The Post Office is proposing that we start paying an additional $9.00-11.95 for every shipment of day old poultry (which amounts to a 75% increase). They are accepting comments on this proposal through this Friday, May 24th. We are asking you to contact the USPS and protest this additional charge.
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| US Postal Commission |
Why do we oppose this postage increase?
1) The average postage we now pay for all our duckling and gosling shipments is about $12.00 per shipment. If they add this additional charge, your postage charges will go up at least 75%! How often has the USPS raised rates 75%?
2) The USPS gives no indication how this new income will improve service in any way. It will not make shipping faster or easier. It is not designed to better track shipments. It is not for better ventilated trucks to carry your birds. It is only a way to increase their income at your expense.
3) This new regulation will only affect day old poultry shipments and bee shipments. Was either industry notified in advance or was our input requested? Absolutely not. It was only when an AP reporter phoned another hatchery that we learned the USPS was proposing this 75% increase in fees. As mailing is our only option, hatcheries such as ours work closely with the USPS and we have our own Live Shipment Representative in Washington, DC. The only response I received when I asked my local representative about it was "Who sent this to you?" It appears to me the Post Office was trying to hide this proposed regulation until it was too late!
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| Let us make sure this joy continues! |
We are asking you to send a quick email to the USPS to protest this exorbitant and heavy handed increase!
- You must send all emails to: ProductClassification@usps.gov
- The subject line must read Live Animals
- It must be received by this Friday, May 24th
Thank you very much for your efforts. If we all do our part, we can prevent this unfair increase from happening.
John Metzer
To Whom It May Concern:
I am very much against the additional postal charges you are proposing for the live animal shipments.
Do you realize this is an average increase of over 75% in what I now pay to receive my day old poultry?
Your proposed regulation does not indicate how this money will be spent. Will it speed service? Will it making tracking of my birds easier? Will it provide a better environment for my birds during shipping? What does this 75% increase do for me?
I am also very disappointed you did not contact the day old poultry and bee shipping industries prior to or after your posting of the regulation. Unfortunately it gives the impression that: 1) you don't care about me and 2) you don't care about any input from the hatcheries directly affected by your new rates.
Are you proposing a 75% increase in rates for any of your other customers? Or is it only us?
I do not feel this 75% increase in my postage rates for receiving day old poultry should be implemented.
Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Your name
A link to the USPS proposed regulation:
https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2013/04/24/2013-09603/new-mailing-standards-for-live-animals-and-special-handling
Sent an email. They are doing this cause they are going broke just like the rest of the Gov sadly.
ReplyDeleteEmailed!
ReplyDeleteCopied, edited, and sent. What cow cakes...
ReplyDeletei did it
ReplyDelete5 23 2013
Hey John! We were going to have our students hand write letters today - can we mail them in anywhere, or do they need to be emailed? THANKS!
ReplyDeleteall it is ,is greed money in there pockets and they do not even take care of our packages
ReplyDeleteI wonder what it would cost via UPS or FedEx. My guess it would be twice the new USPS rate. But I don't know.
ReplyDeleteUPS and FedEx do not accept day-old poultry. The Post Office is our only choice.
ReplyDeleteSent my email. That is outrageous. Of course, the government solution to every problem is "give us more money" Incompetence at every level.
ReplyDeleteI know it sounds horrible but as one writer said, if they don't increase their revenue the post office will go broke...what if there is no USPS and consequently NO way to ship day old chicks? that'd put all the hatcheries out of business. I hate all the price increases but having a shipping means is way better than not at all.
ReplyDeleteI understand their need to increase income. Several weeks ago they announced they were stopping Saturday delivery to save a lot of money. But they didn't have the backbone to make that stick so they backed off. But 75% is a major increase - and I bet they didn't realize how many small boxes of birds are shipped that will be severely affected by an additional $9 fee. Most importantly, in their announcement they list the things they feel they need to correct. But they don't say how this money will correct their perceived problems. We are trying to find someone in the USPS that designed this proposal and are having no luck. No one knows anything! McMurray Hatchery has spoken with their IA Senator Grassley and he is trying to track it down.
ReplyDeleteHey John,
ReplyDeleteWhat is the status of this? Any updates?
Donald Barger
I just learned today that they are putting the proposal on hold. This is very good news. But there is no guarantee they will not reconsider it in the future. I am sure all the emails and letters sent must have had a bearing on this decision. A very special thanks to all of you that sent an email!! John
DeleteWe are now several months out... any updates? I understand a need for SOME rate increase - but not 75%! I agree, I would like to see how the extra money will help.
ReplyDeleteThe Post Office is backing off for now on a major live animal rate increase and there does not appear to be any indication of when they will consider it again. For more information, go to page 16 of this document http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-10-25/html/2013-24980.htm
DeleteWhat breeds of ducks produce golden 300 hybrid layer? I'm curious and I'd like to know. Also, who made the golden 300 hybrid layer, Metzer farms, or CaliforniaHatchery.com? Both claimed to have made the breed!
ReplyDeleteThe breeds that compose the Golden 300 Hybrid and the White Layer are proprietary information. We developed these two ducks with direction from Dave Holderread of Holderread Waterfowl Farm.
DeleteIs there any problem with metzerfarms.com website??....
ReplyDeletePETA is behind all movement against farm animals. I am With the FFA (future farmers of America) and they want to stop the program in all schools in my area.
ReplyDeletewhy, because their is a law that FFA member can farm animals where the law prohibits farming. if their is no FFA the law is a dead one that will be abolish ones the FFA ends. they have the money to pay someone at the post office. you don't see the department of agriculture doing anything!!!!! they are paid also.
How do I order some chicken eggs to incubate
ReplyDeleteAs we do not sell chicks or chicken eggs, you will need to go to McMurray Hatchery or eFowl or Meyer Hatchery to get chicken hatching eggs.
DeleteI have never seen such a detailed information that help to ship live birds. Really the blog is very nice and informative too.
ReplyDeleteAlso i have a small-scale business of good quality shipping boxes for your bird shipping named Featherex.
We are a family owned, small-scale business located in Syracuse, NY. We supply good quality shipping boxes for your shipping needs. We take extreme pleasure in encouraging more and more people to consider raising and breeding all varieties of birds. We try to motivate them by helping them with solutions to their problem. One such problem was finding a way to safely transport these wonderful species. All enthusiasts who are breeders or hobbyist have faced this same problem over the years. When the US Postal Service started to accept live birds for shipping, it came as great relief for all bird enthusiasts. From our vast experience in breeding and shipping birds, we were able to come up with a carrier which would be your best choice in the market for shipping your birds.