Milk Price- Please read Mod note in post #1

WheatenBriar wrote: »

No it wouldn't be Ulster
BoI have aiui a 40 k discretion but only acount managers managing customers over 1million in borrowings
BoI can and do same day approvals up to 40k if you have the paperwork sorted, payment capacity, good record with them etc if you get me?
Some banks are quicker and better than others but all need you to makea winnable case

Getting money too easy can cause problems too.

Anyone follow the Ian potter newsletters? He is UK based so its generally UK dairy news but an interesting different type of article went out today questions what the UK dairy farmers are at:

Dear Reader

IP Dairy Farmer Article – March 2016

Retailer aligned contracts account for around 12% of UK milk production, but scoop a whopping 20% of the UK’s total milk revenue and it’s heading towards 25% according to my fellow dairy farmer hack and Provision Trade Federation market watcher, Chris Walkland.

For the majority of the remaining 88% of you it’s extremely tough indeed, and many are fighting for survival. One struggling farmer recently emailed me to say “the non-aligned continue to work like silly b***ers sinking deeper into the s**t while all around us the aligned walk on water at our expense”. I don’t disagree.

Today, there is an ocean of information pushed at dairy farmers, most of which is pretty basic, and telling them what they should be doing to stay in business, how to cut cost and be more competitive. One document which caught my eye was a set of questions emailed to me by lawyer William Neville of Savills. Having carefully studied these questions the way ahead for a dairy farmer and his/her family should be clearer. The questions were:

1. Have you the mind-set to take control of your own destiny? Or do you feel bewildered and a hopeless victim of circumstances?

2. Is dairy farming right for you and your family? What are your plans for inheritance? Are you doing the right thing for your non-farming family members?

3. What will you need to invest in your facilities in the next 10 years? How will you fund it and justify it?

4. Do you REALLY know your cost of production?

5. What is the realistic future milk price? Are you looking at the evidence or living on hope?

6. Have you worked out whether you are producing what your milk purchaser really wants? i.e. Are you maximizing your return under your milk contract?

7. What are you really paying yourself per hour? What can you afford to pay yourself and remain competitive? Would you be better off paying someone else and trying to add value to other parts of the business? What are your other skills? How much could you earn off farm part-time or full-time?

8. Might there be a day when you will find yourself stranded without a milk purchaser at all?

9. Are you buying all your inputs at best prices, and when did you last check alternatives?

10. Are you ruthlessly and honestly benchmarking your performance and constantly trying to identify ways to incrementally improve performance?

11. Have you got your eyes open for niche opportunities even if they start small?

12. Do you have the right skills for the technologically and market driven global dairy industry of the future?

I suggest every non-aligned farmer living in the real world goes through those questions with your partner and family members.
Today, most dairy farmers face the most financial pressure they have ever encountered, with income crashing. Individual performance may have improved, but workload and bills are increasing.
Dairy farming and life on a farm is full of pleasures and challenges and for many it has been a dream of a profession and an ideal place to bring up a family. But now it’s time for many to face up to the fact that their lifestyle is under threat and it could be the end of the line.
It’s no longer possible to succeed by getting up earlier, staying out on the farm later and pushing yourself harder. The number of hours you work outside will NOT determine your success or failure as a dairy farmer, but it will push you and precious relationships to breaking point. Faster or harder working hands are unlikely to turn around a loss making situation, and to those of you who have asked me when prices will return to normal, and quoting figures of 30 to 35ppl, I say this: you could be in dreamland. Nothing, but nothing, says normal will be 30 to 35p. Normal could as easily be 24p going forward.
Too many farmers I know, if they were honest, are married to their cows and the farm and in second place comes the children, followed by the wife and the marriage unless (as in some cases) the dog comes in at number 2 position!

At what cost do you intend to keep the family dairy farm going? Are you prepared to sacrifice everything – for example your own health and happiness, your family’s happiness, your marriage or will you sacrifice the dairy unit to retain them all? It’s a massive decision to give up dairy farming but it’s not the end of the world. It’s more you taking control and having a change of direction with new opportunities and challenges. Sadly, recently I have heard of dairy farmers cashing in their pension just to keep the wheels turning. Please… don’t be afraid of change, its part of surviving.
Oh, and if you are aged c.40 plus and still reporting in to your father, who realistically still looks upon his son or daughter as a glorified farm worker who still needs his guidance, then my advice is to not put up with this situation and get out now. And don’t get me started on those who have never had a proper holiday away from the farm, thinking that 30 years or so of consecutive milking is a badge of honour. Frankly that is tragic.
One dairy farmer once said to me: “When I drive my car up hill I simply push down harder on the pedal.” To do that in an attempt to maintain your identity and dignity as a dairy farmer is unlikely to succeed. Another reader asked me this: “Do I listen to my heart, my accountant/consultant or my family?” Easy answer this one: your family.
The questions and this article won’t give you all the answers but I hope it stimulates debate and questions for you and your family. Remember, you are NOT letting anyone down if you change and get out of dairy farming. But you will be letting you and your family down if you don’t change and do the best thing for your family. Whatever you decide to do, good luck and I hope it works out for you.

Glanbia CEO talking on radio 1 at the moment.

case885 wrote: »

Glanbia CEO talking on radio 1 at the moment.

Will the glanbia loan be for 15 or 20 years what intrest rate?????????????????/

Priced around for fert and saved A nice few pound.

Glanbia were the best by a long shot.

Asked them about meal and they were out by 30/40 euros.

Why is this?

mf240 wrote: »

Priced around for fert and saved A nice few pound.

Glanbia were the best by a long shot.

Asked them about meal and they were out by 30/40 euros.

Why is this?

Bought most my fert from Glanbia last year, but totally off the mark this year, the 7e/ton rebate doesn't help it at all. As for meal, think I only got one load off Glanbia all of last year, I do ask the odd time for a price, and they usually come in all enthusiastic with a good price on some sorta "good" nut, but the main ingredient being soya hulls or some other rubbish.

frazzledhome wrote: »

No, different rate and term

with bank of ireland again?

pedigree 6 wrote:

Just thinking are we just becoming the northern hemisphere new Zealand with EU rules and regulations? And by that I mean having our own dairy auction.

Are the platform prices published as the trade takes place?

I wasn't sure when I looked at it, couldn't find any product prices.