Why do you deal with your Grain Merchant?

[Hay Hoe Lets Mow]

I was thinking earlier the reasons people deal with the grain merchants they do, obviously there are several different reasons but what is important to you:

Financial Security?
Pay the best prices?
Supporting small local merchants?
Good relationship with local Rep?
Access to unique grain contracts?
Good market information?
Service levels (admin, haulage, payment)?
Access to local markets mills / ports / stores?
History?
Etc etc....

What do people value....

 

[chipchap]

As in most things in life, it’s all about the people you deal with and how you get on, or don’t as the case may be. I tend to deal with people who fight my corner when I deserve their support, and treat me with the respect I feel I deserve.

 

[bobk]

The ones I know who will pay me .

 

[John Slejpner]

Both of the above.

 

[Wiltshire Bob]

The UK companies, those that support British Agriculture.

 

[Banana Bar]

She’s my wife!

 

[Happy]

Because they are the only two ever to try and get my business!

In 25 years I’ve only had one grain merchants rep phone or turn up looking for new business. He’s one of them. The other took over from old rep at firm we were already dealing with.

 

[teslacoils]

Simplicity. Almost all of it now goes to Frontier. They send feed to Flixborough which is an easy, quick tip which gives us feedback in the hour. They market our quality grain through woldgrain. I get on well with their rep who tollerates my annoying questions as he knows he's getting the grain in the end.

I buy all my inputs through a buying group.

I haven't heard from my open-field rep in five years. I fully expect now I'm only making 400t of grain that noone will be calling me on spec.

 

[T Hectares]

I deal with several companies, the majority goes through a couple but they all have their benefits and markets

It pays to cast the net wide when getting bids as prices can vary over £6/t on the same day !!

One thing I have learnt is to stick to merchants, an idea we had to be mutually beneficial with a direct market is the only arrangement I've had so far that hasn't ended well

 

[Wombat]

Because even though we are small he treats me as a customer.

 

[Barleymow]

Never have any claims, pays within a week of movement, advance payments if needed too.Shame he is in his 80's never had a written contract not needed

 

[Lincsman]

A lot of "He's" here, I have found some of the younger "she's" put more effort into the job and get results, sadly one went to pastures new last year... Becca for anyone in East Yorks?

 

[DrWazzock]

Because he has never messed me about, always stuck to his word and always paid. He has often done his best to help me out, finding homes for some more challenging quality levels such as bushelweight in 2012 and sometimes borderline moisture levels but for my part I am always up front with them anyway and don't try to pass stuff off. Huge company but good reps and service.

 

[Brisel]

My best buyer was the late Fiona Cobbold at Frontier. When she rang to say that today was a good day to sell, it always was right. Got a good contact at ADM now.

I deal with 4 regularly. Each have their good points and bad. One firm isn't great on feed barley but good on the rest. I have a good relationship with all of them. The ones who have messed me around don't get much business, if any.

 

[Banana Bar]

She’s my wife!

To be fair she doesn’t get all of my grain!
Mainly use Frontier, Openfield and HAM, about 40% goes to Camgrain and about 5% to Fengrain.
ADM will never be used again after being royally shafted on a pea contract this year.

 

[chipchap]

One load going bad is often enough to leave a bad taste in one’s mouth.

 

[snarling bee]

Most of the above.

 

[snarling bee]

Frontier. When she rang to say that today was a good day to sell, it always was right.

Normally when Frontier rang me up, I'd wait 3 weeks and then sell. It had almost always gone up.
I only deal with Frontier now through a contract customer. My rep left and I haven't heard from them since.

 

[DanniAgro]

I remember the "good" ole days 30 years ago when, if my then grain merchant phoned up to ask if I wanted to sell, I knew that the market was going to rise sharply, so it was better to sit back for a month and get that increase for myself. Thank good that cut throat is history now. Of course, you could say that it was kind of him to let me know that markets were rising.
Nowadays I use Western Arable, since my small sales mean that no larger buyer would be interested, and they treat me pretty well considering the tiny profit I must make for them.

 

[Green oak]

I like to deal with merchants that can get me 12 lorries in a day. Not ones who do one a day for a fortnight.