AHDB meeting at Exeter on Monday

[Sid]

yep sounds fair
or do you think its fair that the chap with 10 pays the same as the chap with 1000

Difficult question, does that "price" include the inspection costs? IF so they i'd have to say no. Unless you have an inspection cost(admin fee plus hourly charge as some take way longer than others) AND a cost per head which sounds the fairest to me.

 

[romneymarsh]

I'm not sure that RT will ever really 'cut the mustard' too broad brush covering the whole industry.

In this Brave New World that we are heading into I think we need one brand / standard for British or at least English Beef& Lamb .

 

[sherg]

I'm not sure that RT will ever really 'cut the mustard' too broad brush covering the whole industry.

In this Brave New World that we are heading into I think we need one brand / standard for British or at least English Beef& Lamb .

I doubt the Scottish will want to drop their beef brand or the welsh drop their lamb brand but going forward we need one brand to make it clear to the consumer

 

[romneymarsh]

Then of course there would be the inevitable accusations of a complete waste of money spent on rebranding .

On another point raised.

There are those that argue passionately that R&D and the greater efficiencies that subsequently flow down through the industry are a more sure fire way to increase returns than splurging millions through flashy advertising agencies that then need more money next year to do a very similar thing . Whereas increased efficiencies through greater knowledge endure much longer.

That's what some are saying.

 

[Sandpit Farm]

I'm not sure that RT will ever really 'cut the mustard' too broad brush covering the whole industry.

In this Brave New World that we are heading into I think we need one brand / standard for British or at least English Beef& Lamb .

Isn't that what the Quality Standard Mark is? A way of encompassing high standards of kill and cut for English product?

I'd thought that this was prized by importers of our produce.

On the RT point and ownership by AHDB... surely that breaks EU laws of trade? That's why RT is completely separate and AHDB are able to promote it as a brand.... enabling British produce to be promoted without breaking EU laws?????

 

[romneymarsh]

Isn't that what the Quality Standard Mark is? A way of encompassing high standards of kill and cut for English product?

I'd thought that this was prized by importers of our produce.

On the RT point and ownership by AHDB... surely that breaks EU laws of trade? That's why RT is completely separate and AHDB are able to promote it as a brand.... enabling British produce to be promoted without breaking EU laws?????

Yes you are correct in every respect.

QSM imo. has never really taken off as a consumer recognized 'brand '. It uses RT standards on farm and it only turns into QSM if the butcher/ retailer signs up.
As regards UK exports RT/QSM underpins St George Brand , which is a consumer brand and I understand, contrary to some reports on here in other threads, is well recognized in France .

 

[gone up the hill]

Then of course there would be the inevitable accusations of a complete waste of money spent on rebranding .

On another point raised.

There are those that argue passionately that R&D and the greater efficiencies that subsequently flow down through the industry are a more sure fire way to increase returns than splurging millions through flashy advertising agencies that then need more money next year to do a very similar thing . Whereas increased efficiencies through greater knowledge endure much longer.

That's what some are saying.

The quote at the meeting was : You don't need to teach us how to suck eggs ( from a very well respected farmer in respect the AHDB spending so much on R+D )

R+D is a waste of time when sales are falling and farmgate prices are so low.

Increasing sales by marketing is the only thing that will save the beef and sheep industry post brexit.

No idea where all this research ends up but some of it ends up being promoted by company's in the FW etc trying to sell us fancy stuff that will not help the bottom line.

 

[gone up the hill]

Isn't that what the Quality Standard Mark is? A way of encompassing high standards of kill and cut for English product?

I'd thought that this was prized by importers of our produce.

On the RT point and ownership by AHDB... surely that breaks EU laws of trade? That's why RT is completely separate and AHDB are able to promote it as a brand.... enabling British produce to be promoted without breaking EU laws?????

EU law wont apply in 2 years time so the above isn't a problem, AHDB told me at the meeting its the job of the RT company to promote the RT logo better...

 

[romneymarsh]

Teaching people to suck eggs is better defined as Knowledge Exchange . There is always stuff to learn or be reminded of.

Research is done because no one knows the answer.

 

[gone up the hill]

Teaching people to suck eggs is better defined as Knowledge Exchange . There is always stuff to learn or be reminded of.

Research is done because no one knows the answer.

None of it is improving farm returns thou is it..

I actually agree the AHDB B+L need to organize producer focus groups ( like the dairy do ) where you go around studying different peoples farms/ systems etc but this can be done cheaply..

As for giving the likes of North Wyke money or signet etc, then sorry but NO the AHDB should not be funding them!

 

[romneymarsh]

It won't improve efficiency or returns if you don't buy into the idea. If people think they know it all but still going backward when some others aren't perhaps there's a reason.

We agree I am all in favour of focus farms and peer to peer learning looking at best practice and how others do things. However they do need strong leadership so that the events don't descend into a 'Willy Waving competition. '

i disagree with you re Signet .Recording and measuring animal performance on farm is vital and will become ever more so. And as we've been forced into EID with sheep' sophisticated capture and interpretation of data is within everyone ' s reach

 

[gone up the hill]

It won't improve efficiency or returns if you don't buy into the idea. If people think they know it all but still going backward when some others aren't perhaps there's a reason.

We agree I am all in favour of focus farms and peer to peer learning looking at best practice and how others do things. However they do need strong leadership so that the events don't descend into a 'Willy Waving competition. '

i disagree with you re Signet .Recording and measuring animal performance on farm is vital and will become ever more so. And as we've been forced into EID with sheep' sophisticated capture and interpretation of data is within everyone ' s reach

Eid is an utter and complete waste of money and the sooner its scrapped the better!

If they introduce it for cattle it will be an utter disaster and will massively increase costs yet not improve the farm gate price one iota!

Ref the focus groups, I agree about the leadership but the dairy farmers make them work very well ( thou I don't agree with AQ that it should be based on one issue ie weighing fat cattle for example for each farm visit, it needs to be much broader and cover a wide range of topics per farm imo..

I certainly don't know it all hence why I favour focus groups but currently l learn a lot more at market chatting to other farmers about their systems/ rations etc than what any expensive research has taught me!

For example North Wyke claim their research is farmer lead, well where do they publish the results of the research and how often do they have open days for farmers to explain it/ show what they are doing on the ground??..........