Slowing down the big guys

[wdchuck]

Prices paid for commodity products generally move down quicker than they move up. Why pay $2.35 when you can pay $2.10 and its still being brought in for sale? The packers aint no fools....

[Parker]

When the packers buy can. Syrup do they pay the trucking from canada? Seems like they would but i dont know?

[southfork]

Great posts General and Dr. Perkins.

[MapleMark753]

I think its perfectly normal to be mad if "your guy" has all he needs and turns you away, or pays a lower price than you expected. But, that's business in a lot of areas. What is a solution that the starter of this thread thinks is realistic? Association "pressure"? Some sort of government action? I'm not asking sarcastically, just wondering who "they" is, and then what "they" should do. I know its possible govt action CAN be good or neutral, but my thoughts are that once in, the tendency to mess stuff up is great, and then once laws/regulations start its downhill from there. Just my opinion.
take care, Mark

[ennismaple]

If you rely on open market prices to sell your syrup in bulk you will have to live with the fluctuations when there's an oversupply. If you have your own regular customers and retail outlets to sell your product then it doesn't matter much if the bulk price drops - it benefits you if you need to buy syrup. Anyone NOT in Quebec benefits from the bulk price stability that the Federation has created through their quota system. The last thing any of us want is another government/Federation inspector showing up at our door saying we can't sell a gallon jug of syrup to our friends, family and co-workers.

A free market isn't perfect but it is far better than the over-control of a marketing board!

[unc23win]

Well said ennismaple.

For me it is interesting to think about the big guys expanding I suspect that those that wish to continuing expanding will do so no matter what the season was like. Most have to be in it for the long haul and some will simply expand to try to make whatever amount they desire either in $ or gallons of syrup. Probably not much different than what most of us are doing just on a larger scale.

[CBOYER]

...The last thing any of us want is another government/Federation inspector showing up at our door saying we can't sell a gallon jug of syrup to our friends, family and co-workers.

A free market isn't perfect but it is far better than the over-control of a marketing board!

The Federation is not involved in selling directly to customer (users) in less than 5 liters containers, at the farm or local public market.

[802maple]

I have been saying for years that this was coming, but continuously I was told that markets were bigger than production. Some of you know that I manage the booth down to the Big E for Vermont Maple and had asked many to come down to help out in promoting maple. Yet I was often told that it was to long a day to come down and promote our wonderful product. There are a huge percentage of people right here in New England that have never tasted Maple and yet it seems it is to hard to help promote it. A huge year comes along and it is everybody's fault but our own.

[PARKER MAPLE]

I have been saying for years that this was coming, but continuously I was told that markets were bigger than production. Some of you know that I manage the booth down to the Big E for Vermont Maple and had asked many to come down to help out in promoting maple. Yet I was often told that it was to long a day to come down and promote our wonderful product. There are a huge percentage of people right here in New England that have never tasted Maple and yet it seems it is to hard to help promote it. A huge year comes along and it is everybody's fault but our own.

Well said
Couldn't agree more

[325abn]

I am sure most of us have our ideas on the promotion of our product maybe some don't agree that the big E is worth while.