Russell, I don't know Autry or Kim. What I am is sick of the infighting in the industry and the constant nameless attacks against each other. People making comments like "watch who you follow" and "those with an agenda" and comments of the like.
Our industry is dying off more and more every day. Someone I consider a very good friend texted me today and stated ".....as I can tell the rules haven't gotten worse....."
However that simply is not true. The industry is continually being chopped away at. In 2012 I built yet another completely brand new farm. When I built it I went what I thought was an extra 2 miles in an effort to open up even more markets for myself. I am certified by my state as double fenced and I used 10' wire for the perimeter fence. Now just this last week I found out that a state who has taken my deer for years just recently changed its rules to state I would HAVE to be double fenced in order to ship to them. The additional costs incurred building what I thought was an extra high level facility to open up new markets to me only kept me in the game in a state I used to already have open to me. And in fact as it stands I am still losing ground because some other states I have been able to ship to are denying entry saying..."we are delaying permits so growers have more time to think if they really want to bring those deer into their farms." WTF kind of manipulation by government officials is that???
Folks are tired of this constant decay of our industry. We want to see change in a positive direction!
I have been asked...."Who is to blame? Nadefa or the people in that state who didn't take preemptive measures?" To that I say this. Then why do I pay membership dues and donate to the national org when I should apparently be supporting only state orgs since they are the ones who have all the control??? I guess maybe supporting NADEFA is incorrect and what I should instead be doing is supporting state orgs in the states I have a desire to do business with.
I know I am not the only person who feels this way. I have spoken with guys who have spent considerable money and time opening farms in other states or making contacts so they could use their farms in other states as an alternative option to potential buyers. But then have those options limited or even closed due to heavy handed government bullying. Yet instead of all working together to fix the issues some want to play games attacking each other and undermining the efforts of others.
I am sorry if someone has put considerable time into doing good in the industry and now others want more and this hurts your egos. It is not to say we aren't thankful for the work everyone has done. What we are though is ready for a fight. Many have hinted to and begged for the industry to fight this decay of our ability to do business. We are ready to support any person or org willing to lead or help in the fight. If this means NADEFA, ACA, blah blah blah or Joe Smoe from Kokomo it doesn't matter. We are ready to fight for our rights to do business! And those who want to try and undermine those efforts should shut the hell up!
