Identify the client:
The client identified from the case is Mr. Arnold Kallestad. He is the hay farmer accused by Peter and Tanya Rothing of breach of implied warranty of merchantability.
Identify the client’s problem:
This is in line with the expectations that he sells good hay. It would also be safe to assume that prior to the case being taken to court that Mr. kallestad would have been approached by the Rothing’s in the instance that they realized that their animals were expressing symptoms of poisoning after diagnosis from their veterinary. Mr. kallestad then instead of taking cognizance of the situation and conducting investigations to establish the claims, would have refused citing that he has sold product for many years and that his product has never been considered to be with fault. On these grounds, it would have been what would have prompted the case to be taken to court, as there could be many ways through which the case would have been handled before seeking legal assistance.
A number of alternatives will be proposed to Mr. Kalllestad that will help ensure he avoids such situations in the past. The alternatives provided will ensure that the hay he sells from his farm is free of bacteria and other microorganism that may cause disease in cattle. This in turn will help protect his business reputation, as well as, his client’s animals.
Alternative 1: Testing hay before sale
The first proposed alternative is for Mr. Arnold to ensure always that he tests his hay before selling it to his clients. A myriad of test kits are available for purchase by farmers that can help in ensuring he checks his hay before selling it to the buyer. This is critical since he can provide a guarantee to his customers on the condition of the hay. Mr. Arnold should also hire an expert in the field of bacteria and animal disease. The purpose of the expert is to analyze the hay, his farm, as well as, storage locations for known diseases that may be fatal to animals. Once an analysis has been carried out effective curative and preventive measures can be adopted with the aim of ensuring that any future hay sold meets the required market standard.
Alternative 2: Proper storage of hay before sale
The second proposed alternative is to ensure that the hay is properly stored before sale. Research indicates that majority of the harmful bacteria can be introduced because of poor storage. Proper storage involves ensuring the storage location for the hay is clean and free of dirt. This will help ensure that the hay is not exposed to harmful bacteria that may lead to diseases and death in cattle. In addition, the storage temperature is also critical. The main reason for is that bacteria tends to thrive in specific temperatures. Therefore, by ensuring the correct storage bacteria cannot thrive in the hay.
Alternative 3: Proper handing and transport of hay
The fourth proposed alternative is ensuring proper handling and transport of hay. Handling involves ensuring that correct harvesting and storage procedures are used when harvesting the hay from the farm. This will ensure that the hay stays free of contamination. Additionally, it is also clear that contamination can occur during the transportation stage. Therefore, Mr. Arnold should ensure that proper shipping methods such as clean crates and containers are used when transporting the hay from his farm to the client. This is critical in keeping the hay clean and free of contamination.
Alternative 4: Advising buyers to properly store and handle the hay bought from the farm
The fifth proposed alternative is to advise his buyers on proper storage and handling of the hay bought from his farm. In his case, it is possible that the hay was contaminated after it left the farm. Therefore, by providing the buyers with excellent storage and handling procedures he is in a position to eliminate any contamination that occurs away from his farm.
Evaluation of alternatives:
The discussion below is a detailed evaluation of all alternatives available to Mr. Arnold discussed above. The evaluation will examine the effectiveness of each alternative in addressing the issue. It will also examine the benefits and drawbacks of each alternative if adopted by Mr. Arnold on his farm.
Alternative 1: Testing hay before sale
This very effective alternative may prevent issues regarding contamination in future. Testing the hay requires attention from a specialized expert in detection of contamination in foodstuffs. Hiring an expert will be a good move for the seller, as this will ensure that his entire product is safe for animal consumption. The expert will provide the needed knowledge on what causes contaminations and ways of preventing contamination. Cost of hiring expert will be an added expense, which the seller may push forward to the overall cost of his product.
The seller may consider having a full-time contamination expert, who will constantly provide his services, which will provide buyers with a sense of comfort when buying hay, knowing that they have been tested, and is contamination free. This alternative may result in additional time to deliver because it needs testing. Therefore, delivery time may shift and this may affect sales. The main drawback to this alternative solution is providing full certainty of a contamination free product. This is because testing the hay before sale may not be 100% effective, as the contamination expert will test a sample of the whole amount of hay to be sold.
Alternative 2: Proper storage of hay before sale
The seller may be required to make changes to how and where the hay is stored This is very effective, as it will ensure that the hay is well stored to prevent contamination. Additional cost of building better storage facilities will be required, and this directly affects the price of the hay. However, this is vital to ensure that the hay remains contamination free. Proper storage and handling practices will eliminate contamination. The farmer will have to ensure that his staff maintains a clean and well-aerated environment to store the product.
Alternative 3: Proper handing and transport of hay
This is very effective, because proper handling of the hay should be ensured to prevent contamination. Additional cost to the hay farmer since he needs to buy proper transportation equipment. Therefore, this will result in an increase of the overall price, which may in turn affect his sales. Increasing the cost of the hay may lead to many buyers reconsidering buying the product from him, but rater look for somewhere else selling the same quantity and quality at a cheaper price. Handling the hay in a safe and clean area will eliminates contamination of hay.
Alternative 4:
This is very effective alternative in eliminating contamination. As mentioned earlier, there is a possibility that the hay may have been contaminated once it left his farm. Therefore, this alternative is highly effective in eliminating any contamination that occurs after the purchase has been completed. It will also help his shift the blame from his hay farm in case any issues arise with a buyer. It will also ensure that the buyer does not contaminate the hay with poor storage and handling. The main drawback of this alternative is the amount of time needed to educate all new buyers. It may also discourage buyers from purchasing hay from his farm. This is particularly true in case a buyer considers that the procedures are too much and too costly. This may lead to the customer opting for a different hay seller. This in turn means that Mr. Arnold’s revenue and profits would decline.
