Serviced agronomists, do they take advantage of the customer?

[An Gof]

Been to our local crop group meeting tonight which was an open book on chemical prices.
I came home flabbergasted. Can you believe that there are service agronomists who are charging their customers OVER £90 for a 10L can of 500g a.i. CTL

They would do well to remember the old adage “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you”
Some of the group were spending OVER £150/Ha on their fungicide programmes for WW. Think there’s some agronomy companies that need a lesson on sustainability.

 

[teslacoils]

In answer to the question.....yes.

If there ever was to be a "fitness to farm" test, I think having a service agronomist would / should be an auto failure.

Although my crystal ball suggests that ag chem is about to get a darned sight trickier for all involved. Closed transfer; seed and chem packages "exclusive" to a supplier etc.

 

[Chalky]

Service agronomist I knew for quote business told me years ago that there is a tiered system for clients. Not necessarily sure it is area based, but there are costs in spending time on smaller units, and maybe some premium is justified. He was there weekly. As the post suggests, there are some fairly hefty differences between quote & service at times.

I am not an agronomist I hasten to add-just a realist.

 

[MF 168]

I've found that your agronomist is only as good as yourself really. If you just let them work away you'll be getting the dearest stuff on the shelf and advised to lash it on. A bit of knowledge on a few sprays as well as chatting to others farmers on their spray programs can be a bit of an eye opener. Remember agronomists are first and foremost sales men/women and sales means a bonus for them.

 

[neilo]

Very few independent agronomists around these parts, and plenty of large arable units (1000+ ac) seem happy enough to pay serviced prices for some reason.

Of course the agronomist’s time & knowledge should be costed in to serviced prices, and small producers should be paying a larger premium than those that have large acreages, but there is a tendency to take the pee imo.

 

[An Gof]

Very few independent agronomists around these parts, and plenty of large arable units (1000+ ac) seem happy enough to pay serviced prices for some reason.

Of course the agronomist’s time & knowledge should be costed in to serviced prices, and small producers should be paying a larger premium than those that have large acreages, but there is a tendency to take the pee imo.

I thought the CTL was bad until I found out what they were being charged for Adjust. That’s seriously expensive CCC.
Judging by what I pay for 750g CCC supply only the equivalent cost of Adjust was 600% higher there must be some seriously good snake oil in their as well

 

[Dolomite]

Interesting topic as we have been wondering about this this very year. Chemical isn’t cheap and neither is a good agronomist. It’s just knowing if you are paying a fair price overall or been had for fool. That said, the wheat is at the moment clean and the barley is also.

 

[teslacoils]

Anyone on here who feels they might buy Adjust is welcome to message me, and I will drive over and put them on the straight and narrow.

 

[ih1455xl]

This is the T1 recommendation from angry agronomist that is asked how much per Ha when he threw his toys out of the pram and told us he wouldn't be our agron any more glad I didn't put it on at £55/ha

 

[all_arable]

This is the T1 recommendation from angry agronomist that is asked how much per Ha when he threw his toys out of the pram and told us he wouldn't be our agron any more glad I didn't put it on at £55/ha

If what you did is on the right, you still didn't drop the Kantor [emoji23]

 

[ih1455xl]

If what you did is on the right, you still didn't drop the Kantor [emoji23]

None of it went on a angry lorry came and picked it all up the next morning

 

[Martyn]

You guys must be in mega yeild ground, makes my 1.75/2tonne a acre organic look very profitable, honestly dint know your shear costs

 

[Warnesworth]

This is the T1 recommendation from angry agronomist that is asked how much per Ha when he threw his toys out of the pram and told us he wouldn't be our agron any more glad I didn't put it on at £55/ha

I love the fact that the agronomist wanted to spend more on the blend than the single variety. Clearly didn’t grasp the concept!

 

[An Gof]

This is the T1 recommendation from angry agronomist that is asked how much per Ha when he threw his toys out of the pram and told us he wouldn't be our agron any more glad I didn't put it on at £55/ha

T1 here £38.21/Ha

Adexar + CTL + CCC + MnSO4

 

[Chae1]

If what you did is on the right, you still didn't drop the Kantor [emoji23]

£1/acre

 

[rob1]

join Niab and a buying group and do your own recs. there are of course good and bad serviced agronomists,

 

[ih1455xl]

 

[ih1455xl]

Dropped it from 55 to 23 £/ha now use niab
will be interesting if we get evicted from the angry brackely crop trials

 

[robbie]

Dropped it from 55 to 23 £/ha now use niab
will be interesting if we get evicted from the angry brackely crop trials

You'll be fine. I dropped angry and they still send me invites to all there meetings in the region, I've even still got there basic NDVI thingy-ma-jig as I'm "customer". They're thick skinned so you'll be fine.

 

[AndrewM]

Saved 20-30% on agchem bill after completing my basis and moving to supply only with a different firm