Farmers Weekly: Growers Call For New Grain Assurance Standard

[Grass And Grain]

Call for new grain assurance system to end 'double standards' - Farmers Weekly

A group of farmers has suggested solutions to the “double standards” that allow grain importers easier access to UK feed mills than domestic food

www.fwi.co.uk

 

[Grass And Grain]

Levels the playingfield.

Equal to imports standard already accepted by mills.

Red Tractor can still exist and serve end users who reqiire it.

RT grain might even be able to provide a genuine premium.

What's not to like? Why not?

 

[farmerm]

AIC won’t let it happen, it would harm the cartel.

 

[Clive]

a NFU led working group …….. who have a massive conflict of interest / vested interest …. … are looking into the situation

you couldn’t make it up could you !

 

[David.]

NFU and RT will be desperate to keep the lid on this insurrection, to maintain the racket.

 

[DrWazzock]

About time too. Open up assurance to some competition.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Reasoning why this suggestion works on the twitter thread...

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1440951840733077513

 

[Grass And Grain]

About time too. Open up assurance to some competition.

Yes, competition.

It's something RT has been lacking, and why they are complacent, and haven't worked hard enough to produce a price premium for growers.

This makes RT innovate and try to be better at what they do.

It gives farmers choice.

It gives mills choice.

It will create a system which is market led, and premium led. Imagine that!

 

[Jimdog1]

Great article and well done to all concerned. Clearly, there are many inconsistencies on imported versus home produced and the rules applied to each. Time to lift the lid and ask questions in each sector as we enter this new era of zero support.

 

[warksfarmer]

It’s all on companies house. Below taken from elsewhere and is just a copy.

AIC is similar to RT in that it is a Ltd company without shareholders and acts as the holding company for AIC services Ltd that operates the assurance schemes and membership. AIC has 14 directors which change regularly so you assume are elected positions. AIC services has 6 directors, which change less often so again assume are permanent management positions. Some have positions on both boards, again assume this is for supervision by the holding company.

What has shocked me the most is the breadth of our supply chain that the AIC has its tentacles in via directorships. I guess it's no surprise really that Fert suppliers, chemical suppliers, feed mills, etc would be among them, but also what I thought were farmer co-ops and the BSPB.

I have listed below the directors of both the AIC companies and each directors affiliation through either shared directorships or implied by correspondence address.

Agricultural Industries Confederation Ltd. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/00316783/officers

SHEASBY, Robert Charles​

Secretary of AIC and AIC services.

BARRON, Robin Mcintyre Scott​

General manager AIC

BELL, Samantha Emma​

Commercial director AIC.
Head of sales and marketing AIC services
CF fertilisers given as correspondence address on AIC services listing.

BILLINGTON, Declan George​

Holds a total of 21 directorships, mostly in NI covering a range of animal feed and agricultural production. Also a couple of other trade associations.
https://find-and-update.company-inf...cers/Anc_NNbvViiJYYg7SRXItN9b1yg/appointments

BOOTH, Angela Margaret​

Correspondence address implies a link to AB Agri - British Sugar, Trident feeds, ABN.

CHRISTENSEN, Simon Paul​

Directorships with Fengrain, Southampton Grain terminal and Hemswell Farmers.
Correspondence address given as Frontier Agriculture Ltd.

CLAYTON, Christopher​

Directorships with Sentry and Agronomy Connection
Correspondence address given as Agrovista UK

DALTON, Matthew John​

Among others, a directorship with JE & VM Dalton Ltd - Dalmark

GUEST, Christopher Michael​

Correspondence address given as Gleadell Agriculture

MAJOR, Nicholas Charles​

Directorships with CIELivestock and ForFarmers UK

MCSHANE, Andrew​

Directorships with Hutchinsons, Chemical and Agricultural Services and Cropstar Ltd (c/o Procam UK)

NEWBY, Andrew David​

Directorships with KWS, Twyford Seeds, CPB Twyford, Huntseeds and The BSPB.

RICHARDSON, Andrew Mark​

Directorships with the William Thompson Group (Thompson Feeds, Jubilee Milling)

WORRELL, Mark John​

Directorships with Openfield and Hemswell Farmers



Agricultural Industries Confederation Services Ltd. https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/04925061

SHEASBY, Robert Charles​

Secretary of AIC and AIC services.

BATTLE, Charles Richard​

Directorship with FG Battle and Sons (Farmers? near Lincoln?)

BELL, Samantha Emma​

Commercial director AIC.
Head of sales and marketing AIC services
CF fertilisers given as correspondence address on AIC services listing.

KELLEY, John Michael Walton​

Directorship with the Trade Association Forum (what the hell could that be?)

RICHARDSON, Andrew James​

Correspondence address implies a link to Volac

RYLAND, Mark John​

Directorships with MDM driver training and Mark Ryland Associates.


Interesting also is looking at the list of resigned directors we see people who have been representing NIAB, The VI, Testing services, BASIS and so much more. This is basically an organisation made up of our Customers, Suppliers, Advisors, Regulators and Marketing Organisations. Is it any wonder that Farming is such hard work and near impossible to scrape a profit?

We are in the middle of a scandalous conspiracy built to work against us. Except this isn't a conspiracy theory. It's the TRUTH.

If any of you recognise any of the names above or know them, I suggest some strong words are dealt.

 

[SilliamWhale]

a NFU led working group …….. who have a massive conflict of interest / vested interest …. … are looking into the situation

you couldn’t make it up could you !

Its ridiculous. Someone truly independent would be better if they want it to be even taken slightly seriously

 

[Widgetone]

So in the meantime are YOU going to review doing business with any of the associated companies then?
In no particular order, the likes of - Frontier, ADM/Gleadell, KWS, AB Agri, Openfield, and Agrovista?

 

[teslacoils]

It's a collection of merchants and end users working together *against* UK farmers.

 

[Steevo]

So in the meantime are YOU going to review doing business with any of the associated companies then?
In no particular order, the likes of - Frontier, ADM/Gleadell, KWS, AB Agri, Openfield, and Agrovista?

Doesn't leave many people left after that lot....

Cofco?

I find it interesting that Openfield are on that list bearing in mind they claim to be a farmer owned co-operative.

 

[Grass And Grain]

So in the meantime are YOU going to review doing business with any of the associated companies then?
In no particular order, the likes of - Frontier, ADM/Gleadell, KWS, AB Agri, Openfield, and Agrovista?

No, I'm not.

Why support grain traders and mills who don't support us. They need to realise who their customers are (UK farmers).

Why would any farmer support a mill or trader that elects to purchase imports under Standard A, but asks UK farmers to supply under Standard A+++.

With the +++ costing the UK farmer cash.

If I were these companies, I'd be on to AIC to repair the damage.

 

[Grass And Grain]

Gosh. Openfield, farmer owned, but if that info is correct, have a director of AIC, and AIC (Services) make market access for Openfield's farmer owners more difficult to grain mills.

It's unbelievable.

 

[teslacoils]

There are representative of many farmer coop stores. That guarantees supply so mills (also represented) don't need to worry.

 

[Steevo]

Gosh. Openfield, farmer owned, but if that info is correct, have a director of AIC, and AIC (Services) make market access for Openfield's farmer owners more difficult to grain mills.

It's unbelievable.

According to a poll I ran six months back on here - 25% of the people who responded sold through Openfield.

That's a surprising number of people who "in theory" should have control over their farmer owned co-operative to address such issues.

Sadly I get the feeling they are probably about as accountable to their members as the NFU are to theirs.

 

[Widgetone]

CF Fertilisers on the listing is also fairly topical atm - and now the taxpayer is directly funding their plant !

 

[Drillman]

As an NFU member I expect them to take steps to level the playing field for its members

if they have a conflict of interest they should step well away from the AIC and red tractor companies.