Good loser wrote: » No,no,no. Sure to make things worse if anything. I want to move stock this week. On its own the fall of sterling against the euro has taken 14c/kg off the base price in the last two weeks. You're in Brexit land now!
Dunedin wrote: » Exactly. So it’s the drop in sterling that’s being passed to the farmer this week. My blood boils on this crap - every single thing is passed to the farmers. Why can’t retailers and processors take the hit. And oh, I have cattle that I desperately need to go this week too. But not at the expense of the future of beef farmers or what’s left of them.
Good loser wrote: » The market rules in this business and if you don't like it do something else
Good loser wrote: » Retailers, processors and farmers (that includes me) all buy for as cheap as possible and sell for as much as possible. That's the way it is - in the past, the present and the future. And no amount of protesting, striking, blockading etc will make a blind bit of difference. The market rules in this business and if you don't like it do something else. If the price went to €4 /kg as some suggest I would flog every beast in to the factory (fit or not) as fast as possible. If there was a free for all there would be miles of queues for each plant. In my opinion the net effect of these protests will more likely be to be lower returns rather than increase them. That is what I expect to happen in my own case.
Fireside Solicitor wrote: » That comment about it being the market and like it or get out is wrong. The current distortion goes back to the Common Agricultural Policy introduced post WW2 when Europe was starving. If all groups had played reasonably fairly since then all parts of the supply chain from farmer to retailer would be fairly compensated. Only what has happened in the past 30 years is that retailers and processors have taken advantage of their size and consolidation opposite small fragmented farmers who lets face were behind the game in getting organized. Retailers and processors have shaped policy, subsidies formats and have brought mass consumers food in volumes at low prices. Net result is they’re taking the profits available and the farmer is kept on life support through state subsidies. How Governments allowed tax payers money to end up indirectly in the pockets of these groups across Europe is the scandal. Instead consumers living in cities only hear farmers getting free handouts. They can’t make the connection between that and cheap food in their highly profitable local retailer. People have forgetter that food is not a god given right to be bought for the lowest price on a shelf. God forbid and I’m not wishing that might take another event on a scale of WW2 to remind people of that but it will take something of a serious nature to rebalance things.
Duke92 wrote: » Heard €3:45 to Larry wouldn’t give more and going to send them to 3:20 by the next meetingWhere going to get punished for protesting
Duke92 wrote: » Heard €3:45 to Larry wouldn’t give more and going to send them to 3:20 by the next meeting Where going to get punished for protesting
older by the day wrote: » Problem is the likes of Larry are millionaires. Your not going to hurt them. We can't put pressure on him. Even if he got no cattle til xmass. He can lay off everyone and it wouldn't dent his pockets. The TDS are the ones to hurt. Protest outside there homes and offices. They will either lose there jobs or sort it. It's amazing the power they have when they are pressurized
Limestone Cowboy wrote: » I'd imagine he has contracts to fill though which he doesn't want to lose.
Count Mondego wrote: » Are you happy that the market is a Cartel that pays virtually the same price across supposed independent companies? Amazing how they manage that fairly isn't it.
charolais0153 wrote: » What can politicians do exactly?
kk.man wrote: » Influence Europe...why do meat ompanies pay donations to political parties?
Good loser wrote: » I'm 45 years in this business and it was always ruled by the market except when there was intervention and export refunds. Currently the BPS is in play to cope with market fluctuations. We were spoiled for years as the price didn't fall as expected when the BPS system came in. The currency was 85 pence/euro in the Spring and 93 pence now (94 at weekend); that's around 10%. 10% of €3.75 gives a 37.5 cent reduction. Some think the pound will fall to parity with the Euro before the end of the year. Naturally factories don't want trouble or disruption. But they can't gainsay the currency.
charolais0153 wrote: » So your meps? Like mick wallace? A proven tax thief? I don't know why meat companies pay donations to political parties I don't think the politicians can force the factories to pay more for cattle tbh
Danzy wrote: » If they drop it to 3 20 time to block everything coming out or in, for weeks to come. If they want to close us, we might as well go down throwing a bit back.
Good loser wrote: » So you're calling it a conspiracy? That's always the weakest of arguments. If factory A pays 5 cent more than factory B stock move there (they are mobile!). If A pays 5cent less than B they desert A. In that manner the price is always equalizing. The surprise would be if it wasn't.
wrangler wrote: » Very true, If factories were getting €10/kg in britain 3mths ago they are now only getting €9/kg, they still have to pay the same wages, transport and running costs, they can't cut these by 10%
Bass Reeves wrote: » Lads would want to get real if any factory cut by 5c/kg next week we should protest at that factory again. ICSA made a telling point Competition authority were fartng around we are not allowed to negotiate on price. producers are allowed as long as they do not control more than 15% of the cattle kill. Its unlikly that BP controls more than 15% as its mostly smaller finishers and suckler farmers that are members. Anyway a local producer could be set up to protest locally It a matter of know how to act the bollax I would not move cattle 40-50km extra for 5c/kg. 3c/kg is usually the cost of the extra transport. Yes it is a cartel when selected finishers and there own feedlots are getting 20-30c/kg extra. The onlt time there is competition is when numbers drop below 30K You have a big gra for BPS. That would be grand is it was the same rate/farmer or if it was a rate/animal. It is not it is an income support that is variable across the agri industry. You fail to account that as well the UK retail price has gone up by 10 in the last 12 months. By the look of it most contracts are rolling 3-6 months contracts. As well most larger companies protect themselves by hedging against currency fluctuation. At most it is effecting them by 10-15c/kg if even that. Its an open secret that they want to collapse the store price to encourage finishers to fill shed. Wake up and smell the coffee. Over the last 3-4 years it has been summer grazing men that have kept a base under autumn the idea is to wipe out there margin this year. Its suits loads of larger finishers taht this will happen. How often have we heard this summer store price is too dear, there price is crazy etc etc We have meal , fertlizer, contractor and other bills neither can we.
White Clover wrote: » One thing they could do is bring the competition authority before an oireachtas committee for investigation.
kk.man wrote: » Larry and co have built empires out of the meat business since he left school and fair play to him and the rest. This is the business they eat, drink and sleep. Blood sweat and tears went into the great multinationals that they are. No other business will or could give those people as much satisfaction as the ones which made them what they are. They have diversified yes but none of the diversification is as profitable as their meat businesses. They aquired these ventures like any good business to have 'eggs in different baskets' in case things go south. Let me tell you, it did hurt, farmers were gaining such momention last week it scared them for the first time in many a year. How long have you been hearing about cold stores packed? Yet the McD contract with Dawn was looking under pressure. Burgers are made from the cheapest and most plentiful meat on an animal. The spin was and is unreal and exposed. They do care. They were on the rack and shouldn't be allowed forget it.
