2 minute read
Finance
Financing business operations over recent years had not been an issue for Fram Farmers member Guy Hayward, having been able to raise capital by releasing surplus machinery after entering into a Contract Farming Agreement in 2010.
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However, the decision to upgrade a 50- year-old, redundant irrigation pump, used for winter fill of a storage reservoir, and summer abstraction onto cereals and vegetables on Bridge and Ivy Farms, was the catalyst to looking into finance again. “I happened to read an article about the new finance initiative Fram Farmers had just launched, and it was an obvious starting point,” says Mr Hayward. “After speaking to Nick Hindle at Fram Farmers, I was swiftly directed through to Simon Shepherd, from credit broker FlexiFinance, and he was able to give me all sorts of payment options, all over the phone. I made a decision best suited to the business. The paperwork soon arrived via email, which was signed, scanned and sent straight back. Easy,” he adds. Mr Hayward was initially cautious about committing to a finance scheme again, but with little interest to repay over the agreed period, along with helping cash flow, it was the obvious choice. Despite making the decision to upgrade the pump during one of the wettest autumns ever experienced, Mr Hayward has already seen the benefits. With very little rainfall throughout the spring, and with his winter wheats and barley now harvested, he has noticed the benefit of applying much needed water to the light land cereals at Wickham Market.
On a practical level, the team who run the irrigation system here have noted how it has saved time. It basically looks after itself, can be controlled via a mobile phone, and can automatically detect a drop in line pressure as an irrigation machine is turned on or off.
Mr Hayward has since used Fram Farmers Finance to purchase a pick-up for his son Ethan, who works for his
Guy Hayward (left) and Andrew Greenwell (right)
contractor Andrew Greenwell, of Capel St Andrew Farms, also a Fram Farmers member.
Mr Greenwell adds, “The renewed pumping system has led to an increase in efficiency with vehicles having to make fewer trips to the pump shed, which has resulted in significant time savings by operators. “Previously an irrigation hose reel would be moved and set up ready to go. We would then need to travel to the pump to start it. Then travel back to the field to make sure that there are no leaks and the irrigator is winding in correctly. Now it is all done from the field.”
He adds, “It has also allowed the farm to utilise its water more efficiently. Whilst water is prioritised for the farm’s vegetable crops, it is also used on the arable crops. Significant yield gains have been noted in all crops with applications of water. This year we have seen yields of wheat 2.4 t/ha higher, where we have been able to apply irrigation water.” Mr Hayward concludes, “Being a member of Fram Farmers obviously has huge benefits. It truly is a one-stop-shop, saving all the phoning around for the best deals.
