Mole Valley Farmers launches grower ‘bean buyback’ scheme
© Tim Scrivener Growers in south-west England are being invited to grow beans on contract and sell them back at a premium to farmer-owned co-op Mole Valley Farmers.
A new “bean buyback” scheme will pay growers a guaranteed price at a premium over wheat, with the ability for growers to fix prices at any given time.
Under the scheme, Mole Valley Farmers will pay £45/t above the November 2023 wheat futures contract, which on 19 January stood at £220/t. That would equate to a total bean price paid of £265/t.
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The scheme is open to all growers, not just the 9,000 farmer shareholders, and Mole Valley Farmers is actively looking to take on new growers.
Further premiums are also available for achieving higher protein levels.
Farm businesses will need to be within 50 miles of one of the company’s feed mills in the South West to be eligible. These are located at Lifton, Huntworth and Dorchester.
So far, eight growers have signed up to the scheme, covering a combined total area of 325ha of beans.
Current varieties being grown include Tundra, Vespa and Victus, which have been selected for high protein levels and feed efficiency in livestock.
Mole Valley Farmers is repurchasing the beans to use them in its ruminant feed range.
Benefits
Lisa Hambly, head of grassland and forage agronomy, hopes the scheme will encourage more growers to engage with the feed mills and create circular economy solutions.
“The scheme has many benefits. For growers, it’s providing a secure and premium market for their produce whilst benefiting soil health and reducing the need for nitrogen in the cropping rotation,” said Ms Hambly.
Mole Valley Farmers nutritionist Kerensa Hawkey said: “Beans have a good protein content of 26-27% and the amino acid, lysine, which is essential in milk production. They are also a good source of starch.”