Ed Green Nuffield trip to USA and Canadai Jugelduly 2012
Friday 22 June 2012
Arrived in Philadelphia and met up with my host. Graeme Goodslr. an expat Aussie who has lived and worked in the meat sector in the US tor the last forty years. Drove through the city on a historical tour. Pennsylvania's colonial founding father was William Penn. Now fourth largest city in the US and one 01 the biggest ports in the US.
Drove-on out through Amish communities near Harrisburg. They use no electricity (or buttons?!) and use horse and buggies for transport. This area has many 10oacre dairy farms. Cold winters here, so cows are housed in winter. Lots of maize crops and soya beans. Maize is a nice dark green colour, and three feet high (unlike the three inch yellow stutt in the UK at the moment).
Met up with Graeme's wife, Esme, in the evening tor a meal in Mechanicsburg in a "neighbourhood restaurant" (family oriented). Beef steaks presented more dynamically with more interesting spices, flavours, and things like Bourbon.
Then back to a motel where H! be staying for the next two nights. lt's noticeable how all statf. whether in the airport. cafes. restaurants or motel. all go out of their way to provide the best service they can and constantly ask if there's anything else they can do. Much more than in Europe. I had been in my motel room for about 15 minutes when the phone rang and the lady in reception wanted to know it I was happy with the room.
Few points to mention whilst driving with Graeme. Beef futures markets work in the US but they have significant volume to play with. Without this volume, hedging movements would have too big an impact on a small pool in the UK situation. It works it you're hedging against risk, but not if you start to act as a speculator.
Very powertul beet industry lobby in US. They are a little blind to the importance of giving the consumer assurances on food satety and animal weltare and environmental protection. " Pink slime" controversy was handled badly. and antibiotics and hormones used will increasingly become an issue. Farmers markets popular here and often with permanent premises and open three or four times a week.
Drove-on out through Amish communities near Harrisburg. They use no electricity (or buttons?!) and use horse and buggies for transport. This area has many 10oacre dairy farms. Cold winters here, so cows are housed in winter. Lots of maize crops and soya beans. Maize is a nice dark green colour, and three feet high (unlike the three inch yellow stutt in the UK at the moment).
Met up with Graeme's wife, Esme, in the evening tor a meal in Mechanicsburg in a "neighbourhood restaurant" (family oriented). Beef steaks presented more dynamically with more interesting spices, flavours, and things like Bourbon.
Then back to a motel where H! be staying for the next two nights. lt's noticeable how all statf. whether in the airport. cafes. restaurants or motel. all go out of their way to provide the best service they can and constantly ask if there's anything else they can do. Much more than in Europe. I had been in my motel room for about 15 minutes when the phone rang and the lady in reception wanted to know it I was happy with the room.
Few points to mention whilst driving with Graeme. Beef futures markets work in the US but they have significant volume to play with. Without this volume, hedging movements would have too big an impact on a small pool in the UK situation. It works it you're hedging against risk, but not if you start to act as a speculator.
Very powertul beet industry lobby in US. They are a little blind to the importance of giving the consumer assurances on food satety and animal weltare and environmental protection. " Pink slime" controversy was handled badly. and antibiotics and hormones used will increasingly become an issue. Farmers markets popular here and often with permanent premises and open three or four times a week.
Saturday 23 June 2012
Hot and humid again today at 28 degrees.
Took a tour around the Harrisburg Capitol Building which is amazingly ornate tor a legislative building and now uninsurable due to its lavish decor. Built around 1905. it hosts the Senate and House oi Representatives tor Penn State. Currently there is a lot otscandal around political corruption here. with an Occupy Harrisburg camp outside. Big spending cuts are being made now in the publicsector. with lots 01 teachers losing their jobs.
The other big story here at the moment is the court conviction ot a previously hero worshipped football coach for child molestation.
Three Mile Island. where a disastrous nuclear accident occurred in the 19605, is just downstream the main river here.
Visited a newly opened Asian SUpermarket. This is likely to struggle in the current economic climate.
The beet on otter included ox tail, tripe, pizzle, brisket. Other oflerings included live tish in a tank. Tish heads. chicken feet and pigs trotters.
Visited the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. In the latter 18th century. there was increasing opposition to slavery in America. predominantly from northern states like Pennsylvania. This caused friction with southern states where slaVery was seen as more acceptable and necessary to provide labour on the plantations. Southern states didn‘t like being told what to do. whilst the northern states argued for a common union of rights across all the states.
This culminated in the mid 19th century with civil war between the southern confederates, led by General Lee, and the northern federal unionists, led by President Abraham Lincoln. More lives were lost in these battles than in any other wars since, with many ordinary people and immigrants dragged unwillingly into battle. Ultimately. the unionists won leading to the modern day USA. Shortly after victory, Lincoln was assassinated.
Drove-with Graeme and Esme-Goodsir down to Gettysburg. Here we had lunch with Tom Vossler, a retired army colonel. and his wife Barbara. Upon retirement in 1999. the Vossler's started from scratch their own pedigree Simmental suckler herd. Mountain View Simmentals is now a widely respected herd. and often win prizes in theshow ring across the US. Tom has also become widely respected in the beef producer association world.
Their Simmentals are black and red in colour and look similar to Stabilisers. Furthermore. the black cattle (and any black cattle in general} can be sold as Certified Angus. Females are sold in the spring and fall as in calf heifers for betWeen $1800~$3200. Bulls are sold at weaning to other herds for around $1800. Pasture rights on their national champion prize bull, Maximus, are sold to work on a herd during the summer for around $100 per week. Semen is also sold.
The Vosslers have built their own sale ring to facilitate the spring and fall sales, and invite other selected vendors so around 75 cattle are on offer each time. The Vosslers have also participated in shoot side training" on their 60 acre farm. This is part at the Beet Quality Assurance scheme run by the National Cattlemens Beef Association (NCBA). and involves injecting an animal in undesirable areas of the carcase, eg the rump, or iniecting way overthe required dose, and then carrying out a postmortem to show the effects this has on carcase quality. This is maybe something EBLEX could try.
Tom is also now an official tour guide on the Gettysburg battlefields so took us on a brief tour. The Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 lasted three days and was the defining battle in ending the civil war. General Lee's southern contederates tried three times to break through Union lines but ultimately tailed. The battlefield is huge and is covered with statues, plaques, monuments and canon. Around 50.000 lives were lost. Tom's knowledge on the subject is immense and he has appeared on UK tv in
Battlefield Detectives.
Ended the day in Lancaster by going to the Dutch Apple Diner Theater and watching. a touring company perlorrn Legally Blonde. This is a tlat level theatre auditorium tilled with dining tables with a butiet style service and drinks brought by waiters whilst you watch the show. A bit like a UK cabaret club. but bigger. and maybe something that could work in the UK.
Took a tour around the Harrisburg Capitol Building which is amazingly ornate tor a legislative building and now uninsurable due to its lavish decor. Built around 1905. it hosts the Senate and House oi Representatives tor Penn State. Currently there is a lot otscandal around political corruption here. with an Occupy Harrisburg camp outside. Big spending cuts are being made now in the publicsector. with lots 01 teachers losing their jobs.
The other big story here at the moment is the court conviction ot a previously hero worshipped football coach for child molestation.
Three Mile Island. where a disastrous nuclear accident occurred in the 19605, is just downstream the main river here.
Visited a newly opened Asian SUpermarket. This is likely to struggle in the current economic climate.
The beet on otter included ox tail, tripe, pizzle, brisket. Other oflerings included live tish in a tank. Tish heads. chicken feet and pigs trotters.
Visited the National Civil War Museum in Harrisburg. In the latter 18th century. there was increasing opposition to slavery in America. predominantly from northern states like Pennsylvania. This caused friction with southern states where slaVery was seen as more acceptable and necessary to provide labour on the plantations. Southern states didn‘t like being told what to do. whilst the northern states argued for a common union of rights across all the states.
This culminated in the mid 19th century with civil war between the southern confederates, led by General Lee, and the northern federal unionists, led by President Abraham Lincoln. More lives were lost in these battles than in any other wars since, with many ordinary people and immigrants dragged unwillingly into battle. Ultimately. the unionists won leading to the modern day USA. Shortly after victory, Lincoln was assassinated.
Drove-with Graeme and Esme-Goodsir down to Gettysburg. Here we had lunch with Tom Vossler, a retired army colonel. and his wife Barbara. Upon retirement in 1999. the Vossler's started from scratch their own pedigree Simmental suckler herd. Mountain View Simmentals is now a widely respected herd. and often win prizes in theshow ring across the US. Tom has also become widely respected in the beef producer association world.
Their Simmentals are black and red in colour and look similar to Stabilisers. Furthermore. the black cattle (and any black cattle in general} can be sold as Certified Angus. Females are sold in the spring and fall as in calf heifers for betWeen $1800~$3200. Bulls are sold at weaning to other herds for around $1800. Pasture rights on their national champion prize bull, Maximus, are sold to work on a herd during the summer for around $100 per week. Semen is also sold.
The Vosslers have built their own sale ring to facilitate the spring and fall sales, and invite other selected vendors so around 75 cattle are on offer each time. The Vosslers have also participated in shoot side training" on their 60 acre farm. This is part at the Beet Quality Assurance scheme run by the National Cattlemens Beef Association (NCBA). and involves injecting an animal in undesirable areas of the carcase, eg the rump, or iniecting way overthe required dose, and then carrying out a postmortem to show the effects this has on carcase quality. This is maybe something EBLEX could try.
Tom is also now an official tour guide on the Gettysburg battlefields so took us on a brief tour. The Battle of Gettysburg in July 1863 lasted three days and was the defining battle in ending the civil war. General Lee's southern contederates tried three times to break through Union lines but ultimately tailed. The battlefield is huge and is covered with statues, plaques, monuments and canon. Around 50.000 lives were lost. Tom's knowledge on the subject is immense and he has appeared on UK tv in
Battlefield Detectives.
Ended the day in Lancaster by going to the Dutch Apple Diner Theater and watching. a touring company perlorrn Legally Blonde. This is a tlat level theatre auditorium tilled with dining tables with a butiet style service and drinks brought by waiters whilst you watch the show. A bit like a UK cabaret club. but bigger. and maybe something that could work in the UK.
Sunday 24 June 2012
Looked at a couple supermarkets in Harrisburg. "Wegmans" is a high end Waitrose type supermarket. When you first walk in the store you walk into a blaze of colour trom low level fruit and vegetable displays laid out on rustic looking wooden crates. Distinct lack 01 bright lighting and high Yellow footprints on the floor lead to $6 meal bargains and many tool products had price freeze
promises right up until August 10th. Ground beet sold as 80, 90 and 95% lean. Steaks and roast joints sold with no attached tat, but do have marbling. "Irradiated" beet is also sold as a sater option to combat ecolirisks, and some packs suggest meat should be cooked at certain temperatures tor a certain length of time, also to combat e coll. Meat is not sold in a bright red colour and is not in trays but in shrink wrapped packs.
Kards" supermarket is less aesthetically pleasing butdoes have a good reputation for its meat, which is completely out and prepared in store.
Drove to Washington DC and took in a whistle stop car tour of the sights; Capitol Hill, the‘White House. the Washington Monument. On the way stopped at a sports bar in Fredericksburg and watched England lose again on penalties.
Had a late supper in the Silver Diner in Washington DC. Promoted itselt as "fresh, local and healthier" and worked with 15 local farmer suppliers. Menu included "nitrate tree bacon", "antibiotic and hormone tree beet", “certified Angus beet", “reduced sodium teriyaki“. Flat iron steak we eat had a layer of silver skin running through it. so wasn't a good eating experience. Ribeye steak Philly sandwich was not ribeye but more like poorqualit‘y kebab meat strips. Diner was great though; jukeboxes, bar stools at the counter and cubicles with neon lighting and chrome walls. The Chunky Monkey milkshake was good tool
Staying in the Highlander Motel in Washington DC tonight:
promises right up until August 10th. Ground beet sold as 80, 90 and 95% lean. Steaks and roast joints sold with no attached tat, but do have marbling. "Irradiated" beet is also sold as a sater option to combat ecolirisks, and some packs suggest meat should be cooked at certain temperatures tor a certain length of time, also to combat e coll. Meat is not sold in a bright red colour and is not in trays but in shrink wrapped packs.
Kards" supermarket is less aesthetically pleasing butdoes have a good reputation for its meat, which is completely out and prepared in store.
Drove to Washington DC and took in a whistle stop car tour of the sights; Capitol Hill, the‘White House. the Washington Monument. On the way stopped at a sports bar in Fredericksburg and watched England lose again on penalties.
Had a late supper in the Silver Diner in Washington DC. Promoted itselt as "fresh, local and healthier" and worked with 15 local farmer suppliers. Menu included "nitrate tree bacon", "antibiotic and hormone tree beet", “certified Angus beet", “reduced sodium teriyaki“. Flat iron steak we eat had a layer of silver skin running through it. so wasn't a good eating experience. Ribeye steak Philly sandwich was not ribeye but more like poorqualit‘y kebab meat strips. Diner was great though; jukeboxes, bar stools at the counter and cubicles with neon lighting and chrome walls. The Chunky Monkey milkshake was good tool
Staying in the Highlander Motel in Washington DC tonight:
Monday 25 June 2012
Met with Bill Floenigk, Vice President of the National Chicken Council in Washington DC. Chicken price reporting is voluntary as contracts predominate with a minimum Set price and bonuses tor low level condemnations. GlPSA (Grain Inspection and Packers and Stockyards Agency) arbitrate disputes.
Bill rated the USDA (United States Department oi Agriculture) Research Service tor its short term commodity outlook and long term pricing projectiOns over 10 years. The annual Outlook conterence was also worthwhile. A new Farm Bill is legislated every five years. 80% 01 its budget goes to 40 million people below the $2ok poverty line in the term oi tood stamps using an electronic card "Snap" program. This is paid on the first 01 each month. Recipients spend 97% of it in the first three days. Retailers know this and target their promotions accordingly.
Brazil is well placed to supply the extra pork and chicken demand in China. However, Brazil's currency is strengthening. it's labour costs are rising and it’s domestic consumption demand is rising. The US exports 20% of its chicken, equating to 62million lbs. There is a huge demand for chicken feet in China. However, China wants to export chicken to the US and is pushing hard on this issue.
The chicken lobby is working closer now with the red meat lobby over shared issues such as the use ot grain tor ethanol and animal welfare. This cooperation could increase it meat packers become more multi species orientated.
US consumers eat 87le of chicken and 6ole ot beet per capita. This is the lowest beet consumption sincethe 19305.
Next came a meeting with the AMI (American Meat Institute), a meat packers lobby organisation
Bill rated the USDA (United States Department oi Agriculture) Research Service tor its short term commodity outlook and long term pricing projectiOns over 10 years. The annual Outlook conterence was also worthwhile. A new Farm Bill is legislated every five years. 80% 01 its budget goes to 40 million people below the $2ok poverty line in the term oi tood stamps using an electronic card "Snap" program. This is paid on the first 01 each month. Recipients spend 97% of it in the first three days. Retailers know this and target their promotions accordingly.
Brazil is well placed to supply the extra pork and chicken demand in China. However, Brazil's currency is strengthening. it's labour costs are rising and it’s domestic consumption demand is rising. The US exports 20% of its chicken, equating to 62million lbs. There is a huge demand for chicken feet in China. However, China wants to export chicken to the US and is pushing hard on this issue.
The chicken lobby is working closer now with the red meat lobby over shared issues such as the use ot grain tor ethanol and animal welfare. This cooperation could increase it meat packers become more multi species orientated.
US consumers eat 87le of chicken and 6ole ot beet per capita. This is the lowest beet consumption sincethe 19305.
Next came a meeting with the AMI (American Meat Institute), a meat packers lobby organisation