CATTLE producers are astounded at the bullying of meat processors that has forced a change to the weighing system at the Northern Victoria Livestock Exchange this week.
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Because of a boycott by several buyers at Tuesday’s prime cattle sale, agents and the yards’ operators have decided to switch from pre-sale weighing to post-sale weighing for prime sale and the cow and bull sale on Wednesday.
While producers are said to have been consulted over the past months, they were not part of the decision on Tuesday.
However, Albury-Wodonga Stock Agents Association president Trevor Parker said the decision had been made “in the best interests of our clients’ cattle”.
Benalla producer Laurie Horne, a former agent and member of the Cattle Council of Australia, said he was staggered by the attitude of the buyers.
“The bullying is unbelievable, and the lack of respect for who generates their income,” he said.
“There is no end to their selfishness.
“Their stand-over tactics is a sad reflection on the respect they have for the very people who guarantee their employment and financial security.”
Producers who sold cattle on Tuesday lost an estimated 10 to 20 cents per kilogram.
Now they are considering how they will respond to change in the weighing system.
Some are calling for their own boycott of Tuesday’s sale while the Victorian Farmers Federation will write to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, questioning the legality of the buyers’ action.
“I would support a producer boycott,” Mr Horne said.
“Why should we be stood over by a minority of people?”
He said he sent cattle to Wodonga as a preference “because I despise post-sale weighing” and because certain cattle sold better at Wodonga.
But he would reconsider which saleyards he used because of this week’s decision.
The objection producers have to post-sale weighing is having to pay for any loss of condition between the fall off the hammer and when the cattle are weighed.
“As the cattle don’t belong to us, on the fall of the hammer, we shouldn’t be charged with the account for weighing them,” Mr Horne said.
“If I buy a pen of calves and they walk outside and one’s dead, that’s my loss.
“Because on the fall for the hammer, the ownership changes.”
A Kiewa Valley producer, who didn’t want to be named, feared losing up to 10 per cent by the time the animal is weighed.
“When they buy them on the fall of the hammer, they own them,” he said.
“They’re buying on weight but they don’t want to buy on the right weight.
“I am sick and tired of the producer having to wear the consequence of others’ debacles.”
Mr Horne said there was no question that the primary objective of Tuesday’s exercise was to end up with cheaper stock.
“We, as producers, assure them with an income and employment and they treat us like this,” he said.
“I’m offended.
“How dare they? Once the fall of the hammer, we don’t own the cattle.”