Loophole that should be shut.
Camgrain
- Thread starter Neddy flanders
- Start date
You can still use them for grain aswel to start with, exactly what others have suggested doing and then converting....
That's what we have done. We are happy with our decision. Of course when I get the bill, as I did yesterday for the annual charges it can look a lot, but it's the only cost that covers all the costs, I expect if those against it added up every penny that this year charge covers they would be surprised,
Why ?
- Location
- Lincolnshire
A large number of UK jobs rely on creating, exploiting and policing loopholes. Their existence is govt policy.
Capped drying in a really difficult harvest like this will pay for quite a few years worth of handling charge in cheap drying costs and quality preservance.
Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Hi, I am always intrigued by the capped drying charge. I appreciate why it is put in place. To encourage harvesting to maintain quality. And as a 'service' to members. But drying wet grain does use fuel, and the wetter it is the more fuel and time is used. So who within the membership ends up paying for the capped drying charge.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
The capped drying enables the store to run more days, as members crack on and cut when previously they wouldn't. This means for the growers a chance to get more days out of a combine and cut before quality reduces or grain is lost from over fit crops. For the store this means fewer backlogs and more efficient haulage. Which means everyone wins through cheaper overall costs and better timeliness, and the option to get work done.
As an efficient coop, I expect most members are happy knowing the facility is there, even if they do not "win" every year. Two years ago we had two out of 18 days cutting wheat at under 16 percent. I know the cost of a combine, carting team, and cultivator stood doing nothing. It's higher than a small share in some extra fuel.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
So, I suppose we all pay for the extra fuel. But as overall store costs have reduced since it was introduced, perhaps we have all won?
And don’t forget it’s a co-op we are in it together working together. Different years will affect different areas of the membership rain wise.
this year all drying has been capped retrospectively regardless of when the actual cap was bought in.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
This is especially so no we are using a contractor at harvest. They can cut mine at 20 percent and I really don't care as long as the ground is fit. More efficient than buying my own combine and being patient.
Hindsight
Member
- Location
- Lincolnshire
Thank you.
This is a good point. It certainly increases combine capacity. We start at 8-9 in the morning pretty much regardless unless it’s stupidly wet to benefit from the low drying costs. This then allows timely establishment of osr/cover crops, mole drainage and cultivation’s etc. No waiting around for it to be fit after lunch. That extra 4 hours cutting on a harvest day soon adds up in the season.
Another point is me and dad do 1200ha with part time help. We can essentially shut down from the end of drilling until spring works starts as she goes off and does other work. If you look at the whole picture, not just singular costs, are committed To the co op and structure the farming business around the grain storage business it can work incredibly well.
- Location
- Lincolnshire
None of this "just leave it another day to see" or "few green in the tramlines" or "well, August is statistically the wettest month" or "dust will fly next week" or "September is traditionally the harvest month".
Drive around and you'll soon see who got their barley cut promptly and shifted it to a store, and who cut it five weeks later when half was on the ground.
Cut, chased by contractor. Then carted, cleaned, dried, stored, cooled, sampled, checked, kept for a year, weighed, outloaded, maintained, cleaned for next year by central store.
Drive around and you'll soon see who got their barley cut promptly and shifted it to a store, and who cut it five weeks later when half was on the ground.
Cut, chased by contractor. Then carted, cleaned, dried, stored, cooled, sampled, checked, kept for a year, weighed, outloaded, maintained, cleaned for next year by central store.
You can’t just tease us then step back!
Just my view - for added value grain eg. milling wheat, stores like Camgrain is an excellent marketing tool. There is a place for CS depending on your circumstances and systems.
Cost implications of being late can soon add up. Waiting for volunteers to chit then pushing drilling back. Loss of quality. Soil damage. I’d rather spend money being early than lose money being late!
- Location
- Northumberlandia
Some grain coop bashing whats all this then ?
Here was me thinking there the farmers friends n all that.
My Grain Coop is certainly no such a bad thing yes there is bills to pay it doesnt do what it does for nowt
But what its very very good as is picking up grain often 19/20% & higher depending on weather n season within a day or two & it gets dried so saves its quality
and all graded correctly then stored until its sold at your control basically.
With there being far far less staff on farms these days & poss less proper storage not to mention no drying setups i'll just stick to my grain coop thanks.
Oh look there will be a Silo Surplus Payment next month.... big thx lads... how many other stores hand that out i wonder ?
Here was me thinking there the farmers friends n all that.
My Grain Coop is certainly no such a bad thing yes there is bills to pay it doesnt do what it does for nowt
But what its very very good as is picking up grain often 19/20% & higher depending on weather n season within a day or two & it gets dried so saves its quality
and all graded correctly then stored until its sold at your control basically.
With there being far far less staff on farms these days & poss less proper storage not to mention no drying setups i'll just stick to my grain coop thanks.
Oh look there will be a Silo Surplus Payment next month.... big thx lads... how many other stores hand that out i wonder ?
Woldgrain Storage
Member
- Location
- Hemswell, North Lincs
This is the key to the whole cooperative ethos; sharing risk and reward.
If you view your neighbouring growers as competitors rather than allies, then CS is probably not for you.
strawturner
Member
- Location
- East Midlands
I've been involved with camgrain in the past, this was when I used to work alongside someone who had a fair few tonnes of storage with them. For that particular persons situation it was perfect as the arable farm really wasn't there primary concern there was no long term grain storage or drying facilities on farm. So it was often a case of crack on when possible combining and hope camgrain can pick the material up quickly as temporary storage was outside (they were woeful at this most of the time) this is exactly where they came into there own as there was no additional drying or cleaning charges even when the heap was growing (frequently).
However, when there was some spare storage available a couple of years ago I sold some milling wheat to make up the shortfall, and couldn't quite believe the charges involved with the process, to the point that I think I would of been better off selling the wheat ex farm in September for feed (£15 milling premium at this point) that was without any charge for the initial investment.
So having that small amount of involvement in the past I would avoid using central stores where possible, and only really use them in the following two instances.
1. Obtaining a medium term FBT for a large area with no storage a long way from home
2. Being offered commercial values rental for old grain stores long term (I'd likely build other stores over this though if the capital was available)
However, when there was some spare storage available a couple of years ago I sold some milling wheat to make up the shortfall, and couldn't quite believe the charges involved with the process, to the point that I think I would of been better off selling the wheat ex farm in September for feed (£15 milling premium at this point) that was without any charge for the initial investment.
So having that small amount of involvement in the past I would avoid using central stores where possible, and only really use them in the following two instances.
1. Obtaining a medium term FBT for a large area with no storage a long way from home
2. Being offered commercial values rental for old grain stores long term (I'd likely build other stores over this though if the capital was available)