In 1981 I became interested in marketing, starting new herds, and developing Canada as a huge Texas Longhorn breeding country. A few Canadians came to the USA and bought cattle in sales, mostly WR lineage. We formed the Holt/Dickinson Ranch partnership at Winfield, Alberta and started shipping semi loads of registered Texas Longhorns and semen up north. It was exciting, but with Andre The Giant determination, not much profit came of it. Soon it was realized the import fees, transport and enforcements against our USA inventory was a deal-killer. Taxes were much higher than we expected. We found the Queen very, shall we say -- parsimonious. Perhaps I just couldn't get comfortable with the strong hand of government under the Crown.
After the costly Canadian experiment I discovered that the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of California was larger than Canada. Our business plan gears shifted, then an effort to market to California and the whole western United States became a casual, much more enjoyable goal.
Then, dumb me, I worked to export to Russia. Poland was easy --The Czech Republic, Austria, Israel, but Russia was a closed door. Then, duhhhhh! I realized the GDP of Russia is 1.527 trillion dollars annually yet the state of Texas is 1.599 trillion annually. Who in their right mind would work to market cattle in Russia when Texas speaks English (or Texican) and no frisking when crossing the Red River -- no concern about spy-charges and lengthy incarcerations, nor death by poisoning. Texans are great.
Gross domestic product (GDP) is the market value of all final goods and services from a nation in a given year. Countries are sorted by nominal GDP estimates from financial and statistical institutions, which are calculated at market or government official exchange rates. By careful evaluation of the GDP it tells if the country has the coins to purchase imported product. It also gives a clue as to funds available for military aggression against, or in defense of the USA. Here are the facts of world powers from the International Monetary Fund and GDP. The United States Of America has a GDP of 19.390 trillion dollars. Enjoy the list below:
| United States of America | 19.390 trillion |
| China | 12.014 trillion |
| Japan | 4.872 trillion |
| Germany | 3.684 trillion |
| United Kingdom | 2.624 trillion |
| California | 2.622 trillion |
| India | 2.611 trillion |
| France | 2.583 trillion |
| Brazil | 2,054 trillion |
| Italy | 1.937 trillion |
| Canada | 1.652 trillion |
| Texas | 1.599 trillion |
| Russia | 1.527 trillion |
| New York | 1.500 trillion |
| Australia | 1.313 trillion |
| Mexico | 1.149 trillion |
| Florida | .926 trillion |
| Illinois | .796 trillion |
| Pennsylvania | .719 trillion |
| Ohio | .626 trillion |
| Iran | .431 trillion |
| Iraq | .197 trillion |
| North Korea | .028 trillion |
President Trump takes some strong stands involving these countries. His enemies in Washington act like these countries are big, bad vicious and Trump will get us blown away. Look at the figures. These are the numbers the President sees. The current GDP of my state of Ohio is 22 times more than North Korea just to put it all into perspective.
For a few thoughts a few days after Independence Day, look at the numbers. Considering marketing cattle, I would say Texas and California are where the money is, and before going very far from home, just smile and ponder the greatness of our own USA before taking all the guff and enforcements of international exporting. Thank the Lord for the USA and our hard working ancestors who built this great country. DD
