GYPSY WAGON FROM OUR PUBLISHER B oy, was I surprised recently when I realized that there is an untold number of experts in the U.S. beef complex right here in our midst.
any in the world, and claiming your neighbors’ product isn’t just hurts everyone. Meanwhile, the gov-
As it turns out, every Tom, Dick and Mary has been just waiting for the opportunity to tell the world about the ins and outs of inter- national trade, borders and “greedy” packers. According to the news, the new pressure point is reducing the inflation rate. Chart after chart shows that prices have been reduced on
ernment is looking for quick solutions to the problem, and there are some that may help. USDA Sec.
Rollins has introduced a number of changes to burdensome rules and regulations and, hope- fully, those will be looked
at carefully. Clearly, calls for a villain have identified packers as the problem, but doing so won’t affect beef supply or lower prices. And not even the gov- ernment can control our true variables – weather and fire – and basic biology dictating the length of time it takes to rebuild a cattle herd. Here’s hoping this issue’s CALF
eggs and fuel, etc., but when they list beef, there is a 14-percent price increase. And everyone knows why. The “experts’” solution? Import trim from Argentina, redo the tariffs, investigate the packers or implement that old “Made in Ameri- ca” mantra. Turns out you don’t even need credentials for your opinion, just a bull- horn and a smidgen of knowledge. The old concept of supply and demand or “if I only have 20 tomatoes to sell so they will cost a
cover photo is an indicator of things to come, and we are headed up and away toward an- swers to all our questions. We have been here before and will be again. Less government and time to heal is the prescription for curing what ails us. Meanwhile, even though you grew up in South Dakota or believe strongly in the MAHA campaign or drove by a farm yesterday, try to realize this is a very complicated business and not for the novice – or the faint of heart. Enough of that. This issue will go with us to the Cattle In- dustry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Nashville and we hope to see you there. Stop by the CALF News booth in the trade show and look for us at the Cattle Feeder’s Hall of Fame bash. We here at CALF News wish you and your family a very restful Merry Christmas. GO BEEF! Betty Jo Gigot
lot,” isn’t even considered. The fact is, without imported trim, hamburger would not exist. And “Made in America” has been tried, adds cost of sorting and labeling and is voluntary in the industry already. Whatever the solution, watching the flood of bad press, ab- sence of factual information and total lack of concern about the truth is a travesty. Furthermore, seeing how they can dis- tort the truths about our industry certainly doesn’t give you any confidence in what is called “the truth” about any issue. How easy it has become to deceive the public. I’m not sure if it is related, but one of the old industry tradi- tions has disappeared. The gentlemen’s agreement has always been to advertise your beef product as really good without knocking other producers’ products. Well, that agreement has been abandoned in favor of ads denouncing other producers to bolster their own product. This practice hurts everyone. All U.S. beef is a good, safe product, superior to
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