Meat Industry News for June 4, 2007

"Nationwide, we didn't have as many kids in large animal medicine. A lot of rural clinics had the cow numbers but it was not a place that graduates wanted to go back to. Small towns didn't have the luxuries of the big city -- recreation, places to eat."
(Source: Sioux City Journal, May 27, 2007)
Kevin Klozenbucher, Huron, S.D. veterinarian, talking about a looming crisis in large animal vets.
>PS: Baxter Black, time to quit kidding around and get back to work. We need you.





“The problems with the restrictionist provisions of the Senate immigration bill are serious and many. It includes a path to citizenship for 12 million illegal immigrants, which is a rare triumph for common sense, but that path is strewn with cruel conditions, including a fine — $5,000 — that’s too steep and hurdles that are needlessly high, including a “touchback” requirement for immigrants to make pilgrimages to their home countries to cleanse themselves of illegality. The bill imposes an untested merit-point system that narrows the channels through which family members can immigrate.”
(Source: New York Times, May 29, 2007)
Unsigned editorial pointing out several inequities in the proposed [anti] immigration bill.
>PS: Remember these famous words on the Statue of Liberty? ‘Give me your tired, your poor…yada, yada, yada’






"We were doing that anyhow, so it just helps out with defraying some of the cost in operating the way that we need to."
(Source: Galesburg [Il} Register Mail / Associated Press, May 29, 2007)
Mark Akin, general manager, Circle A Ranch, Iberia, Missouri, talking about the ‘little extra’ incentive to feed cattle in that state offered by a multi-million dollar tax break.
>PS: The tax credit allows up to $30 million in tax breaks but no more than $10 million per year. Way to defray!



"I can't go six months without growing a chicken. ... We'll be out of business when they come back."
(Source: Orange County Register, May 27, 2007)
Lucius Adkins, owner of one of the biggest chicken farms in Georgia and president of the United Poultry Growers Association, talking about the revolving door (stay, go home, come back) guest worker policy in the proposed new immigration bill.

“It is interesting that the (New York) Times story notes that it was the manufacturer that determined melamine was being used in its feed – not the government through inspections and oversight. Which speaks to the value of private testing, which the government is resisting when it comes to made cow disease. It isn’t exactly the same thing, but we think the connection is worth making.”
(Source: Morning News Beat, May 31, 2007)
Kevin Coupe, Supermarket industry analyst, drawing an interesting conclusion.
>PS: He's far from the mainstream cattle community but his comment is probably very close to that of mainstream America.