2022 Sugar beet price not enough

robbie

Member
BASIS
And that's why beet buggers the ground up now, it's not the seasons or the land it's the fact modern harvesters can work when they should be parked up.

We used to run our 3 row on a new holland 7840 on 13.6 tyre on 60 inch, now have 130 with boost to 165 and it plays with it but is more manoeuvrable that the 7810.
Dad did run it on his 2140 fastrac and that was good with 4 wheel steer.
 
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DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
I had the call from the farm research unit today asking my opinion of various things to do with British Sugar. I was scraping mud off the drill discs at the time but I did answer the questions. But what struck me as bizarre was why don’t BS management themselves just ring farmers direct if they want to know how we feel or what we think. Are we really so unapproachable or do they not want to lower themselves to speak to the peasants. We are all intelligent reasonably personable human beings so we can talk openly and frankly can’t we?
I did ask my “manager” about the delays at Newark recently but the reply was like a prerehearsed script. “Talk to your haulier.” Well I do talk to my haulier and he’s tearing his hair out because they are knocking permits off. A better explanation from the factory as to what the problem is., and when it will be fixed is what I’m looking for. Some would say that is none of my business but actually it is my business as beet is backing up in farms quite considerably.
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
I had the call from the farm research unit today asking my opinion of various things to do with British Sugar. I was scraping mud off the drill discs at the time but I did answer the questions. But what struck me as bizarre was why don’t BS management themselves just ring farmers direct if they want to know how we feel or what we think. Are we really so unapproachable or do they not want to lower themselves to speak to the peasants. We are all intelligent reasonably personable human beings so we can talk openly and frankly can’t we?
I did ask my “manager” about the delays at Newark recently but the reply was like a prerehearsed script. “Talk to your haulier.” Well I do talk to my haulier and he’s tearing his hair out because they are knocking permits off. A better explanation from the factory as to what the problem is., and when it will be fixed is what I’m looking for. Some would say that is none of my business but actually it is my business as beet is backing up in farms quite considerably.
Sorry you find that, always got on very well with my fieldsman and any senior management I have met
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
Sorry you find that, always got on very well with my fieldsman and any senior management I have met
I have always got on well with them in person so why do I need to be called up by a third party research agency to ask how I am feeling about British Sugar? It seems a bit unnecessary. It smacks of corporate BS. In fact the questions asked were obviously designed to assess my fieldsmans competence. Well if a senior manager from BS calls me and asks me what I think of my fieldsman I'll tell him straight that he's a decent knowledgeable bloke. I don't need to be giving him marks out of 10 for a lot of esoteric questions from some bird in Felixstow.
My particular gripe at the moment is the slow intake at Newark. There was some sort of email weeks ago about it, but no update since. No communication on this matter. I am sure they are working hard to fix it, but it would reassure us all as suppliers and show a bit more commitment to the long term future of the business if we were updated on the progress of measures being taken to restore throughput. All we hear are rumours from lorry drivers who were told something by the bloke who sweeps the yard, which are more damaging than keeping us in the picture. Meanwhile only 12% of beet has been shifted off farm so far, compared to 25% in a normal year. That isn't any fault of my fieldsman. It's a problem of competence of higher management in BS.
 

Flat 10

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Fen Edge
I have always got on well with them in person so why do I need to be called up by a third party research agency to ask how I am feeling about British Sugar? It seems a bit unnecessary. It smacks of corporate BS. In fact the questions asked were obviously designed to assess my fieldsmans competence. Well if a senior manager from BS calls me and asks me what I think of my fieldsman I'll tell him straight that he's a decent knowledgeable bloke. I don't need to be giving him marks out of 10 for a lot of esoteric questions from some bird in Felixstow.
My particular gripe at the moment is the slow intake at Newark. There was some sort of email weeks ago about it, but no update since. No communication on this matter. I am sure they are working hard to fix it, but it would reassure us all as suppliers and show a bit more commitment to the long term future of the business if we were updated on the progress of measures being taken to restore throughput. All we hear are rumours from lorry drivers who were told something by the bloke who sweeps the yard, which are more damaging than keeping us in the picture. Meanwhile only 12% of beet has been shifted off farm so far, compared to 25% in a normal year. That isn't any fault of my fieldsman. It's a problem of competence of higher management in BS.
I would also be frustrated by slow intake and lack of communication.
 

Bob Jones

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Essex
Slightly misleading maybe from British Sugar.
 

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Goffer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorkshire
Feed wheat was £190/t when sugar beet prices for 2022 announced. Feed wheat now is £214/t
No wishing to sound anal but after multiple emails to renew our contract we put pen to paper and worked it all out . We even used bs spreadsheet example in one instance. All in 30t/ac crop cost £19.98/t to produce . More the yield lesser obviously the cost .We need to aim very high to remain in profit .
 

Rookie

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincs / Notts
No wishing to sound anal but after multiple emails to renew our contract we put pen to paper and worked it all out . We even used bs spreadsheet example in one instance. All in 30t/ac crop cost £19.98/t to produce . More the yield lesser obviously the cost .We need to aim very high to remain in profit .
So last year, I doubt if anybody made any money growing beet as yields were poor.
This year 30+t is achievable but if we get hit with beet yellows virus again next year then we will be in the same position as last year. Not good!😢
 

DrWazzock

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincolnshire
This is our last harvest. Finally decided. Harvester worn out and can’t justify replacing it or getting contractors in for 20 acres.
Some sadness but a heck of a lot of relief as well. It’s always been a bit of a battle from start to finish. A long slog into ever worsening conditions. Won’t miss it, but good luck to those carrying on.
 

alomy75

Member
No wishing to sound anal but after multiple emails to renew our contract we put pen to paper and worked it all out . We even used bs spreadsheet example in one instance. All in 30t/ac crop cost £19.98/t to produce . More the yield lesser obviously the cost .We need to aim very high to remain in profit .
£1500 per Ha?! I assume you’re on weedy ground? I’ve cut my inputs to the bare minimum this year; 2 herbicides, 1 fungicide, no insecticides and it’s done 78t/Ha. It’s like any crop; you have to identify cost efficiencies everywhere. Already stopped ploughing for beet; might toy with strip till as the next step if we carry on with beet after next year…
 

Goffer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Yorkshire
£1500 per Ha?! I assume you’re on weedy ground? I’ve cut my inputs to the bare minimum this year; 2 herbicides, 1 fungicide, no insecticides and it’s done 78t/Ha. It’s like any crop; you have to identify cost efficiencies everywhere. Already stopped ploughing for beet; might toy with strip till as the next step if we carry on with beet after next year…
We worked on 5 Yr av costs , seed @1.2 units ha. All workings , interrow cultivation where needed harvesting , extra tractors and trailers for lifting , teleporter on pad too heap up .Damage to roads . 50% first wheat after 50% spring cropping after offset £300/ha rent factored in as a flat rate across the farm . £190/ha all chemical including trace elements
 

Rookie

Member
Arable Farmer
Location
Lincs / Notts
This is our last harvest. Finally decided. Harvester worn out and can’t justify replacing it or getting contractors in for 20 acres.
Some sadness but a heck of a lot of relief as well. It’s always been a bit of a battle from start to finish. A long slog into ever worsening conditions. Won’t miss it, but good luck to those carrying on.
You’ve finally, finally decided...??
I’m still tied into 1 more year on about 75% of my contract. Probably reduce area for next year if I get a fair bit ‘c’ beet and put field in with spring barley instead.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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    Votes: 79 42.2%
  • Up to 25%

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  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.0%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

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

    Votes: 7 3.7%

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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