Manitoba Beef Producers isn’t telling the province’s general farm organization to stay off the cattle turf, says its general manager.
“They have members who are beef producers. That’s OK if they get resolutions that pertain to the beef industry,” Melinda German said.
“I don’t think it’s the role of other organizations to tell others how to run their business or how to represent their membership.”
Delegates to KAP’s recent annual convention discussed how deep to get into a beef, livestock and meat issue and whether that issue should be left to MBP.
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Some felt it was MBP’s role to represent cattle producers and should be left with the issue. Others felt KAP should do whatever it wants on beef cattle issues because many of its members own cattle and MBP can become a KAP member if it wants to be inside the tent on such discussions.
German said MBP understands it has a complex relationship with KAP, but it’s a good working relationship.
During last year’s floods, MBP and KAP staff, directors and presidents had daily communication, working together to make sure farmers weren’t getting missed by provincial emergency actions.
However, a cattle-only group such as MBP sometimes won’t take the same tack as a general farm group such as KAP, so it likes its ability to go on its own.
“There are times when we don’t work together,” German said.
“There are going to be times when we don’t have the same viewpoint.”
ed.white@producer.com
