Bellingham Residents take out anger over Canadian shoppers online

[CorneringArtist]

Originally Posted by Jah Dean

I'm waiting for Fox News to cover this story, lol.

"First those Northern Socialists invade our grocery stores,next they've allied with Iran and China and are going to invade the entire country!"

I wonder if The Daily Show and Colbert Report have covered it yet.

[Coren]

Vancouver sun article explaining why our milk costs more

“Can someone explain why milk is so much more expensive here?” asked a colleague after reading The Sun’s Page One story on Tuesday about how British Columbians stock up by the gallon in stores just across the Canada-U.S. border.

The short answer is a single word: monopoly. We have one, they don’t.

A more detailed answer requires twice as many words: supply management. Which is a high-sounding and highly expensive way to create a monopoly ... which brings us back to the short answer.

The price difference between us and them — between monopoly and competition — varies over time, but on balance it’s huge. According to the story by my colleague Michael V’inkin Lee, milk that costs $1.25 a litre in supermarkets here sells today for the equivalent of just 55 cents a litre in a Bellingham big-box store.

A Canadian price that’s way more than double a competitive comparator is astonishing, even by the standards of monopoly marketing. This may be because supply management is even more perverse than most monopolies, with its specialized, nearly unique, mechanism for widening the price gap even more than it might otherwise be.

Most monopolies gouge customers in two ways. They use their market dominance to entrench inefficiencies regardless of cost, and they ensure what they consider a “good” return, even if those with no choice but to buy their products would choose a less-flattering term.

Supply management adds a large third element to the price premium extracted by Canada’s dairy monopoly. It hugely drives the cost of starting and running a dairy farm by requiring milk producers to buy “quota,” which is the technical term for the fee to join the monopolists’ little club. Quota sells for upwards of $20,000 per cow, sometimes as much as $30,000, thus driving a farmer’s overhead into the stratosphere. Which is not, of course, a problem for those who buy it because they can, in return, count on their little club to also inflate the price consumers must pay for their products.

Dairy farmers routinely respond to criticisms by noting milk prices are more volatile in competitive markets. This is true. But volatility isn’t all bad — it means prices go down as well as up. In Canada, the prices start high and stay high in good times or bad, changing fairly slowly. Other places often have genuine bargains interspersed with periodic spikes, which our dairy farmers love to pounce on so they can pretend their prices are competitive, too.

Dairy farmers also stress the safety of their products, which I believe is generally true, and “family farm” values embodied by their industry, which I believe illustrates they’re as adept at shovelling the manure of bulls as of their cows.

To deal with the safety issue first, if Canada gave up the high tariffs that effectively keep competing products off our grocery store shelves, federal or provincial safety standards would still apply. As with other imports, our standards can be enforced if the authorities want to.

As for family farms, the average dairy herd in Canada is 77, compared with about 100 — the number usually deemed necessary for efficient farming — in the U.S., thus suggesting some of our farmers may indeed have closer relationships with their animals and even know their names. But the average herd for B.C.’s 512 dairy farms is 140 — 40 per cent more than on those U.S. farms that are dissed for being too big and impersonal.

These farms are, no matter what dairy farm apologists tell you, no mere mom-and-pop operations. Using $20,000 per cow, the low estimate of the value for quota, an average B.C. farm has $2.8 million tied up in quota alone, not to mention the substantial investment in animals, land, buildings and equipment. Average revenues Canada-wide, even when other province’s generally smaller farms are added to the mix, is about $3.5 million a year.

So that’s why the price of milk here is so much higher than across the border. And that’s why British Columbians flock to Washington in numbers so great that American customers are starting to complain we’re crowding them out of the best parking spots and beating them to the best deals.

dcayo@vancouversun.com

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/met...299/story.html

[parm104]

Costco in the US is 10x better than Canadian Costco. In fact, in general, shopping in the U.S. is a LOT cheaper regardless of how how you spin it. It's not a small anomaly of people that go cross border to shop...It's a mass of people all across the country who head down South to take advantage of the savings in the U.S.

Costco aside, clothing in general is a lot better/cheaper in the States than here. Of course, it's subjective but for anyone who isn't an XXL, American stores have better selection of sizes, styles and brands. $100+ shoes in Canada end up being $39.99 in the U.S. T-shirts that will cost $45-$50 each in Canada will be 2 for $30 in the U.S. Socks are more than half off along with many other items.

Furniture is also A LOT cheaper. The same sofa set sold in Canada sells for $1499 in Canada...I can show you that EXACT same sofa for $649.99 in the U.S. Oh and if that's not enough of a reason for you to head down South, perhaps this might be:




The above bottle costs $110.00 CDN give or take. At Costco in Washington, it costs $52.00...

[MR_BIGGS]

I have friends that cross the border just to buy Coors. Can't get it here.

coors.jpg

[CorneringArtist]

Originally Posted by parm104

The above bottle costs $110.00 CDN give or take. At Costco in Washington, it costs $52.00...

The only juxtaposition with grocery stores in the US is that the alcoholic beverages are usually located across the aisle from the orange juice selection .

[Gh0stRider]

gonna invade bellingham costco just to piss them off now

[Great68]

Originally Posted by MR_BIGGS

I have friends that cross the border just to buy Coors. Can't get it here.

Attachment 12878

My dad would go nuts for that stuff every time we'd be in the states when I was a kid. I have no idea why, it tastes like any other Macrobrewed piss lager to me.

[Teh Doucher]

Originally Posted by InvisibleSoul

Have you ever been pulled in for that 6-pack?

not once and i always get a 6 pack of tall boys. punch top MGD cans ftw.

Originally Posted by sonick

I've been pulled in for a 12 pack before.

ya same here.

Originally Posted by willystyle

Anyways, so I just read that the cheese and milk at Bellingham Costco are hormone-free, so I guess that ends the dairy debate.

BS. wheres the proof?

[Manic!]

Originally Posted by Teh Doucher

BS. wheres the proof?

Dirty Dairy: How Your Milk Might Be Hopped Up on (Unlabeled) Hormones | Inspired Bites

rBGH-free Milk and Other Dairy Products | Consume This First

It's also kosher.

[StylinRed]

Originally Posted by Manic!

Dirty Dairy: How Your Milk Might Be Hopped Up on (Unlabeled) Hormones | Inspired Bites

rBGH-free Milk and Other Dairy Products | Consume This First

It's also kosher.

Their 1% is rbgh free but not their 2%
that is only their 1% lists it being hormone free the 2% does not

and even if its hormone free its still got all those antibiotics


http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...88*&lang=en-US 1%

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...88*&lang=en-US 2%

and the Darigold Homo Milk is hormone free http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product...88*&lang=en-US

And of course the Organic is free of all that (the Organic gallon costs about the same as a Regular non-organgic 4L jug up here)

[Manic!]

Cheese, Louise! | Ask Ashley | Green Calgary

To say that Canadian milk is free of antibiotics is not the same thing as saying cows are never administered antibiotics. In fact, we know that antibiotics are routinely used for growth improvement and to treat sick animals, and dairy cows are no exception. Why Canadian milk is said to be free of antibiotics is because cows treated with antibiotics are not to have their milk enter the general supply until it is drug-residue free.

[willystyle]

Originally Posted by Teh Doucher

BS. wheres the proof?

Here you go, you douche. Read the label.



I also have Kirkland Eggs from the states that are organic and hormone-free sitting in the fridge in my garage. Let me know if you want snapshots of that too.

[MindBomber]

^Am I the only one who finds it strange that the milk says,

*Produced without artificial growth hormone (rBST)
*No significant has been shown between milk derived from rBST-treated and non-rBST-treated cows.

Why is it stating on the label, this milk does not contain rBST, but it would be fine if it did?

Clearly it's not fine, it's banned in Europe and Canada, and this milk needs to be produced without it to attract consumers. How very American.

There's another factor not being considered.

American farms are allowed to operate on the principles of factory farms, because standards are way lower - that leads to increased levels of naturally occurring hormones like testosterone, because the cows are stressed out. One of the reasons rBST is still legal in the states is to allow factory farm operations to continue operating this way.

Canadian farms are much smaller on average and work on tighter regulatory standards, animal welfare is a much higher priority - naturally occurring hormone levels are lower.

The difference is more significant with American chickens and eggs compared to the Canadian equivalent, because those factory farms work on a level that are unsurpassed.

[willystyle]

On the bright side, at least the milk that Canadians buy from Bellingham Costco is safer than we anticipated.

[GLOW]

Originally Posted by sonick

I've been pulled in for a 12 pack before.

i've done 6, 12, 18 packs and never got pulled over. i just declare it. sometimes i get a verbal warning for 18's so i usually just do a 12 for less hassle

[Benz_05TSX]

Originally Posted by Tapioca

It's an honest question - why do you make midnight runs to Walmart? Are tubs of whey protein that much cheaper? Or perhaps flats of Mobil 1 or Royal Purple? And once you factor in time and gas getting down there, do you actually save any money?

Moreover, where do people store their stuff? I would have no room in my condo for all of the food and non-perishables.

The customs asked me and my friends the same question. Our answer: Simply there is nothing to do at night so we just want to go down to do some grocery shopping. Also, because of the cheaper gas and food, the trip is actually worth making down. Eggs, milk, drinks, and snacks are almost half the price than what it is sold here. Then you have the usual household items that are greatly discounted as well. When we make the trip back, we get cheaper gas. All in all, it`s also an enjoyable time to just spend with your friends shopping around, and yes, it is quite nice to shop without all these hoards of people around you fighting for the stuff and taking up the aisle space.

[Meowjin]

maybe there is a reason why canadian whey doesn't mix very well.

[nabs]

on top of all that.. the american gallon milk bottles SUCK ASS. there is no way of pouring it out, especially when full, without it spilling.

[murd0c]

Originally Posted by nabs

on top of all that.. the american gallon milk bottles SUCK ASS. there is no way of pouring it out, especially when full, without it spilling.

The tops are screw on rather then just snap on which I like. Maybe you should "learn" how to pour it correctly

[Yodamaster]

I'm going to just put it out there as a fact...


The Canadian prices on certain goods are completely unjustifiable. The deals are across the border, and that is why local businesses are suffering.

It's not our problem, you search out the better price wherever it may be, especially if you have a family to feed.

It's the government's job to govern the country in a way that makes it competitive, and they have failed to do so at a small time consumer's level, there is no room for arguement on that stage.

/rant

[Psykopathik]

well for whatever reasons Bellingham folks hate Canadians, without us, your town would be a ghost town. when the exchange rate skyrockets, Bellisfair mall is empty. shit, the simple fact Bellisfair mall alone killed their downtown core is sad.

whenever i venture away to other parts of Bellingham, i think I've transported into an episode of "Walking Dead"

oh how I miss "Jafco" and "Royal Fork/ King's Table Buffet"

[GLOW]

open a walmart & costco in blaine, maybe we'll see bellingham turn in to a ghost town

[nabs]

Originally Posted by murd0c

The tops are screw on rather then just snap on which I like. Maybe you should "learn" how to pour it correctly

I'll use a funnel. lol, i dont even buy american milk. My parents buy it randomly when they are down there.

[fliptuner]

Originally Posted by nabs

I'll use a funnel. lol, i dont even buy american milk. My parents buy it randomly when they are down there.

You're lucky to be too young to have experienced milk in bags.

[604STIG]

Originally Posted by Turbo E

oh how I miss "Jafco" and "Royal Fork/ King's Table Buffet"

That brought back memories, I remember making trips to bellingham as a kid and going to King's Table.