CORNWALL FARMERS READY TO HELP SOLVE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY LATE HARVEST

Thursday 4th September 2008

The late harvest in the west country caused by the consistently inclement weather will pose a difficult set of problems for local farmers as the quality of their forage looks set to suffer.

The Cornwall Farmers co-operative is ready to assist with a range of products and services which will help farmers to correct imbalances in their feed and protect the quality of their livestock.

Cornwall Farmers has received a rise in their feed commitment from farmers to 24,000 tonnes for their Duchy Blends for this winter. This will be backed-up with a full range of support services to ensure that the special needs of individual farmers can be met.

"Because of the wet weather many south west farmers are facing a lot of problems this year with poor quality forage and we are making a concerted effort to make sure that everyone is aware of what we can do to help," said Tom Mann, Cornwall Farmers' Duchy Blends Manager.

"We are pleased to have received an increase in feed commitments from local farmers and now we want to help further by being flexible about which feeds we can supply within the tonnages agreed. So if a farmer finds he needs to change his feed to solve a particular issue, we can accommodate that," adds Mr Mann.

Cornwall Farmers are also providing a comprehensive support programme as well as their Feed & Forage products. Forage analysis and Milk prediction are among many services which the co-operative offers to help farmers identify the precise rations required to maintain the quality of their animal feed. Cornwall Farmers will also create bespoke rations in batches of five tonnes and higher to help solve special situations that may be encountered on farm.

"We have the raw materials and the expertise available to create special bespoke blends" says Tom Mann. "If a farmer needs to use, for instance, a special high fibre blend that is not already part of our range, then we will be pleased to get work on it immediately and supply it to him just as we do our best selling blends."

As the winter feeding season develops, Cornwall Farmers will be carefully monitoring the requirements of local farmers to stay one step ahead in the battle to ensure the region maintains its reputation for top quality stock.

Cornwall Farmers is one of the largest and most successful agricultural co-operatives in the United Kingdom. The organisation provides extensive farming and food expertise in addition to supplying goods in keeping with the outdoor life in the area's rural communities.