Farmers have a reputation for being pretty poor at co-operating. All too often they prefer to operate in isolation rather than pooling resources and sharing information.
At Farmers Weekly we want to see that change - especially when it comes to sharing data on input prices.
That's why we have joined forces with the NFU to re-launch the Inputs Price Monitor at this week's Cereals 2009 - an on-line survey that enables farmers to anonymously declare how much they are paying for things like red diesel, ammonium nitrate and glyphosate.
This information will then be analysed each month and compiled into a report that the whole industry can benefit from.
It's really easy to use. Simply log onto www.fwi.co.uk/nfu-IPM or even better click on this link, which takes you through to the live survey form where you can start entering your data. It takes just 10 minutes.
We know there is a strong demand for this sort of information......
Research we did earlier this year revealed that 90% of farmers considered information on input prices as "important" or "essential" to their businesses.
What's more, 71% said they would be willing to share this information with their fellow farmers.
Obviously, converting those words into action is the real challenge. But the more who take part, the better the results, providing a really useful benchmarking and negotiating tool.
This really is about farmers helping themselves in the marketplace. So why not log onto the survey form now and make your contribution to the Inputs Price Monitor. Thanks!
| Tweet |
|
I suggest that farmers should compare their input and output prices across the globe. It is not a matter of comparison alone, but of transparency of profits earned by suppliers. Industry personnel lead lavish lifestyles and far better off than the farmers they are supposed to serve.