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“We
wouldn’t worry nearly as much about what others thought of us,
if we recognized how seldom they did.”
~Edge Keynote~
Is it just me, or am I the only one
out here who feels that they’re just waiting for that other shoe
to drop. The economy of course takes center stage and if you
listen closely to the pundits, we’re not likely to see much of a
turn around for the next eighteen months, and then we have our
own Angus industry and the genetic problems that are plaguing us
at every corner. While I try to keep abreast of it all, I find
that I can get mired down in the new rules, the new tests and
who’s carrying which defect, and with the economy and our breed
problems the same questions keeps arising and that is “how the
heck did we get to this point”, of course there is no clear cut
answer for any of it.
I’m curious as a
breed if we should have hard and fast guidelines to selling
un-tested carriers and for that matter showing them. I’m just
not sure what we’re accomplishing on either side of the issue.
Like the economy, I just keep waiting for the next big problem
to rise up out of the depths. I realize I’m not taking the
“glass is half full” approach here, but it gets tough to stay
positive as the evaporation rate takes over.
As we enter the fall sale season,
the one thing that will remain important, and that is as
breeders we must keep a solid stance and support one another.
This past year has taken its toll on everyone whether or not you
had carriers or you didn't.
As with the economy
and the Angus biz, I don’t think we should wait too long for the
life boat to arrive, its time to start swimming fast and look to
one another to get to the shore. Government and boards are
capable of only so much, its going to take the concerted and
genuine effort of everyone to get these difficulties behind us.
If there was ever a time to choose the high road this would be
it, we can be our own worst enemies or we can take all of this
to a higher level and find ourselves in a much better position
to deal with what may come.
As this sale season
unfolds please make the effort to attend events in your region,
be on hand to support the Angus youth in your state and be there
to answer the questions that folks have regarding the
carrier/non-carrier issues. I’d say the only way to get out of
any hole is to throw the shovel away, and it looks like I’ve
talked myself into believing again that the glass is half full,
see what a little positive thought can produce.
Hopefully by this time next year,
time will have provided us all a respite from the troubles the
nation and our breed have incurred over the last year. Hang in
there and with us. Until next month……
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