I hope I can boost your spirits some but I would have to say that consumer confidence in Canadian beef here never wained for a second. Our biggest problem was our export markets dried up instantly and the auction price of cattle plummeted. Its still not great, and anything over 30 months might make more effective fertilizer than a sale cow. The grocery stores never dropped thier price nor passed on added profit to the farmers so they are in my bad books. I hope what i heard in our local butcher shop is what you will here too, "Is that Canadian beef?" (OK so insert American beef) and the answer being yes, she promptly bought about $200 worth. But hey it's the thought that counts. If you can retail your beef or thought of trying to, now is a good time.
Ross, I'm glad that you had the same support down east that we did out west. I don't think that many people realize just how much their support at rallies and fundraisers really meant. Every day, we dreaded hearing what aspect of the industry was falling apart and within seconds there was another report of huge efforts to help us out by the general public. I think our lowest point was when the feds called for a big town hall meeting and all they did was hand out suicide prevention pamphlets but once again, outside the doors was hundreds of people chowing down on BBQ beef. I don't know what's going on at your end but they're talking about an investigation into price fixing and unethical practices at the supermarket level. I sure hope the US beef producers see the same support we did from our own and folks in the US. Montana, as an example has been a great neighbor through the whole thing.
Just the few posts on here of people showing support for US beef really is touching. Almost gets me misty eyed. It really, really is appreciated! Jena
wr I did have to bite my toungue a bit, because she asked if it was "Western" beef............. as if the cattlemen in the east had it easy! Poor thing is a walking talking bulletin board for Alberta Angus, and proof ladies and gents that effective marketing works! (I always thought we should have kept our cows on the western side of the farm just so I could say yup it's western beef! ) Things shouldn't be as bad in the USA, you guys simply don't export as much beef per capita as we do, and you've had close to a years worth of our export markets to thin your inventory. (hopefully!)
Well, I still maintain there is far greater risk of dying driving to the butcher shop than by eating the beef you buy there.
Ross, I would think that you might have had it far worse down east than we did out west. The markets were crap at both ends, no big difference in that aspect but we were in the heart of it and Alberta and Alberta ranchers, the plight of the Alberta ranchers (you get my drift here) was continually in the news. I don't think that you folks east of Saskatchewan were recognized enough. Maybe you were but each night when I watched the national news, us folks out west seemed to get all the air time. The other folks that seemed to get no air time was the dairy farmers, yet I saw dairy cattle selling for $25. Jena, if you want to make any kind of move, do it fast and don't look back. If you even have an inkling that you can sell sides of beef and market them well enough to make some money, get on it now. The reason I say this is because in damned short order, the feedlots are going to start feeling the pinch and they'll sell beef for next to nothing and the average consumer likes the idea of saving money. I'm going to be gone for a couple days but if that's the route you're thinking about, please send me a pm and I'll go over a few little things that we've found over the years. There are a few pitfalls and I'd be more than happy to go over it with you. Again, any support I can offer, feel free to contact me.
