want to spend $70,000 on a Canuck built truck?

Anyway, my point here is not to get into a US vs Canada peeing match, but to illustrate that Canada and the US need to be pals in order to ensure the survival of our ways of life, in BOTH countries. As citizens, its our responsibility to sit up and ask our respective gov'ts, *** are you idiots doing? Current foreign policy of both our gov'ts, with respect to one another, is not for the benefit of the citizens but rather the benefit of large companies and the politicians. Thats not acceptable and its costing people on the both sides of the border a whack of money.

If you don't believe me, just have a look at some the evidence and judge for yourselves: Check the cost of lumber before and after the import tariffs were imposed on Canadian softwood lumber. Check the cost of a steak in the supermarket before and after BSE. For us Canucks, check the cost of fish and seafood before Canada imposed restrictions on US fishermen and boat builders (yes we're guilty of protectionism too).

That Free Trade agreement that both countries signed a few years back? That was a good idea for both our countries. Sure, it hurt some people on both sides, but those people who were hurt needed to make some adjustments to their way of life, not cry to the gov't to fix it. There was nothing to fix. It was a good deal for BOTH countries and its time to make the politicians listen to real people, not the fishermen or the environmentalists or R/Calf or a hundred other SIGs that currently influence them.

Rant off

Rod

 

The 1-2% was the Canadian born cattle coming into the US. It does not include the cattle that come into Canada to be fed and then come back accross.

 

And if it hurt our economy for a couple of weeks or months, so be it. The U.S. market is and always will be there. Like it or not, the U.S. population is so large that the country is not self supporting. As well, the U.S. has used up a fair bit of their nonrenewable natural resources, whereas we still have vast reserves. Not only that, power plants and refineries simply cant be built over night. Construction takes time and todays constructions costs are staggering. The intent would not be to hurt our American friends but to prove a point. There is a free trade agreement in place, which the U.S., Mexico and Canada signed. The U.S. Government seems intent on crippling or destroying the Canadian cattle industry, probably, in some way payback for Canada not participating in Iraq.

FYI, a great many of the large Corporations in this country are in fact Canadian subsidiaries of large American companies (ie....Shell, Mibile.Exxon, Weyerhaeuser, Conoco etc. etc.). If the Government ever did enact a Force Majeure (which will never happen) not only would it leave X number of Americans without electricity, gas & oil, lumber, wheat etc., it would hurt the bottom line of many large American companies.

It would be nice to see better relations between our countries - things at present are rocky to say the least.

PS, Well said Rod !!

 

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/natio...er_041115.html

Last Updated Mon, 15 Nov 2004 20:23:40 EST

VANCOUVER - B.C.'s forests minister has blasted the latest U.S. move in the softwood lumber fight, warning that it could lead to an all-out trade war.

Montana Senator Max Baucus plans to introduce a bill as early as Tuesday that will allow U.S. lumber companies to keep an estimated $3.6 billion in duties paid on Canadian imports.

B.C. Forests Minister Mike de Jong said Monday that if Baucus's bill passes, Canada will be forced to retaliate.

He said he has talked with his federal counterparts about countermoves, including possibly stopping energy exports to the United States.

"You can't steal $4 billion from a country and not expect that there would be repercussions," he said.

RELATED
* Coverage from CBC British Columbia>

"The U.S. and their legislators should think very carefully before embracing what is to my mind an indefensible and irrational proposition."

The U.S. said Canadian provinces subsidized lumber exports, and imposed a 27 per cent duty in 2002.

The World Trade Organization and a ruling under the North American Free Trade Agreement both concluded that U.S. complaints about Canadian lumber imports are not valid.

* FROM AUG. 31, 2004: NAFTA rejects U.S. softwood claims

Thousands of jobs and millions of dollars have been lost because of the duties.

Baucus introduced the bill because he feels Canada won't negotiate about the lumber dispute, an aide said.

Written by CBC News Online staff


Hmmm..... things are heating up.....
edit: Here is a lot more reading on the subject... http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/HET/Softwood/

 

on a side note, (way off topic and not even relevent):

"Monday, Nov 15, 2004

Sgro stands by decision to help stripper stay in Canada

OTTAWA (CP) - Immigration Minister Judy Sgro made no apologies Monday for granting a temporary resident permit to a Romanian stripper who worked on Sgro's election campaign.

The law allows her to grant temporary visas on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, she said. "I can never talk about individual cases," Sgro said. "But I can assure you . . . every one of those cases is looked at carefully. I make my decision and I clearly stand behind it."

Still, Sgro has asked the ethics commissioner to look into the matter as opposition MPs continue to hammer her credibility in the Commons.

"Why did the minister use her position to help a political supporter jump to the head of the queue?" demanded Conservative immigration critic Diane Ablonczy.

"Just three days before the summer election the minister stepped in to grant a temporary resident permit to a 25-year-old Romanian exotic dancer and campaign volunteer who came to Canada on a temporary work permit."

Sgro was also chided over allegations that an Indian deportee facing a Canadawide arrest warrant regularly delivered pizza and hung out at her election headquarters.

The minister refused to answer questions Monday on the subject. But Hedy Fry, her parliamentary secretary who fielded related queries in the Commons, said Sgro had no knowledge of the fugitive. "

http://www.mytelus.com/news/article....icleID=1767460

Priorities eh?

Thought we could use a little levity.....

 

Oh great. Thanks doc..

I am in agreement that we need to explore our relations better. I work in the Oil and Gas industry for Former Canadian companies, now US subsiduarys. It would affect the US more than just some dark spots and some cold homes. All those Texans that own these companies might have to start cooking for themselves.

It just doesn't make any sence at this point.

And really what is the affect lately?? Our dollar has gone up just about $0.10US from this time last year and before the BSE debockle. What is it now around $0.83? Hasn't been that high in 10 years.. Obviously Canada has more value now than it has for a long time. With a better trade agreement and compliance, we all could benifit from each other.

BTW Thanks for Walmart