All things Dairy

Martyn · Jul 15, 2022

Where is our dairy industry heading?!

So iv had a milk buyer who had been chasing me, since the beginning of the spring, they kept our contact details from 6 years ago when we enquired about contacts while moving tenancys.

Anyway after persistent pushing they came out on farm yesterday, told us they are looking for 10-15m extra litres.

Asked what we currently did, then went on to say you basically need to times output by three fold, to be offered a contract, they want all farms 1.5m minium but looking for 2m + farms.

So I said, so you expect me to give up our beef/our cereal and go soul cows only basically, will involve staff and moving away from our more family based system. I'm happy and am upping cows but not to that extent, and want to keep a sensible work life balance.

I find it funny a milk buyer is looking for milk, but feels they can dictate there expectations, they will happily brand them selves as grazing based, green etc

They can jog on I'm.afraid, i do get the impression the buyers all expect to deal with 5-10m litre units in a few years time

Dragon · Jul 15, 2022

Martyn said:
Where is our dairy industry heading?!

So iv had a milk buyer who had been chasing me, since the beginning of the spring, they kept our contact details from 6 years ago when we enquired about contacts while moving tenancys.

Anyway after persistent pushing they came out on farm yesterday, told us they are looking for 10-15m extra litres.

Asked what we currently did, then went on to say you basically need to times output by three fold, to be offered a contract, they want all farms 1.5m minium but looking for 2m + farms.

So I said, so you expect me to give up our beef/our cereal and go soul cows only basically, will involve staff and moving away from our more family based system. I'm happy and am upping cows but not to that extent, and want to keep a sensible work life balance.

I find it funny a milk buyer is looking for milk, but feels they can dictate there expectations, they will happily brand them selves as grazing based, green etc

They can jog on I'm.afraid, i do get the impression the buyers all expect to deal with 5-10m litre units in a few years time

Dontcha know you need atleast 300 cows to be a dairy farmer Martyn??

Dragon · Jul 15, 2022

I'm some surprised if thats the very local one to you. They would describe themselves as the family dairy.
Most dairies still have sma producers which "fit" the milk round, although they do seem at a disadvantage because of the volume payments even if there very close to the factory.

Tim G · Jul 15, 2022

Martyn said:
Where is our dairy industry heading?!

So iv had a milk buyer who had been chasing me, since the beginning of the spring, they kept our contact details from 6 years ago when we enquired about contacts while moving tenancys.

Anyway after persistent pushing they came out on farm yesterday, told us they are looking for 10-15m extra litres.

Asked what we currently did, then went on to say you basically need to times output by three fold, to be offered a contract, they want all farms 1.5m minium but looking for 2m + farms.

So I said, so you expect me to give up our beef/our cereal and go soul cows only basically, will involve staff and moving away from our more family based system. I'm happy and am upping cows but not to that extent, and want to keep a sensible work life balance.

I find it funny a milk buyer is looking for milk, but feels they can dictate there expectations, they will happily brand them selves as grazing based, green etc

They can jog on I'm.afraid, i do get the impression the buyers all expect to deal with 5-10m litre units in a few years time

I feel that much of the current under supply in milk is down to these processors wanting fewer and bigger farms. No one has wanted the small guys, the start ups etc. and until they do I think they will keep losing suppliers as they eventually retire or have enough. Went on a farm recently which, without doubt was very well run, but 500 plus cows living their lives on concrete, stuff that. We both said if thats what dairy farming is coming to we'd rather out.

Jdunn55 · Jul 15, 2022

Cows 'n grass said:
Are you still calving and serving? I thought you were aiming for a shorter block next spring?

I'll send you a message

Martyn · Jul 15, 2022

Dragon said:
I'm some surprised if thats the very local one to you. They would describe themselves as the family dairy.
Most dairies still have sma producers which "fit" the milk round, although they do seem at a disadvantage because of the volume payments even if there very close to the factory.

The same firm who offered us a milk contract when we tendered for the farm, but withdrew it for no obvious reason once we got the tenancy

family firm

they have been ringing lots and ignored it, then couple weeks ago I was driving up to Exeter market with my wife and the rang on the way an u ignored it, and she said you just well see what they have to say for them selves, they rang again that afternoon so I agreed a visit.
What's the point of us all growing into labour needing units to all locally fight over the very small pool of local labour, I can only see one person winning abd that isn't the farmer.

som farmer · Jul 15, 2022

we always blame the processors, they are probably in a similar situation to us, being screwed down by their customers, the big retailers.
with milk short, they gain leverage, and pass some money back to us.

just as we are told to increase efficiency, so are they, big pick ups, are cheaper than small ones.

the future, will be processors, with a close pool of producers, producing milk, that is exactly what that processor requires.

Headless chicken · Jul 15, 2022

Martyn said:
The same firm who offered us a milk contract when we tendered for the farm, but withdrew it for no obvious reason once we got the tenancy family firm they have been ringing lots and ignored it, then couple weeks ago I was driving up to Exeter market with my wife and the rang on the way an u ignored it, and she said you just well see what they have to say for them selves, they rang again that afternoon so I agreed a visit.
What's the point of us all growing into labour needing units to all locally fight over the very small pool of local labour, I can only see one person winning abd that isn't the farmer.

Maybe that’s their plan? Currently milk prices are climbing and they are finding a desperate way to control the market again

In the pit · Jul 15, 2022

som farmer said:
we always blame the processors, they are probably in a similar situation to us, being screwed down by their customers, the big retailers.
with milk short, they gain leverage, and pass some money back to us.

just as we are told to increase efficiency, so are they, big pick ups, are cheaper than small ones.

the future, will be processors, with a close pool of producers, producing milk, that is exactly what that processor requires.

In a perfect world yes, in reality it won’t ever happen

som farmer · Jul 15, 2022

In the pit said:
In a perfect world yes, in reality it won’t ever happen

why ?

Dead Rabbits · Jul 15, 2022

Martyn said:
Where is our dairy industry heading?!

So iv had a milk buyer who had been chasing me, since the beginning of the spring, they kept our contact details from 6 years ago when we enquired about contacts while moving tenancys.

Anyway after persistent pushing they came out on farm yesterday, told us they are looking for 10-15m extra litres.

Asked what we currently did, then went on to say you basically need to times output by three fold, to be offered a contract, they want all farms 1.5m minium but looking for 2m + farms.

So I said, so you expect me to give up our beef/our cereal and go soul cows only basically, will involve staff and moving away from our more family based system. I'm happy and am upping cows but not to that extent, and want to keep a sensible work life balance.

I find it funny a milk buyer is looking for milk, but feels they can dictate there expectations, they will happily brand them selves as grazing based, green etc

They can jog on I'm.afraid, i do get the impression the buyers all expect to deal with 5-10m litre units in a few years time

Don’t feel too bad. New processing plant one state over. Not interested unless you are near the 10k mark. 10k cows that is.

In the pit · Jul 15, 2022

som farmer said:
why ?

If your short of milk as a processor your not going to be stupid enough to get rid of someone with 2000 cows supplying white water because you want high solid milk. When it’s all put in a massive silo it really all the same

Farmer Keith · Jul 15, 2022

All this chat about heatwaves… meanwhile in Cumbria

Tim G · Jul 15, 2022

Farmer Keith said:
View attachment 1049558All this chat about heatwaves… meanwhile in Cumbria

Swap you?

som farmer · Jul 15, 2022

In the pit said:
If your short of milk as a processor your not going to be stupid enough to get rid of someone with 2000 cows supplying white water because you want high solid milk. When it’s all put in a massive silo it really all the same

no, but you don't need to take on new small producers, either. Passing by, and picking up a smaller amount, is very different to travelling to a smaller producer especially.
Last time l went to the Netherlands, there was talk of collection, every 3 days, l think some were already on three day collection, that would make a big difference.

A different matter, the one time we claimed for milk lost, through weather, snow, the claim was rejected, if we had storage for 2 days, which was new to me, and the broker, we got paid, because we had more than 3 days storage. One has to read the small print, which the broker re-did, and lucky for us, found out we could get paid, on tanks with 3 days storage. Basically they were saying one pick up, was our loss, they would only pay-out after that.

Farmer Keith · Jul 15, 2022

Tim G said:
View attachment 1049559
Swap you?

You can’t swap back mid winter though!

In the pit · Jul 15, 2022

som farmer said:
no, but you don't need to take on new small producers, either. Passing by, and picking up a smaller amount, is very different to travelling to a smaller producer especially.
Last time l went to the Netherlands, there was talk of collection, every 3 days, l think some were already on three day collection, that would make a big difference.

A different matter, the one time we claimed for milk lost, through weather, snow, the claim was rejected, if we had storage for 2 days, which was new to me, and the broker, we got paid, because we had more than 3 days storage. One has to read the small print, which the broker re-did, and lucky for us, found out we could get paid, on tanks with 3 days storage. Basically they were saying one pick up, was our loss, they would only pay-out after that.

Then it come to distance ,the further you travel the more smaller producers the more you can pick up to top up the lorry

som farmer · Jul 15, 2022

In the pit said:
Then it come to distance ,the further you travel the more smaller producers the more you can pick up to top up the lorry

very simplistic view, each farm you stop at, takes time, time costs money, especially at todays drivers rates.
Mate gets a 2ppl bonus, because he can fill an artic up, daily.

TheRanger · Jul 15, 2022

som farmer said:
very simplistic view, each farm you stop at, takes time, time costs money, especially at todays drivers rates.
Mate gets a 2ppl bonus, because he can fill an artic up, daily.

130k a year that's costing the processor then?

Jdunn55 · Jul 15, 2022

TheRanger said:
130k a year that's costing the processor then?

But how much are they saving on time and fuel - must be more than 130k otherwise they wouldn't do it! Scary when you think about it

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