farming's civil war is coming

Jackov Altraids · Jun 11, 2021

DrWazzock said:
Fully agree with all of that.
However, being realistic I don’t think we will ever get away from the need for some kind of basic assurance. If the NFU had kept it basic rather than embellishing it then I would have respect for them but the remit of the scheme grows ever larger each year and is no longer solely concerned with basic food safety but is moving into socio environmental ethical areas which while being “nice to haves” for the high end grocery trade, aren’t really needed for exported feed barley. In many cases all that is needed is a signed declaration for example to say that crops aren’t grown on protected habitats. But no, they want a full blown mass balance which really typifies the way a small simple basic requirement is blown out of all proportion and used as an excuse to heap even more unnecessary paperwork on the farmer most likely with the hidden agenda of ensuring the farmer passes no non assured grain through his business. A crafty but of RT Surveillance by the back door.
I find it hard to believe the NFU allowed this through in this form.

Absolutely.

When the very good NFU bod's came to speak to me they asked what would make me reconsider cancelling my membership.
As they said the NFU would not support the ending of RT in anyway I said there were 2 choices.

1, They have to ensure that there is no compulsion to be RT. There must clear paths to sell produce not RT.

or 2, RT must have a basic level which is free [or have a nominal fee] with a higher level of assurance that has to make itself financially viable.

I think they agreed but weren't hopeful.

JP1 · Jun 11, 2021

Sid said:
You are wrong but I don’t know how the two entwine.
Mutual agents are also nfu group secretary's.

And no need for that language!

As far as I understand it NFU pay their Group Secretaries (a small pittance) monthly fee - they are self employed - to arrange the same old rounds of meetings and committees , the rest they rely on commission income divvied up between the Agency Principles so the is actually a massive link and incentive to promote and keep the NFU brand ........................................................................................................................

DrWazzock · Jun 11, 2021

The NFU should have wholly and solely owned a basic scheme from day one. There shouldn’t be customer representatives on the RT board. It’s too cosy and results in a shopping list of “nice to haves” shoe horned in by the grocers but paid for by the farmers. Standards should be a hard nosed commercial negotiation not a popularity contest.

DrWazzock · Jun 11, 2021

I can’t see why the NFU couldn’t have inspected members farms using their own staff as part and parcel of the membership fee. That would have been a fee worth paying and a true farmer run scheme standing up wholly for the commercial interests of farmers. Democratic and accountable to members. Not hijacked by the grocers.

DrWazzock · Jun 11, 2021

In any other industry I’ve worked in there was always fierce resistance to higher standards across the board unless these were specifically requested, costed and paid for or were statutory requirements enforced by legislative bodies.
The mass balance calculation is a case in point. So we need to prove that no crops are grown on environmentally valued habitat if we are to export to they EU. Fair enough. We all have cropping maps of our farms for years now so all that’s needed is a simple declaration that none of that cropped land was an a special habitat. Five second job to sign off a declaration. But no, they agree to a mass balance calculation. Well I can’t see what that adds to proving crops aren’t grown on special habitats. It just adds more cost in terms of time and administration. So why was that agreed to by farming members of the board. Were they asleep?

D14 · Jun 11, 2021

Red Tractor is not a legal requirement so just don't join and adapt your farming business around not being members such as growing feed wheat instead of milling. In a bad price year you will loose nothing and in a good price year you might loose £25/t milling premium.

DrWazzock · Jun 11, 2021

You can’t sell feed wheat in any quantity without being in RT. Ironically I can sell it to the public though, if they want it.
Roadside potato sales were good in that respect. No RT, never inspected by anyone. Safe quality product. Everybody happy. And my customers inspected my premises every time they collected a bag and could view my records if they desired.

D14 · Jun 11, 2021

DrWazzock said:
You can’t sell feed wheat in any quantity without being in RT. Ironically I can sell it to the public though, if they want it.
Roadside potato sales were good in that respect. No RT, never inspected by anyone. Safe quality product. Everybody happy. And my customers inspected my premises every time they collected a bag and could view my records if they desired.

Sorry but this is not true. I have had contact with 6 merchants recently and all of them will buy none assured feed wheat but cannot give a milling premium.

DrWazzock · Jun 11, 2021

D14 said:
Sorry but this is not true. I have had contact with 6 merchants recently and all of them will buy none assured feed wheat but cannot give a milling premium.

Well I can’t find any merchant in Lincs who will take it in any significant quantity. I do like being paid reliably as well.

Jackov Altraids · Jun 11, 2021

D14 said:
Sorry but this is not true. I have had contact with 6 merchants recently and all of them will buy none assured feed wheat but cannot give a milling premium.

That is good for you but it depends on what you produce and where you produce it.
There are many who have no choice and the way things are heading, it is you that will lose the choice rather than others gain one.

DRC · Jun 11, 2021

I can see why people are in the NFU now. They send young ladies out to help you learn how to drive a tractor and operate machinery

Watching Clarkson on Amazone prime .
I bet your all so happy your subs are being used to such good effect

GeorgeK · Jun 12, 2021

It's our love of farming that's our undoing and what's being used against us, we're a retailer's wet dream. They know full well if it's the only way to keep farming we'll lap up all of the shite that comes our way and fall over ourselves to operate at a loss and subsidise their profits with diversification and off farm income. Madness really

nick... · Jun 12, 2021

How many smaller farmers can see themselves being forced out due to ever increasing costs for no benefits.i think our time is getting short.
nick...

tullah · Jun 12, 2021

Jackov Altraids said:
Absolutely.

When the very good NFU bod's came to speak to me they asked what would make me reconsider cancelling my membership.
As they said the NFU would not support the ending of RT in anyway I said there were 2 choices.

1, They have to ensure that there is no compulsion to be RT. There must clear paths to sell produce not RT.

or 2, RT must have a basic level which is free [or have a nominal fee] with a higher level of assurance that has to make itself financially viable.

I think they agreed but weren't hopeful.

Can't think why they "weren't hopeful" when it's in their power to do away with it. More silly excuses from Nfu.

Tarw Coch · Jun 12, 2021

D14 said:
Sorry but this is not true. I have had contact with 6 merchants recently and all of them will buy none assured feed wheat but cannot give a milling premium.

I wonder where they’re selling it to, the vast majority of feed compounders and certainly all the major ones sell RT assured feed so need RT assured grain............ don’t they?

steveR · Jun 12, 2021

Tarw Coch said:
I wonder where they’re selling it to, the vast majority of feed compounders and certainly all the major ones sell RT assured feed so need RT assured grain............ don’t they?

Winalot??

Tarw Coch · Jun 12, 2021

steveR said:
Winalot??

Don’t they make dog food?
Aren’t dogs carnivores?

DeeGee · Jun 12, 2021

Tarw Coch said:
Don’t they make dog food?
Aren’t dogs carnivores?

That is a grossly offensive question!
Some of us canines are proud to be vegetarian, and indeed many of us are now openly embracing vegan diets.
How dare you generalise about us dogs in a manner that stinks (yum yum) of antiquated establishment stereotypes!

You Sir, are a prime example of the tail wagging the dog!
You eternally cling on to your antiquated perception that we are all heterosexual flesh eaters, without even mentioning the fact that many of us seriously question our role in modern society; and whether LBGTQ and vegan bow wows can play an increasingly important role in overturning such deeply entrenched cano phobic views as your own.

Now, be a good fellow and throw my ball for me to retrieve, and then reward me with a nice vegan bone.

B'o'B · Jun 12, 2021

Tarw Coch said:
I wonder where they’re selling it to, the vast majority of feed compounders and certainly all the major ones sell RT assured feed so need RT assured grain............ don’t they?

Perhaps they should all be required to do an ongoing “mass balance” calculation and give us all the data? Fairs fair surely?

Tarw Coch · Jun 13, 2021

DeeGee said:
That is a grossly offensive question!
Some of us canines are proud to be vegetarian, and indeed many of us are now openly embracing vegan diets.
How dare you generalise about us dogs in a manner that stinks (yum yum) of antiquated establishment stereotypes!

You Sir, are a prime example of the tail wagging the dog!
You eternally cling on to your antiquated perception that we are all heterosexual flesh eaters, without even mentioning the fact that many of us seriously question our role in modern society; and whether LBGTQ and vegan bow wows can play an increasingly important role in overturning such deeply entrenched cano phobic views as your own.

Now, be a good fellow and throw my ball for me to retrieve, and then reward me with a nice vegan bone.

You little doggy can do as you please but I can assure you my dogs will continue eating any cleansing they find, peeing on anything they like and humping anything they can whilst you chase your little ball.

farming's civil war is coming

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Up to 25%

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100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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