Openfield aiming to advise growers in a volatile grain market at Midlands Machinery Show

Openfield aiming to advise growers in a volatile grain market at Midlands Machinery Show

With challenges such as climate change and both political and economic instability, the agricultural trading markets are more unpredictable than ever – and this is especially true for grain.

As Britain’s only national grain market and arable inputs co-operative, Openfield is exhibiting at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show to try and help growers navigate the current volatility and help them get the best out of their business.

“The past five years have been particularly volatile, and we have to adapt to that,” says Jerome Fielder, Farm Business Manager for Openfield. “We try and advise our farmer members as best we can to market their grain accordingly based on what we’re seeing both here in the UK but also globally – we trade in a global market, and we can’t get away from that.”

With an increasing number of environmental schemes becoming available to farmers, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), Openfield are looking to help farmers manage these changes to the sector.

“SFI is quite welcome, especially this last year to farmers who’ve struggled to put crops in the ground,” says Jerome. “It’s given them an alternative because they don’t have that comfort blanket of single farm payments, which means they’re looking at these SFI schemes to make ends meet.

“We accept that, and we want to partner with farmers to get the best out of their best land, to produce grain, to produce wheat and go for the cash crops, but then also take out that marginal land which is better for the environment.[BP1] 

“There’s also a key focus from the side of consumers to reduce the amount of carbon that is being emitted and we’re here to sort of facilitate that and explain that to farmers so that they can get a bigger return on the investment in their crop.”

Over the years Openfield has valued the opportunities that the Midlands Machinery Show offers, particularly the chance to speak with lots of local farmers about the important issues they’re facing.

“It’s a great show, and we’ve got so much out of it over the past few years. It’s great to see so many farmers there all at once,” says Jerome.

“Farming is a relationships business so it’s really important to see people face to face, see what they’re struggling with, see what’s going well, and just to chat, and the Midlands Machinery Show is a great place to do that.

“We’re expecting to be talking about the weather as always, but also the SFI schemes that they’ve got options on as well and exploring what is the way forward in the current climate of UK agriculture.”

The Midlands Machinery Show will be held on 20 and 21 November at Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire.

Entry and parking is free, but visitors should pre-register at www.midlandsmachineryshow.com.