Low N Malting Barley.

[Farmer Fin]

How are people getting on with getting it shifted just now? We seem to be slowing right down and struggling with skinning big time. Has anyone managed to get their remaining 20% shifted yet with the buyer who told us to keep it on farm?

 

[Pebd99]

Nothing to be shifted. 850t in total rejected. 150t away but was borderline. Seems to be jumping 5% loading it into a lorry.

 

[Chae1]

@DrWazzock was getting down about 1 load rejected. Must be gutting to have 850t rejected. Hope the feed barley price continues to rise and you get a decent price for it

 

[Farmer Fin]

Nothing to be shifted. 850t in total rejected. 150t away but was borderline. Seems to be jumping 5% loading it into a lorry.

Sorry to hear that. Of the 150 away did they accept all that on futures?

 

[Pebd99]

Sorry to hear that. Of the 150 away did they accept all that on futures?

Thankfully 5 were on futures. The 1 on spot price minus skinning penalty leaves naff all to be desired for malting again.

 

[DrWazzock]

@DrWazzock was getting down about 1 load rejected. Must be gutting to have 850t rejected. Hope the feed barley price continues to rise and you get a decent price for it

It’s a sickening thing, but at least if it will go as feed and the price is rising so all is not lost. I have thankfully got my feed wheat away now without claim or rejection this time but I worry now that each load could come back until I know it’s been tipped. There is no straightforward alternative home for it. I will be pleased when this year’s over.

 

[Chae1]

It’s a sickening thing, but at least if it will go as feed and the price is rising so all is not lost. I have thankfully got my feed wheat away now without claim or rejection this time but I worry now that each load could come back until I know it’s been tipped. There is no straightforward alternative home for it. I will be pleased when this year’s over.

Stay strong! Don't let the b@stards grind you down.

 

[Hindsight]

Letter in todays edition of The Times.

Sir, Today marks one year since the US announced a 25 per cent tariff on single malt scotch whisky in retaliation for illegal subsidies granted by European governments, including the UK, to Airbus. The US is scotch whisky’s most valuable market, worth more than £1 billion of exports last year. The imposition of the 25 per cent tariff has had a devastating impact: exports fell by 32 per cent over the year, amounting to £360 million of losses.

Our businesses are losing sales and market share every day to competitors because our whiskies now have to be sold at higher prices. Covid-19 is compounding our difficulties and the situation is grave. Our businesses cannot sustain losses at this level indefinitely.

If tariffs cannot be lifted by the US presidential election, it could be months before a new administration returns to this issue, which would present a real risk to jobs and businesses in Scotland. The government must do its utmost to resolve this dispute urgently. Not to do so would be a crushing blow for free trade and for one of Scotland’s most successful exports.

Ewan Andrew, Diageo; Stephen Bremner, Tomatin Distillery; Alex Bruce, Adelphi Distillery; Jean-Christophe Coutures, Chivas Brothers; Alasdair Day, R&B Distillers; Bryan Donaghey, Whyte and Mackay; John Fordyce, Three Stills Company; John LS Grant, J & G. Grant, Glenfarclas Distillery; Andrew Hogan, Drinks Innovation UK; Liam Hughes, Glasgow Distillery Company; Simon Hunt, William Grant & Sons; Rebecca Jago, Last Drop Distillers; Caroline James, Vintage Malt Whisky Company; Scott Laing, Director, Hunter Laing & Co; Chris Leggat, Douglas Laing & Co; Martin Leonard, InverHouse Distillers; Ewen Mackintosh, Gordon & MacPhail; Colin Matthews, Loch Lomond Group; Scott McCroskie, Edrington; Thomas Moradpour, Glenmorangie Company; Stuart Nickerson, Malt Whisky Company; Ian Palmer, John Fergus & Co; Dr Nick Savage, Bladnoch Distillery; Sukhinder Singh, Speciality Drinks; David Sloan, MacDuff International (Scotch Whisky) Ltd; Fraser Thornton, Distell International

 

[Pebd99]

Letter in todays edition of The Times.

Sir, Today marks one year since the US announced a 25 per cent tariff on single malt scotch whisky in retaliation for illegal subsidies granted by European governments, including the UK, to Airbus. The US is scotch whisky’s most valuable market, worth more than £1 billion of exports last year. The imposition of the 25 per cent tariff has had a devastating impact: exports fell by 32 per cent over the year, amounting to £360 million of losses.

Our businesses are losing sales and market share every day to competitors because our whiskies now have to be sold at higher prices. Covid-19 is compounding our difficulties and the situation is grave. Our businesses cannot sustain losses at this level indefinitely.

If tariffs cannot be lifted by the US presidential election, it could be months before a new administration returns to this issue, which would present a real risk to jobs and businesses in Scotland. The government must do its utmost to resolve this dispute urgently. Not to do so would be a crushing blow for free trade and for one of Scotland’s most successful exports.

Ewan Andrew, Diageo; Stephen Bremner, Tomatin Distillery; Alex Bruce, Adelphi Distillery; Jean-Christophe Coutures, Chivas Brothers; Alasdair Day, R&B Distillers; Bryan Donaghey, Whyte and Mackay; John Fordyce, Three Stills Company; John LS Grant, J & G. Grant, Glenfarclas Distillery; Andrew Hogan, Drinks Innovation UK; Liam Hughes, Glasgow Distillery Company; Simon Hunt, William Grant & Sons; Rebecca Jago, Last Drop Distillers; Caroline James, Vintage Malt Whisky Company; Scott Laing, Director, Hunter Laing & Co; Chris Leggat, Douglas Laing & Co; Martin Leonard, InverHouse Distillers; Ewen Mackintosh, Gordon & MacPhail; Colin Matthews, Loch Lomond Group; Scott McCroskie, Edrington; Thomas Moradpour, Glenmorangie Company; Stuart Nickerson, Malt Whisky Company; Ian Palmer, John Fergus & Co; Dr Nick Savage, Bladnoch Distillery; Sukhinder Singh, Speciality Drinks; David Sloan, MacDuff International (Scotch Whisky) Ltd; Fraser Thornton, Distell International

Boohoo. My heart bleeds. They maybe are on hard times but us malting barley folk have only had 1 good year out of many crap ones. About time they had a hard time. They’ve had it their way for far too long.

 

[Hindsight]

Boohoo. My heart bleeds. They maybe are on hard times but us malting barley folk have only had 1 good year out of many crap ones. About time they had a hard time. They’ve had it their way for far too long.

Am not too sure how to reply to your post. I will ponder your comments.

 

[yellow belly]

i am planting half the area of Spring barley foR 2021 harvest
wheat Area will be double the spring barley area and is planted
given weather issues next harvest premiums could be sky high but will not base my busines on it

not had time to get 2020s tested for germ yet but so far the few sample tested are under 1.85 n
but at £5 premium will not be sending any to malting homes as rejection of 1 load takes the premium of 3 others
not seen any ergot with they have found it in the past at some intakes if they do not like the look of the sample

 

[Chae1]

I remember being told the label on a bottle of whisky costs more than the value of malting barley used to make one bottle.

Not sure how much truth in this.

 

[yellow belly]

I remember being told the label on a bottle of whisky costs more than the value of malting barley used to make one bottle.

Not sure how much truth in this.

Whiskey for sale to day has been in store for a few years
but with out malting barley to day no whiskey in 2030

 

[jd2013]

I remember being told the label on a bottle of whisky costs more than the value of malting barley used to make one bottle.

Not sure how much truth in this.

More money spent individually on the bottle, label and packaging than the barley contents! Probably more on entertainment and Christmas bonus !
The distillers up to the last couple of year had year on year record profits, one year loss is nothing compared to how they treat us gullible farmers.

 

[Andrew1983]

More money spent individually on the bottle, label and packaging than the barley contents! Probably more on entertainment and Christmas bonus !
The distillers up to the last couple of year had year on year record profits, one year loss is nothing compared to how they treat us gullible farmers.

As true as that is the first place they will turn to to shave costs so they can still have their bonuses and Xmas parties will be us.....

 

[M-J-G]

Nothing to be shifted. 850t in total rejected. 150t away but was borderline. Seems to be jumping 5% loading it into a lorry.

Never had a load of barley rejected before but we've given up sending them any more.
4 loads rejected, 10 to 13% skinned despite being 3 to 5% at home.
I was pi$$ed off one morning with a load sent back after testing 12% skinned at the maltings, I just told the lorry driver to have a cup of tea and turn around and take it back, and surprise surprise it was 4% when it went back.
Wankers!

 

[Chae1]

Never had a load of barley rejected before but we've given up sending them any more.
4 loads rejected, 10 to 13% skinned despite being 3 to 5% at home.
I was pi$$ed off one morning with a load sent back after testing 12% skinned at the maltings, I just told the lorry driver to have a cup of tea and turn around and take it back, and surprise surprise it was 4% when it went back.
Wankers!

That's a disgrace.

Shows how inconsistent
/unreliable there sampling processes are.

Also shows they aren't rejecting it because of name on passport and price it was sold for.

 

[Frodo]

That's a disgrace.

Shows how inconsistent
/unreliable there sampling processes are.

Also shows they aren't rejecting it because of name on passport and price it was sold for.

Is it really a surprise it varies as much. I had fields which went from burnt up in May to flat in July in 10m, yet put it all in the same heap so the sample was variable and
.

I guess my skinned grains came from the flat areas and other parts of the field would be ok.

With hindsight where possible we should have harvested it separately, but that takes time and I guess I hoped the good would pull the bad through, where unfortunately the opposite has happened.

yes the sample is ludicrously small, which is a problem for both parties, but what’s the alternative?

 

[Chae1]

Is it really a surprise it varies as much. I had fields which went from burnt up in May to flat in July in 10m, yet put it all in the same heap so the sample was variable and
.

I guess my skinned grains came from the flat areas and other parts of the field would be ok.

With hindsight where possible we should have harvested it separately, but that takes time and I guess I hoped the good would pull the bad through, where unfortunately the opposite has happened.

yes the sample is ludicrously small, which is a problem for both parties, but what’s the alternative?

The bad bits will be mixed through the load in my opinion?

By the times it mixed in grain tank as combine goes up and down field. Mixed in trailer as its unloaded and mixed with next tank. Mixed as its tipped in heap and pushed up. Mixed when loaded.

I'm maybe wrong. Happy to be corrected. We tried as you suggest cutting out drought stressed bits of fields and better parts separately and it made little to no difference when samples taken.

Another thing is, they never seem to hit the 12% screenings stuff when sampling in shed. It always seems to come to light when on the back of a lorry.

I'm never at maltings/intakes so no idea what happens. But on another thread its said its advised that samples taken from 8 points on trailer. Apparently this doesn't happen.

That's main thing I would propose as a alternative.

 

[Happy]

Never had a load of barley rejected before but we've given up sending them any more.
4 loads rejected, 10 to 13% skinned despite being 3 to 5% at home.
I was pi$$ed off one morning with a load sent back after testing 12% skinned at the maltings, I just told the lorry driver to have a cup of tea and turn around and take it back, and surprise surprise it was 4% when it went back.
Wankers!

Guessing Inglis rather than Bairds given your neck of the woods?