NAFA just announced some upper level management changes.

Herman Jansen is officially retiring. For the last 10 years he has been the Managing Director. He started in the fur business in 1966, with Hudson Bay & Annings in London, England.


https://www.hideandfur.com/exchange/Wiss...mp;unfiltered=1

Herman was always a staunch and active supporter of wild fur. Will be interesting to see what happens when he steps away.

We need your password!

Sorry. Not giving that out. I will try to find another link that works for everyone.

Try this link - directly to the NAFA web site

http://www.nafa.ca/senior-management-changes-nafa/

Wonder if this is the " downsizing " that nafa is starting already. Things are going to be interesting in the fur world the next 5 years to see who survives and who doesn't.

How much is Herman Jansen's Golden Parachute for his "Retirement Compensation" ?

One million Southern U.S. Coat Coon Pelts ?

Happy Trails, Herman !!!

Don't let the door, hit you in the.......Well, You Know..........

w

Funny they didn't put a chinaman in charge.

"BEAVER AND MUSKRAT SHINE AT NAFA'S MAY SALE" 1997

He was President then.

Good Job Mr. Jansen

That's a lot of knowledge to walk out the door in a marketplace that is extremely volitale- not to mention all the customer relationships. Sounds like they're heading in a different direction.

Saw one year his travel expense was 500 grand, I think they'll be just fine, ranch mink is their bread/butter, wild fur is more a flea market affair than an actual profitable business. Fur farmer's did a great job.

One thing no one is taking into account is the possible major reduction in ranch mink that may be coming in the next couple years. Nafa is fine this year but what about next year and the following year. Nafa needs that wild fur too.

mink99, You sound a little worried. You might be entering my world soon. Finding new ways to sell your product.

I'll give you something to worry about. I noticed on egg carton the other morning that the eggs were certified "Cage Free" Apparently, that's important to consumers.

I am a little worried as I have seen what new management can do to a company. Maybe it will be just fine, maybe better. We will see.

As far as cage free, so be it, but I am more worried about the perception of the leghold trap being inhumane.

That is why there is the certification for ranch and wild fur. It really is the only answer for the European and American consumer for now.

Certification of ranch fur has nothing to do with legholds. It has to do with farming practices that Europeons find objectionable. Probably why the farms are getting banned.

You should take over Herman's old job as the spin doctor.

It isn't total new management for NAFA. Doug Lawson has been with NAFA for 8 years. He is more of a numbers guy than a fur guy but he has had plenty of time to learn from Herman.

And Mike Mengar is still around as the Managing Director. Though he is more a ranch mink person than a wild fur person.

Seems to me like it would be worthwhile to give them a chance before the bad mouthing starts.

I think the bigger problem is the glut of ranch mink available. If those numbers can be gotten under control, I think the wild fur market will improve. It won't be gang busters like in the late 70s but it should be better than it is right now. IMO

The fur industry is in huge trouble worse than it ever has been. Dirt !. Maybe you could head PETAs anti fur ranch campaign

I can't feel sorry for Europeon farmers who actively supported the wild fur ban in the eighties.

Eurotrash. Met a lot of good people raising fur in US unfortunately overproducing be it fur,milk,corn is a product of good markets and good old capitalism greed In listening to Groeny and talking to fur buyers most agree this is worse than 87 or the late 90s the worst market they have witnessed

2X

I am not bad mouthing anyone.

Dirt, what the heck are you talking about?

Do some research. I'm not doing it again.

Mink99 - I didn't mean to imply you were badmouthing NAFA. My comment was directed at those you haven't yet weighed in on this matter but will have not nice things to say when they do.

I gotcha. Appreciate you starting this thread so it can be discussed.

Can you Imagine Jackie Chan Speed Grading Muskrats while fighting off Peta Protesters ?

w

Research about what?

I pretty in tune to what's going on in the fur industry as my livelihood depends on it.

So again, what should I research, cage free eggs? LoL!

Dirts going Bush crazy.
Time for another tour of Europe.

Jeff Guillemette,and another fellow are taking over Steve Gamblins job also.

We need to start promoting these cage free mink.

Badger
Beaver
Bobcat
Coyote
Ermine
Marten
Muskrat
Otter
Raccoon
Wolf
Sable (Russian)

You ever wonder why mink or fox ain't on the original AIHTS list?

In Europe,wild mink and Fox are considered vermin and are killed year round.

ALL furbearer's in the south are now considered vermin!

No. So you better explain why.

I hope the new managers emerge as hero’s through these trying times.

don't fur farmers in scandinavia get subsidized? so they continue to produce no matter the market?

who cares I'm selling through groney.

Actually, I don't think they do. Which is good as it levels the playing field.

"Norway to slash subsidies for fur farmers"

"Cutting subsidies would threaten "about half of the farms", Wormdahl said, adding that the government gets good value at just 100,000 kroner (12,000 euros, $13,200) in subsidies per farm."

"Europe doles out lumps of money to farmers based on how much land they own. "

"According to the Central Statistical Office of Poland (GUS), almost half of Polish farmers’ income comes from subsidies."

Groney rocks!

Did they cut the subsidies then, Dirt?

I have asked many times and keep getting the answer of no.

After doing some research about fur farm subsidies, it looks like European fur farms do not receive subsidies.

This is how the Europeon fur industry views the U.S.

"Major competitor of
the European market
due to the availability
of wild fur."

Yeah the Europeans want to take over the whole fur industry and the real reason for certification was to do just that. It wasn't to make fur look more humane it was to put as many fur farms out of business as they could and to make trapped fur look horribly inhumane.

If that's true, why are we playing softball?

We have no choice. That rock is rolling down the hill. Designers want it now to showcase fur as humane or they will use the fake junk instead. We lost a few designers already.

We need more people to stand up for this business in this country. Need more money donated to trapping organizations. Still a lot of trappers out there that don't belong.

Seems to me since we own NAFA we don't have to sell Eurotrash fur. Wasn't NAFA set up to sell our fur (North American fur producers)?

You think NAFA could survive on just American fur? To be one of he big dogs in the ranch mink industry Nafa had to get more mink. Thus the intrusion into Polish and other European fur.

In other words, it was all about ranch mink.

Are you paying them to be the big dog or get you the highest prices with the highest clearances?

Oh I want the highest prices and clearances. But I don’t think they could attract enough buyers without the European end put in there. That is why I am concerned with nafa in the future. They are going to lose some mink in the coming years.

If we continue to not like the European leverage in the fur market we need to understand a lot about where those fur ranches are going. If the Eastern block nations become the preferred options for the Dutch, Danes and Norwegians then we will be working with much different trading policies and experiences with these emerging nations than we have had with the northern European region. Some of that could bode well and some could be negative. If they can produce fur at much lower prices they can be sustainable at high numbers and much of what they produce will be direct competition to a lot of our wild fur. We could be heading into a lower fur price era. Several of the northern European nations will not be able to ranch fur in the not too distant future and we will have to watch how that unfolds.

Bryce

If NAFA is hurting for money they can do what they did last time and sell 26% more of the company to the WFSC.

Well They bought more land In Stoughton and built a new building for mink.
It looks like the wild fur Is going to go back to the original building. They also have a 7 year plan to add on more buildings. So I don't think they are going to go anywhere.
Of coarse they could go under like any other business.

I don't think they will go under. Just pretty sure they will have to downsize after this coming year. I don't believe NAFA is hurting for money yet.

I cannot believe what I just read here! You been sucking up too much marsh mud lately?

Well mink99, looks like things are getting rough all over. FHA canceled their Jan Auction. Moving their annual shindig to Jan when people are probably trapping.

Saw that. You want to talk about a company dependent on European sales to sell product they would also count. I see they are sending their, what was it, sable and bobcat back over to Saga for the June auction.

Also FHA could put out a market forecast for once. Only been over a year since the last one.

They said sable was in demand. Not mine.

gloom,despair,and agony on me.

deep, dark depression, excessive agony

The WFSC; Wild Fur Shippers Council, Now-A-Days pretty much consists of BOCO and Gibb pounding brews at North Bay, Ont. Strip Clubs while watching the Peelers.

Don't They also Do some trick with a Ouija Board to figure out how to market certified, traceable, sustainable Canadian Wild Fur ?

w

Yes, FHA sends North American produced wild fur and ranch fur to sell in Europe. NAFA sells Europeon produced fur. They are not the same thing.

So North American produced fur is sold along side of Europeon produced fur. Competing for buyers

As opposed to bringing Europeon produced fur to North America to be sold along side North American produced fur. Competing for buyers.

Problem is both auction houses are dependent on European fur. Where does that leave the North American fur?

You think Saga is letting FHA sell with them for the fun of it? No, they are getting something out of it.

Maybe doing like NAFA, just having a huge diverse line of fur to attract the most buyers.

Last fall I got a $5.45 cent average from my buddy guy. The rats I sent to NAFA brought me a $3.00+ average. Where would you sell your rats?

Beav's the face of Groeny these days,the pic of him with Guy is priceless to his followers.

Trappers been telling ya that for years, and you wouldn’t budge from Stoughton.

FWIW Beav. I’ve been selling almost everything to Groeny over the last few years. Tired of fur sitting in storage facilities for years and still getting next to nothing for it when finally does sell. You’ve got enough knowledge that you should become our go to country buyer.

What do ya say?

here here.

One time Beav said groany pays one guy big money for his fur,so the guy will go and tell everyone how great the price is.Then they make up what they overpaid the one guy by low balling a bunch of others.
Don't know if that was true or not.

I’m not positive either, And certainly could not provide proof to back it up. So as far as I’m concerned, it’s just here say.

Beav also rides a moped.

Maybe the beav got used by groaney? 5.50for rats in a 3.00 rat market?,HMMMMM.

The Beav "saw the light"

and the light was green.

Anything different at nafa since the change?

Nope. They’ll continue to store your furs for ya. lol

I guess if you're the one guy getting the big money it's not so bad being used?

Being used maybe but the check looks good. LOL
The thing you have to realize Is about 96% of the guys selling fur to groney are selling It GREEN or IN the ROUND. And In most cases are dragging It and kicking It across the parking lot.
I may be getting used but my fur Is of top quality and I think the price I get reflects that.
Sell early to groney because once his orders are filled the price starts to go on the skids.

But I haven't given up on NAFA not by a long shot. I've done well over the years selling my fur through them.

Back when I trapped ND and had 2000+ rats I graded out 300 and took them to groney. The best he could do was a $5.00 average. I walked to the amazement of some of the guys that were there. When the smoke cleared NAFA got me a $7.00 average.

The other thing about groney. It seems he will give you a lot better price on lets say 10 coon then he will on 40 coon.

I don't have many rats but I'm going to shop them around before I ship.

I was just pulling your leg Beav.We got to get the best price we can in todays market.

Got ya.

States should mandate classes to teach people not to do this.

E have classes but some don't listen.

Most of the time It's coon hunters sorry guys but it's the truth.

I’ve done that a few times too Beav. Took a pile of finished coons to Spange, and turned around and loaded back in my truck. Drove straight to Stoughton with them. Twice to my benefit. But once it backfired, big time.

That's the tricky part.
Not only knowing the fur you have, but what your fur will sell for and if your getting a good deal.