Meat Packer Lovers Convention

I see the Gazette this morning is building up the the upcoming Montana Grain Grower and Montana <acronym title="Stockgrowers">Branch of Meat Packer Lovers</acronym> <a href="http://www.billingsgazette.com//index.php?id=1&display=rednews/2005/12/04/build/business/25-conventions.inc">Associations</a>. I haven't commented much about the Montana Meat Packer Lovers since I don't agree with there stance that Meat Packers should control the beef industry but I did find a couple of things in the article interesting.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>Disagreements with the <acronym title="United States Department of Agriculture, Bought and Paid for by The Big Meat Packers">USDA</acronym> and among themselves have splintered Montana's cattlemen. A reinstituted Montana Cattlemen's Association and R-CALF have greatly increased membership in the past two years at the expense of the MSGA. The MGGA's membership is in decline, too, although "we have no splinter organizations yet," Schott said.</blockquote><br />n<br />nMSGA is losing members because of their losing policies. They need to rethink their positions of supporting the meat Packers. This next one is really interesting.<br />n<br />n<blockquote>As a general rule, livestock producers are not affected by the farm bill; nevertheless, certain administration economic and trade policies are a burr under the cowboys' saddles.</blockquote><br />n<br />nEXCUSE ME, livestock producers are greatly affected ny the farm bill and any organization that puts out this crap needs to die a long painful death. Fat cattle in this country are fed corn. Corn is kept cheap by the government through the farm bill, therefore any changes to corn production have a great affect on the cattle industry in this country. This isn't rocket science and cattle producers need to understand this, not hide their heads in the sand like the meat packers want us too.<br />n<br />nNow don't get me wrong, I am not advocating anything when it comes to the farm bill, just pointing out cattle producers in a roundabout way are affected by it.<br />n<br />nThe policies of the Montana <acronym title="Stockgrowers">Branch of Meat Packer Lovers</acronym> need changing but who has the time, they purposely schedule there convention when ranchers are starting to feed their cattle so only the rich that can afford to leave their cattle can afford to participate in the process. I won't attend since I'm too busy, R-calf doesn't force me to leave the place to take part in their organization so that's the people I support. Good polices and good people, R-calf is the way to go.<br />n<br />n<b>The magnificence of mountains, the serenity of nature – nothing is safe from the idiot marks of man's passing. Loudon Wainwright</b>