|
Post by colewood on Feb 10, 2009 22:04:05 GMT -5
I guess this should go here. For those of you who don't me, I'm studying Ag Business at SUNY Cobleskill, which is a small college in upstate New York.
This semester I am taking a class about Agricultural Education. We are currently discussing issues in agriculture. One of our assignments is to survey people involved in agriculture about what they believe are some issues facing thier specific industry. So I would like to ask you all what you think some issues are facing the beef industry today. It can be anything! If you want to include why you think it is an issue, that would be fine also.
The survey part is due next Tuesday night, but discussion after that is more than welcome!
Thank you in advance for all of your help! ~Tracey
|
|
|
Post by sklabnik on Feb 15, 2009 17:45:13 GMT -5
Hi Tracey,
I think the biggest issue facing a beef producer has to be the consumer. There is so much in the news about health issues. Beef is not getting a good review. 30 years ago, my family was in the custom slaughtering business. Business was good. Slowly, the farmers around started to have trouble selling sides & quarters of beef. No one wanted to buy that large of an amount. Society influenced people to have smaller(or no) families, bigger homes & cars, and put Grandma in a home. In my lifetime, I see that as how we got to where we are today. I still know a few that are buying halves & quarters, but only a few. I don't know many who are buying from the grocer. Most are buying from the restaurant. Or not eating beef.
So in short, I guess I'm saying marketing. How & to whom you market is the biggest concern for your business.
Hope this helps, and wishing you the best in college,
Steve Klabnik
|
|
|
Post by larry on Feb 15, 2009 22:41:05 GMT -5
Tracey,
I believe that there are two major issues facing the beef producer. 1. Government at all levels. 2. Well funded activist groups that either don't know the truth or have an agenda to destroy the animal production business.
In both cases, the parties are ill informed about the beef business. We need to combat each case with timely and accurate information to set the record straight.
Just my opinion,
Larry
|
|
|
Post by blueoakfarm on Feb 16, 2009 16:33:06 GMT -5
Hey Tracy,
I would say the main issue is keeping up with what the consumer wants, and marketing it to the large scale. Organics, grass-fed, and antibiotic free demands vary from area to area.
It sounded like you were looking for all agriculture areas, so I asked two guys at PSU what was facing there industry, incase you were looking for more.
The forest science major told me they are having a lot of problems with losing land to development, just as many farmers are losing their land.
The soil science major stated: One of the biggest issues facing the grain industry at the moment is economics. Not only is economics of actual sell price forever fluctuating with tomorow being clueless, but also the costs of inputs is variable. Nitrogen is back on the rise as well as fuel. Credits given for carbon sequestration and deficient for manure management are also influencing the turbid pool of economics in the field grain situation. Costs of beef are variable and increasingly linked to grain as the more a market steer is worth the more willing a producer is to pay the higher price for grain feed.
Hope this helps!
Jess
|
|