Why Is It Important To Make A Packer?

Would you work for eight dollars and fifty cents a hour? Many would, but do you know an occupation that you might not make anything, get a lunch break or get a morning and afternoon break? A farmer is an occupation that is not based on a hourly wage or gets breaks. A farmers break probably consist of driving to town to get parts for a broken tractor or medicine for a sick animal. A farmer has one of the toughest jobs. They just can't pack up and say I'll be back in two weeks. They have many responsibilities that include putting up hay, feeding livestock, planting and harvesting crops and making sure that a newborn calf is up on their feet. Farmers also are one of toughest people because they are the first ones out and the last ones in. They

The market prices are hurting farmers. According to R-Calf an cattle organization, "Packers are causing the low prices. In 2013, the farmers were making fifty cents for every dollar sold and the packers were making six percent. The market analyst told farmers that they should see high prices until 2018. It's 2016 and farmers are making thirty-nine cents and packers are making ten percent. Packers are causing this because USA beef goes more than other beef in the world. So for an example if they mix a Brazil cow with an United State cow they don't have to label what it is so that's where they make the money because people might think they are still getting USA beef, but really are getting USA beef and another country's beef. They also don't have to label the product being sold if it is salted, roasted, or smoked. How can they change that packers can't do this and farmers get what they should be making? Go to the Congress and get the Country's Origin back together that stops the packers to do this" (R-Calf). According to Jeff Tschetter, a local farmer, who has been farming for his whole life says "The cheap prices, wondering what is going to change and how can we make an impact is probably

Farming is not an occupation that you can take a vacation whenever. Dedication is a huge factor in a farmer. Jeff Tschetter says "I'm always tied down, this is a seven days a week job. I'm tied down because there is always something to do or something goes wrong. I can't just leave when I want to. My first thing to do in the morning is to feed the cattle. Then depending on what season it is determines my day, which never seems to go as planned. If it's fall I combine, after that then plowing or discing needs done. If you don't finish the plowing or discing in the fall, you have to finish that in the spring to get the crops in during May. During winter we work on machinery for the new year and feed cattle again in the afternoon. Spring which is probably the busiest time is calving. During calving you have to be there 24 hours a day. You have to wake up every few hours in the middle of the night to check livestock and continues every few hours during the day. If a cow needs help during a birth you have to get her in the barn and pull the calf. Pulling a calf takes a lot out of you because you put all your strength to get calf out before it quits