Blood sucking ahdb

[Spud]

What about the other 660 who have joined us are you are saying the same to all them, but the real statement that hits below the belt is that they now say they got it wrong and are now going to radically change well cheers for that chaps, all the produce we put through our Packhouse they now say that should not have been included in our turnover, so we should be do a refund then , fat chance they have spent it, the rent alone for their offices is £750,000 per annum.

If the other 660 haven't bothered seeking out some value for their levy, then yes, the same applies.
If you put the effort in and give feedback, change can happen.
Doing nowt for years then moaning it's cost you a load of money is like not mending a puncture then moaning when the rims knackered.
It's really not complicated at all.

 

[White rabbit]

If the other 660 haven't bothered seeking out some value for their levy, then yes, the same applies.
If you put the effort in and give feedback, change can happen.
Doing nowt for years then moaning it's cost you a load of money is like not mending a puncture then moaning when the rims knackered.
It's really not complicated at all.

Come on spud you are trying to defend the indefensible, if these people had been giving us good advice we would have embraced it, I had three ahdb top people on the farm and if you listened to them their comments were embarrassing they have no concept what it takes to run a sizeable veg business, a group tried to hold a ballot in 1995 and got absolutely nowhere, we only got this chance because of that pathetic review (0.45%) response which they tried to run with.

 

[Spud]

Have you asked AHDB for advice in the last 2yrs? Attended any meetings? What do you expect, a personal invitation hand delivered, and chauffeur driven limo to get you there?
You do actually have to put a bit of effort in yourself

 

[Henarar]

Have you asked AHDB for advice in the last 2yrs? Attended any meetings? What do you expect, a personal invitation hand delivered, and chauffeur driven limo to get you there?
You do actually have to put a bit of effort in yourself

For what he is paying that wouldn't be to much to ask

 

[Spud]

For what he is paying that wouldn't be to much to ask

'for what he is paying' - surely the fairest way of charging levy has to be size relative? Why should the big boys pay less per capita than smaller growers? No one (despite wr's protestations) forces growers to big scale.
If a grower rents 1000acres does he get it cheaper per acre than renting 100? Thought not.

 

[White rabbit]

Have you asked AHDB for advice in the last 2yrs? Attended any meetings? What do you expect, a personal invitation hand delivered, and chauffeur driven limo to get you there?
You do actually have to put a bit of effort in yourself

Do you use them spud, and why should we be forced to pay them, no other industry would put up with such a situation, I don’t see why I should pay for something I haven’t asked for, you wouldn’t pay for a load of Fert you didn’t order .

 

[White rabbit]

'for what he is paying' - surely the fairest way of charging levy has to be size relative? Why should the big boys pay less per capita than smaller growers? No one (despite wr's protestations) forces growers to big scale.
If a grower rents 1000acres does he get it cheaper per acre than renting 100? Thought not.

Yes exactly henarar what am I paying for , we don’t need anything from them we run our own business I am not a charity organisation.

 

[Henarar]

'for what he is paying' - surely the fairest way of charging levy has to be size relative? Why should the big boys pay less per capita than smaller growers? No one (despite wr's protestations) forces growers to big scale.
If a grower rents 1000acres does he get it cheaper per acre than renting 100? Thought not.

Thought that would provoke a remark

 

[Henarar]

Yes exactly henarar what am I paying for , we don’t need anything from them we run our own business I am not a charity organisation.

So if they provided a limo would you vote to keep them ?

 

[White rabbit]

So if they provided a limo would you vote to keep them ?

No but I must have provided them with several.

 

[Spud]

Yes, of course I utilize the services available that are applicable to my business to get value for my levy (I'm paying for them aren't I!)

Sometimes, you have to look at the greater good. You must remember that not every grower is as large as yourself, nor have wish to be. Less scale usually dictates more difficult justification of experimentation. (Unless said super size operation overstretches oneself, gets greedy and goes bang.....it's happened before, and it will again)
If every capita of crop grown contributed a small amount to a central pot, controlled and spend by a board with grower representation, then research and development can be done to a deeper level for the benefit of a larger amount of growers, and do a lot of good for british agriculture.
It'd be dull carry on if we all worked in isolation and against each other.
There is always more to be gained by working together than against people.

 

[White rabbit]

Yes, of course I utilize the services available that are applicable to my business to get value for my levy (I'm paying for them aren't I!)

Sometimes, you have to look at the greater good. You must remember that not every grower is as large as yourself, nor have wish to be. Less scale usually dictates more difficult justification of experimentation. (Unless said super size operation overstretches oneself, gets greedy and goes bang.....it's happened before, and it will again)
If every capita of crop grown contributed a small amount to a central pot, controlled and spend by a board with grower representation, then research and development can be done to a deeper level for the benefit of a larger amount of growers, and do a lot of good for british agriculture.
It'd be dull carry on if we all worked in isolation and against each other.
There is always more to be gained by working together than against people.

You might have that in your sector, in the veg industry a grower would stab you in the back to get your customer, and as for working together you must joking you obviously think our sector works like yours , let me assure you it does not, the ahdb thinks knowledge exchange is a good idea which just goes to show how naive they are , some growers have had fellow growers going round supermarkets checking product then calling the supermarket buyer and complaining that it is poor quality and theirs is better just to try and get the order.

 

[Spud]

You might have that in your sector, in the veg industry a grower would stab you in the back to get your customer, and as for working together you must joking you obviously think our sector works like yours , let me assure you it does not, the ahdb thinks knowledge exchange is a good idea which just goes to show how naive they are , some growers have had fellow growers going round supermarkets checking product then calling the supermarket buyer and complaining that it is poor quality and theirs is better just to try and get the order.

What are you worried about, are you not very good at what you do? Why would your customer change supplier if what you supply them with is good?
Are you really so arrogant that you cannot learn from others?
If the market is as you suggest, then there are clearly too many suppliers, so why you all seem hell-bent on expanding to oversupply a dog eat dog market is beyond my logic.
Smaller is often better - less night shifts for a start!!

 

[White rabbit]

What are you worried about, are you not very good at what you do? Why would your customer change supplier if what you supply them with is good?
Are you really so arrogant that you cannot learn from others?
If the market is as you suggest, then there are clearly too many suppliers, so why you all seem hell-bent on expanding to oversupply a dog eat dog market is beyond my logic.
Smaller is often better - less night shifts for a start!!

I am afraid spud you have no idea on the veg industry ,from the outside you may think it straight forward ,let me assure you it far from it, the only way you will understand is to come and have a few days with us, it will blow your mind.

 

[Spud]

I am afraid spud you have no idea on the veg industry ,from the outside you may think it straight forward ,let me assure you it far from it, the only way you will understand is to come and have a few days with us, it will blow your mind.

I might well take you up on that post covid, do a bit of learning. It sounds like being in prison, with regular beatings, and no way out. Torture.

 

[White rabbit]

I might well take you up on that post covid, do a bit of learning. It sounds like being in prison, with regular beatings, and no way out. Torture.

What is your sector spud ,how much levy do you pay that is if you know.

 

[Spud]

What is your sector spud ,how much levy do you pay that is if you know.

Potatoes, Cereals, sugar beet, pulses, pigs. I know what my levy is, but see no reason to tell you.

 

[White rabbit]

Potatoes, Cereals, sugar beet, pulses, pigs. I know what my levy is, but see no reason to tell you.

Why it’s not like I am asking for a bank statement.

 

[Spud]

Why it’s not like I am asking for a bank statement.

Good job. It's none of your business. Why do you want to know?

 

[Tarw Coch]

Why it’s not like I am asking for a bank statement.

His buisness, his choice, I certainly wouldn’t respond to such a request.
Spud has revealed quite a bit about his buisness over the years on this forum, if you were more involved in the forum as a whole you might know more