
Tag Archives Steve Dittmer

Dittmer: A framework and the lack of patience
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
NCBA’s task force subgroup on cash marketing released a proposal, A Voluntary Framework to Achieve Robust Price Discovery in the Fed Cattle Market, in October. The framework delineates both minor and major triggers, with weeks where either the negotiated trade or the packer participation does not meet their obligated targets designated as minor triggers. Three […] Read more

Dittmer: NCBA hashes out negotiated cash marketing
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
The last year’s events had converged by this year’s NCBA mid-year meeting, ensuring drama for the Live Cattle Marketing Committee meeting. Folks from across the country and all industry segments were disturbed about market disruptions from the Tyson fire; market disruptions, processing problems and shutdowns due to COVID-19; government market investigations and the reintroduction of […] Read more

NAFTA anxiety continues to build
Free Market Reflections with Steve Dittmer
The intent of everyone going into the renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was to get it over quickly, at least quickly by international trade negotiation standards. Canada didn’t think there was a lot to fix, Mexico had presidential elections set for next July and the U.S. general opinion, except for President […] Read more

Can a U.S. president sink NAFTA?
As Canadians who monitor American politics know, the Republican candidate Donald Trump has presented a confusing and threatening trade posture. He claims to favour free trade yet hates our trade deals and opposes the deal nearly all Canadian and American cattlemen see as critical to their future — the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He’s also said […] Read more
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