Andrew Blenkiron

Suffolk Serf · Apr 28, 2021

chaffcutter said:
Being Estates Manager for a huge business like that is pretty remote from the real job, he has a farm manager who is much closer to being an actual farmer, but I think most farmers relate far more to ‘true farmers’ who are managing their own risk in their own business.
Blenky has no risk of his own and must be almost 100% office based.

In his defence, the Estate has a 60 cow Red Poll suckler herd, all progeny finished or retained for replacements which he, of his own choice, does pretty much all of the work for, which gets him out of the office for an hour or two each day.
Also he seems to like doing quite a bit of practical stuff at weekends when he can get his mitts on a tractor/forklift.
Yes there is a farm manager and I think AB tries hard not to interfere.

Chris F · Apr 28, 2021

Clive said:
in this particular case it’s become advertorial for a private business hated by farmers - rather misguided business for FW !

i would rather read content from actual farmers not gravy train passengers

Given Red Tractor pay a lot of advertise in Farmers Weekly, I would imagine that gets them a fair bit of leeway.

SilliamWhale · Apr 28, 2021

Suffolk Serf said:
In his defence, the Estate has a 60 cow Red Poll suckler herd, all progeny finished or retained for replacements which he, of his own choice, does pretty much all of the work for, which gets him out of the office for an hour or two each day.
Also he seems to like doing quite a bit of practical stuff at weekends when he can get his mitts on a tractor/forklift.
Yes there is a farm manager and I think AB tries hard not to interfere.

All perfectly laudable.

However all very divorced from a lot of practical farmers whom he has labelled backstabbers for daring to criticise the silly rules, double standards and lack of premium of the scheme he is paid to represent. On the the RT front he is a very poor representative of farmers which is possibly not the role he is funded to do anyway - its more as a fluffer for RT.

We ragtag backstabbers have a point, and a very good one and yet what really gets on my nerves is how those we fund look down their nose at us.

Drillman · Apr 28, 2021

SilliamWhale said:
All perfectly laudable.

However all very divorced from a lot of practical farmers whom he has labelled backstabbers for daring to criticise the silly rules, double standards and lack of premium of the scheme he is paid to represent. On the the RT front he is a very poor representative of farmers which is possibly not the role he is funded to do anyway - its more as a fluffer for RT.

We ragtag backstabbers have a point, and a very good one and yet what really gets on my nerves is how those we fund look down their nose at us.

All very good and valid points,

i never read articles like his really for all the above reasons, Far more interesting to hear of the trials and tribulations of the one man band dealing with knackered buildings and kit on a daily basis, and who’s only staff is the wife who is expected to drop everything at a moments notice to do a parts run so whatever ancient machine can be bodged back together, or expected to stand in the correct place with a length of blue pipe to chase whatever has escaped back to where it was supposed to be!

Edit- all of the above sounds just like my farm!

Flat 10 · Apr 28, 2021

chaffcutter said:
Being Estates Manager for a huge business like that is pretty remote from the real job, he has a farm manager who is much closer to being an actual farmer, but I think most farmers relate far more to ‘true farmers’ who are managing their own risk in their own business.
Blenky has no risk of his own and must be almost 100% office based.

I agree. How many 4400ha estates are there owned by Arabs? Absolutely not typical. And as such not a good “farmer” representative on either the RT board or the FW. I reiterate he is probably a perfectly nice chap to talk to but I don’t take kindly to being called a backstabber from his ivory tower.

Clive · Apr 28, 2021

Chris F said:
Given Red Tractor pay a lot of advertise in Farmers Weekly, I would imagine that gets them a fair bit of leeway.

....................surely not !

Great use of members money that .................. advertising to farmers

Flat 10 · Apr 28, 2021

Drillman · Apr 28, 2021

Clive said:
....................surely not !

Great use of members money that .................. advertising to farmers

I still have no idea what red tractor are trying to achieve by advertising?

after all its not like they have anything to sell is it?

After all as farmers we mostly have to have there silly stickers to sell our products, the majority of processors and end users couldn’t care less about the logo, and the whole thing is despised by the ones who pay the lions share of the money into making it happen!

It be far better if us farmers actually saw a return on our investment in RT but as it stands we get nothing but hassle and a reduction in taxable profits....

maybe I’m thick but I just don’t get it!

Chris F · Apr 28, 2021

Drillman said:
I still have no idea what red tractor are trying to achieve by advertising?

after all its not like they have anything to sell is it?

After all as farmers we mostly have to have there silly stickers to sell our products, the majority of processors and end users couldn’t care less about the logo, and the whole thing is despised by the ones who pay the lions share of the money into making it happen!

It be far better if us farmers actually saw a return on our investment in RT but as it stands we get nothing but hassle and a reduction in taxable profits....

maybe I’m thick but I just don’t get it!

I was told they spent a LOT on advertising the consultation. They must have forgot about all the farmers that spend time online and given the money to subsidize Blinkies column in Farmers Weekly.

farmerfred86 · Apr 28, 2021

Drillman said:
I still have no idea what red tractor are trying to achieve by advertising?

after all its not like they have anything to sell is it?

After all as farmers we mostly have to have there silly stickers to sell our products, the majority of processors and end users couldn’t care less about the logo, and the whole thing is despised by the ones who pay the lions share of the money into making it happen!

It be far better if us farmers actually saw a return on our investment in RT but as it stands we get nothing but hassle and a reduction in taxable profits....

maybe I’m thick but I just don’t get it!

Im still amazed that a national supermarket (Sainsburys) has publicly dropped RT with little comment. How can they possibly be adding value to farmers if the end users aren't interested.

Suffolk Serf · Apr 28, 2021

Flat 10 said:
I agree. How many 4400ha estates are there owned by Arabs? Absolutely not typical. And as such not a good “farmer” representative on either the RT board or the FW. I reiterate he is probably a perfectly nice chap to talk to but I don’t take kindly to being called a backstabber from his ivory tower.

It isn't owned by Arabs.

Bury the Trash · Apr 28, 2021

Suffolk Serf said:
It isn't owned by Arabs.

Mexicans?

Suffolk Serf · Apr 28, 2021

Bury the Trash said:
Mexicans?

As English as they come.

7610 super q · Apr 28, 2021

Klingons ?

Robt · Apr 28, 2021

Suffolk Serf said:
As English as they come.

Yes and the estate owners are a great family that do hours and hours of charity work all without fuss.

Drillman · Apr 28, 2021

farmerfred86 said:
Im still amazed that a national supermarket (Sainsburys) has publicly dropped RT with little comment. How can they possibly be adding value to farmers if the end users aren't interested.

Red Tractor adds no value to my bottom line

it’s costs me money to be part of there cartel without which I couldn’t sell 1/2 of what I produce.

Blenkiron and his mates at RT towers have effectively stabbed me in the back!

Brisel · Apr 28, 2021

Euston Estate is owned by the Duke of Grafton

7610 super q · Apr 28, 2021

As an aside, can you imagine Klingons putting up with all this RT guff ?

Bury the Trash · Apr 28, 2021

7610 super q said:
As an aside, can you imagine Klingons putting up with all this RT guff ?

View attachment 957459

Funnily enough that's what i imagine @roscoe erf looks like

Boysground · Apr 28, 2021

7610 super q said:
As an aside, can you imagine Klingons putting up with all this RT guff ?

View attachment 957459

He looks like he just failed an audit.

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Andrew Blenkiron

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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