Every time the Joint Venture Farming group (JVFG) produces the results of benchmarking we take away things to do that benefit our own business in Buckinghamshire. The main lesson for us recently has been how much output is possible from modern, well-maintained machinery.
Changing machinery for the better
The JVFG demonstrated to us how much additional work other members in the group were getting from their machinery when compared to our operation. We decided to make changes: we cut our fleet of drills from two to one.
Driving down drilling costs
We were previously running a 6m Vaderstad Rapid for cereal establishment and a 4m Horsch Sprinter for rape and bean establishment. Our drilling costs were high at £14.38 /ha drill cost compared to what we learned was the JVFG benchmark of £12.30 /ha. I’m glad to say that this fell to £9.33 /ha against a benchmark of £11.01 /ha.
Change to liquid fertiliser
In addition, we started using liquid fertilizer enabling us to reduce our self-propelled sprayer cost from £7.97/ha to £5.19 /ha. It also enabled us to drop a tractor as we weren’t running a solid fertilizer spreader.
Better equipped for the future
As a result we now manage 2500 acres with one tractor, one combine and one self-propelled sprayer with a further tractor hired at peak periods. As a result we have managed to keep our stubble to stubble contracting fee below £110 /acre.
We are not going to stop at these improvements. Being part of JVFG means we have access to information to drive costs down even further.
Antony Pearce is the owner farmer of 400 ha of combinable crops with sheep and turkey ventures in Buckinghamshire. He also farm 2100 acres of combinable crops as a joint venture in the Cotswolds.