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President's Report
Dear Fellow Elk Producers,
“Buy high, sell low”…right. For many of us,
this has been the formula we started with. Would you be shocked
if I told you it is actually are you ready for this, “Buy
low, sell high!!”
Don’t believe me, just try and buy one of those $100.00
cows that were prevalent a year ago. I’ll bet you can’t
find enough to fill a stock trailer. How about those $250.00 bulls
with $32.00/pound plus velvet and fewer hunt bulls, you won’t
find enough to fill a chest freezer with it cut and wrapped.
My point is this, if you are reading this, you stuck it out. You
proved to all the skeptics that this industry was not a pyramid
scheme and would crumble without Korea. We are witnessing the
birth of a new industry. One that now has solid markets for hunt
bulls, breeding bulls, hard horn, velvet and meat. As velvet continues
to go up in price, so does the demand for good cows with proven
bloodlines.
We know more about raising elk now thank ever before in history.
Let us take that knowledge forward, use it in a way that makes
us more cost effective, and come out on top on that break-even
calculator. Use it to farm smarter, not harder.
As for my last year as your President grows near to the end, I
need to apologize for not being as vocal and letter writing crazy
as I once was. Rest assured, your board and I continue to do the
political dance as often as needed, but being full time volunteers
does not pay the bills. We all have second jobs and full time
families.
A producer recently told me that it is quiet now because things
are on the upswing. It is when times are bad that things get most
vocal.
We are continuing to try to make life easier for our producers.
When it comes to changes that you would like to see, we would
like to hear it from you. Take the time to write it down and fax
or email the office or call your Director. Better yet, as the
year comes to an end, new directors are going to be needed. Think
you have what it takes, I’ll bet you do and we need you!!
Bring your fresh ideas and new vigor and use it productively to
help benefit others who have chosen the same lifestyle as you.
From time to time, we even have doughnuts and pizza!! It doesn’t
get any better.
Respectfully and sincerely,
Luke Perkins
President
SEBA
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