Farm Management companies..... the way forwards?

gatepost

Member
Location
Cotswolds
What do you mean by asset stripped, precisely?
Every thing that wasn't screwed down, and some bits that were, dairy went, right down to the water heater, every trailer incl the shepherds, tried to run for a year borrowing lamb creeps! and a trailer for the sheep from another estate they ran locally. No infrastructure left.
 

neilo

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Montgomeryshire
Every thing that wasn't screwed down, and some bits that were, dairy went, right down to the water heater, every trailer incl the shepherds, tried to run for a year borrowing lamb creeps! and a trailer for the sheep from another estate they ran locally. No infrastructure left.

You mean they released capital tied up in depreciating assets?:whistle:

Would these be the same farms that have been running all arable for a few years, got into trouble with blackgrass and now will have to spend a fortune if they want to get back into mixed farming with livestock? I'm sure a wise consultant will be able to advise them how to do so shortly.(y)
 
You mean they released capital tied up in depreciating assets?:whistle:

Would these be the same farms that have been running all arable for a few years, got into trouble with blackgrass and now will have to spend a fortune if they want to get back into mixed farming with livestock? I'm sure a wise consultant will be able to advise them how to do so shortly.(y)

You can't possibly want any more livestock re-entering your marketplace though Neil? Those days are gone, surely, they will never find the labour today?
 

gatepost

Member
Location
Cotswolds
You mean they released capital tied up in depreciating assets?:whistle:

Would these be the same farms that have been running all arable for a few years, got into trouble with blackgrass and now will have to spend a fortune if they want to get back into mixed farming with livestock? I'm sure a wise consultant will be able to advise them how to do so shortly.(y)
I think you might be right, strange how the 'company' got to fly around in a helicopter, who pays for that?, A whole new type of harvest. However in this case there was a flock which stayed, and much to the shepherds surprise the flock was running at a loss and would also have to go, only to find out that there had been an £18/ewe management fee being collected for absolutely no Input, oh how he laughed:banghead:
 

Clive

Staff Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lichfield
As one management team member was heard to say to another just before a meeting with a new prospective client, 'give me half an hour to sell the concept'. That estate was asset stripped out to the point of no return, then your stuck with the blighters.

recently tendered a contract farm against such a company and above is exactly what they are doing !
 

unlacedgecko

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Fife
That sounds expensive....(y)

Well, I don't work for free... But compared to the hassle and expense of an employed shepherd (with the dramas of accommodation, holiday cover, vehicles/plant, yards etc) I like to think I'm competitive.

Tractor drivers to do the lookering then contractors to the management tasks and lambing etc? I reckon that would be a very cost effective method of running a large flock. Especially if it was a closed self replacing flock bred along low input lines.
 

Brisel

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Midlands
I'm interested in the rise of various farm management companies. Are they a wise way to go? Are they best practice?

They have well trained managers. Expect good budgeting and technical agronomy. Centralised buying means good pricing on inputs and machinery, with access to grain contracts not always available to everyone else. Depending on the company you may or may not be funding layers of regional line managers and support staff.

Where these guys catch a cold is in their expansion programme - paying top dollar for land rents and profit shares will leave them squeaking over ever smaller margins in the hard times. Short term contracts with landlords known to change contractors regularly hardly encourages a long term view.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 81 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 68 35.4%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.6%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.6%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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