Should there be a US Koi Dealer Association?

[aquitori]

Should there be a US Koi Dealer Association? Is it possible? In this association should US Domestic Breeders be included.

[jnorth]

Yes, yes and yes.

[jbolding]

I would concur with jnorth. I believe that it could vastly improve our domestic stock if breeders worked together, and were able to share parent-stock. The problem with this is that America is much more geographically diverse than Japan making training, working together, and sharing of parent-stock drastically more expensive and difficult.

[RayJordan]

Frankly, I think that is up to American dealers and breeders to decide and organize. It has already been tried but has not caught on.

[aquitori]

I think this would best regulate the KHV problem...if Japan has the Shinikokai then I dont see why the dealers couldnt do it here again.

[KoiCop]

Quote: Originally Posted by RayJordan Frankly, I think that is up to American dealers and breeders to decide and organize. It has already been tried but has not caught on.

Good point.

Wonder if any American dealers and breeders who were previously involved in that venture would care to comment for our benefit?

[schildkoi]

I am open on this subject w/o an opinion, so convince me that it would be good....or bad. Sharing parent stock? I don't think so....just another avenue for KHV to spread and I do not think the reputable breeders in the US want to risk that. So what positives or other negatives?

Steve

[Werner]

I tried a few times in the past 20 years to promote a dealer Association/Coop with little success. While there seems to be some interest in a few quarters, no one was willing to help with the legwork and organizational skills required. It was strictly "when you get it set up let me know and I may join".

The benefits for such an Organization are widespread , boiled down to one word, Information.

This Industry has more than it's share of Charlatans and products that prey on the uninitiated and hamper the growth of the good dealer. A good dealer network would expose the fly by night colored water and cosmic ray sellers before the honest dealer is forced by marketing hype to stock products that are worthless.

A good dealer network could get manufacturers and the transportation Industry to level the price playing field by Coop buying and negotiating. This would lower prices for the consumer.

A good dealer / breeder network could minimize the threat of diseased fish reaching the consumer by information sharing on a timely basis. To this day, most breeders wait for the dealer to call them, even if they have a known problem. IMNSHO that's bass ackwards.

A dealer association can assign testing of new products to its members and share the results with everyone.

I'm sure there a thousand more pluses and few if any minuses.

[bekko]

Breeders and dealers do not have much in common. They are very different businesses.

Sharing broodstock??? No way.

Cooperative buying? This might work for dry goods which are not manufactured specifically for koi.

Sharing information?? Don't all dealers think that they will be successful because they know a secret?

If a charlatan applies for membership, will he be turned away?

Now, with all that negativity out of the way, let me say that I think its a good idea. How about group health insurance, education campaigns which get additional hobbyists addicted to koi, certification programs.

-stev ehop

[schildkoi]

Dealer/breeders associations (or most other commercial organizations for that matter), typically end up as "Marketing" associations. Cooperative buying seems more in tune with a distribution network as opposed to an association. As far as "standards" for products, etc, who sets those? I have heard of ideas for commercial associations within the hobby and I kinda get skeptical but still open to the idea.

steve