That brings up the the "Too Big to be good" equation again.
Sometimes size is an impediment to growth and quality and resources.
I know there are some who bash Wal-Mart here. At one time their
model was good. There were many small towns that had no shopping
till Sam brought his store to town, and he aimed at a store that
could supply what the folks wanted at a reasonable price.
I remember when traveling through Arkansas many years ago those
stores and wondering what they were.
What Sam started has turned into a monster of sorts.
When I lived in Wisconsin, I saw a lot of dairy farms (many of my
members were some) There was a size point that had to be reached so
that the small family farm could be profitable but still manageable.
There were a few of the super farms there, but there was a
problem. They specialized in only producing milk. All their
byproducts from the production of milk then had to be dealt
with. You see on a smaller operation all waste products are recycled
into the land. Yes there was a holding tank or manure pile but it
was then recycled within a short period of time. These huge farms
have a big waste problem that needs to be dealt with.
You also have to deal with the animal issue. I knew some
veterinarians who would not deal with these farms. You see many
farmers even though they are using these cows for milk production
also cared about these animals and wanted them in the best health and
condition. Corporate milk farms did not care about animal health and
condition, only production. If a cow slows down or stops producing
time to rotate it out. Thereby getting you an inferior product.
Breeding is a big key to the family dairy farm, you breed for
production, but also quality and longevity.
Once a farm gets too big those things are not looked at only production.
Oh by the way both farms get paid the same amount for their milk, so
there is no better price paid for quantity. But there is a
difference in quality payments.
Big companies after a little while forget about the quality issue and
only think profit.
I am wondering (I know that is always dangerous) how much of our
supposed wealth on Wall street was driven solely by quantity and was
not really wealth but an illusion of wealth?
Oh to keep this computer oriented. Small farmers are big tech
guys. They keep all their records on computer, and track all their
cows progress and production via computer so that they get breed with
the best steer semen for offspring.
Stewart
At 11:14 PM 2/20/2009, you wrote:
They've been bailed out before. But I think you're mostly right.
There are US manufacturers that are still alive and are doing
things right. Unfortunately too few.
You don't see them in the news because they aren't in trouble.
I happen to know bicycles and audio. US (all onshore) companies
like Waterford and Magnepan are more than world class. Yes
they are small but they are making product that is universally
desired at competitive prices.
In other words they can sell everything they make, ship product
that is worth paying a premium to get outside of the US, and run
businesses that stay in the black for decades, many decades.
Well respected US product. That people in Australia, Europe
and Japan are willing to pay top dollar for. Our manufacturers
ARE capable of doing this.
These brands (that you may never have heard of, OK) can do
it. They don't have a lot of people, capitalization, etc. But they
get the job done.
Nobody disputes that well made US products aren't world class, but
we are not going to get out of this mess by supporting
companies that make bad decisions.
I'm not inclined to reward bad behavior.
Rev. Stewart A. Marshall
mailto:popoz...@earthlink.net
Prince of Peace www.princeofpeaceozark.org
Ozark, AL SL 82
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