"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Thursday, June 20th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 8:58:04, Jun 18th 2013 - cabraden1 - I salute you Colonel Overland. Your were my c.o. at Rockville Naval Air ... [Read More]
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [Read More]
33
Do you think the use of all fireworks should be legal in the state of Minnesota for all consumers?
Monday, September 18, 2000
Comments
To the Editor,
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you why I am going to vote NO during the pork checkoff referendum. First of all, even though I am voting NO, I am an optimist: I think consolidation and proliferation of factory farms is not inevitable. I believe that we can increase opportunities for hog farmers and thereby increase their numbers.
But we can’t do that with the current system of collecting a mandatory pork tax to fund generic promotion of a commodity. The National Pork Board theorized that if they could increase consumption of the pork commodity, then increased price would result and everyone would benefit. In reality what happened was that expansion and consolidation were rampant and prices plummeted; the family hog farmer couldn’t compete in a high volume, low margin generic commodity market.
If the checkoff is defeated, the Campaign for Family Farms would support a voluntary checkoff with individual farmers controlling who receives those checkoff dollars. I and other Campaign members would immediately begin voluntarily checking off dollars to organizations doing good work in pork production. This would cause great competition for these dollars. Competition gives results. For example, some purebred breeders could send their checkoff monies to their breed associations to develop branded products such as Berkshire Gold or Certified Angus Beef. Other farmers could direct their dollars to groups that are involved in alternative markets, such as antibiotic free, humanely raised, or organic pork. If a farmer is closely aligned with their packer, like Hormel, they could benefit by forming alliances with the packer to promote their branded product. All of these ideas lead us out of the generic commodity market into a value-added product market.
And such branded products are what consumers will pay good money for. Some want super lean pork, while others want juicy chops raised naturally. We could also differentiate our pork by using quality grades like the beef industry: Prime, Choice, and Select. These designations would help consumers and restaurants buy the type of pork they desire. Such differentiation can lead to many diverse opportunities in the pork industry. And opportunity is what entices young people.
The grape industry is an example of what can be accomplished by product differentiation. There are all types and sizes of operations. Many produce for the commodity market, but many also pr .....
[Read the Rest]
I would like to take this opportunity to tell you why I am going to vote NO during the pork checkoff referendum. First of all, even though I am voting NO, I am an optimist: I think consolidation and proliferation of factory farms is not inevitable. I believe that we can increase opportunities for hog farmers and thereby increase their numbers.
But we can’t do that with the current system of collecting a mandatory pork tax to fund generic promotion of a commodity. The National Pork Board theorized that if they could increase consumption of the pork commodity, then increased price would result and everyone would benefit. In reality what happened was that expansion and consolidation were rampant and prices plummeted; the family hog farmer couldn’t compete in a high volume, low margin generic commodity market.
If the checkoff is defeated, the Campaign for Family Farms would support a voluntary checkoff with individual farmers controlling who receives those checkoff dollars. I and other Campaign members would immediately begin voluntarily checking off dollars to organizations doing good work in pork production. This would cause great competition for these dollars. Competition gives results. For example, some purebred breeders could send their checkoff monies to their breed associations to develop branded products such as Berkshire Gold or Certified Angus Beef. Other farmers could direct their dollars to groups that are involved in alternative markets, such as antibiotic free, humanely raised, or organic pork. If a farmer is closely aligned with their packer, like Hormel, they could benefit by forming alliances with the packer to promote their branded product. All of these ideas lead us out of the generic commodity market into a value-added product market.
And such branded products are what consumers will pay good money for. Some want super lean pork, while others want juicy chops raised naturally. We could also differentiate our pork by using quality grades like the beef industry: Prime, Choice, and Select. These designations would help consumers and restaurants buy the type of pork they desire. Such differentiation can lead to many diverse opportunities in the pork industry. And opportunity is what entices young people.
The grape industry is an example of what can be accomplished by product differentiation. There are all types and sizes of operations. Many produce for the commodity market, but many also pr .....
[Read the Rest]
Arnold Tieskotter
Arnold Tieskotter, 87, of Harmony, a retired farmer, died Tuesday, August 15, 2000, at Harmony Community Nursing Home.
He was born Jan. 16, 1913, in Winneshiek County, IA. On December 26, 1942, he married Mildred Kobriger in Castalia, IA, and .....
[Read the Rest]
He was born Jan. 16, 1913, in Winneshiek County, IA. On December 26, 1942, he married Mildred Kobriger in Castalia, IA, and .....
[Read the Rest]
Ralph A. Youngs
Ralph Youngs, 86, of Chicago, formerly of rural Chatfield, died Wednesday, August 16, 2000, in an Evanston, Ill., hospital.
Mr. Youngs was born December 26, 1913, in rural Chatfield. He attended rural grade school through the eighth grade and .....
[Read the Rest]
Mr. Youngs was born December 26, 1913, in rural Chatfield. He attended rural grade school through the eighth grade and .....
[Read the Rest]
Floyd Tienter
Floyd Tienter, 83, of Spring Valley, a retired construction worker, died Saturday, September 9, 2000, at Ostrander Nursing Home where he had resided since February.
He was born Jan. 24, 1917, in Forestville Township, Fillmore County, and atte .....
[Read the Rest]
He was born Jan. 24, 1917, in Forestville Township, Fillmore County, and atte .....
[Read the Rest]
Clara M. Polaschek
Clara Polaschek, 91, of Harmony, formerly of Cresco, died Saturday, September 9, 2000, at Harmony Nursing Home.
Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Harris of Cresco and Jeannine Hoag of Harmony; two sons, Neil of Cresco and Joseph of Salin .....
[Read the Rest]
Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Harris of Cresco and Jeannine Hoag of Harmony; two sons, Neil of Cresco and Joseph of Salin .....
[Read the Rest]
Jerry Henze
Jerry Henze, 68, of Rushford, died Friday, September 8, 2000, at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Home in Rushford.
He was born on August 19, 1932, to Earl and Julia (Swenside) Henze. Jerry attended school in Rushford and graduated from Rushford H .....
[Read the Rest]
He was born on August 19, 1932, to Earl and Julia (Swenside) Henze. Jerry attended school in Rushford and graduated from Rushford H .....
[Read the Rest]
