[SouthMains]

I am looking at setting up a group of smallholders who all live within a 10 mile radius of me, so that we can bulk purchase our feed from a supplier, therfore reducing the cost to each individual.  Has anyone else set up this type of scheme and if so do you have any advice for us

[Possum]

Not sure where you are, but it's an interesting idea. Do let us know how you get on.

[SheepMad95]

Ive heard this is cheaper, my uncle buys in a ton at a time, and he is saving more money then i am when i buy a bag when i need it ... so yeah i think it is cheaper and ive heard of plenty of this happening in devon ( where i live ) however it might be a more rural place from where you live!

hope it works out

[Womble]

 
Yes, it can work. I know somebody who used to run a horse feed co-op for similar reasons.
 
Also, we've just started buying poultry grain by the 'big bag' (600kg a time), which gives a substantial saving over buying by the sackful. That said, if I was buying the big bag and distributing the contents in sacks to local smallholders, I very much doubt that the saving would be worth all the effort involved.
 
Whereabouts are you Southmains?

[hughesy]

You might want to contact all the potential suppliers in your area and ask about discounts. Times are hard and they're not being very generous at the moment. Unless you're using a large amount any discount will be insignificant.

[SouthMains]

So here is the update.  I have contacted around 12 suppliers and if I can get enough people together to put in an order for 1 tonne per month I can get chicken pellets down to about £5.50 per 20kg bag.  Some supplier also offer to put together mixed bag deliveries so I could have pig nuts, horde feed etc also counted in the months minimum order.  I could get this Price down a bit more if I was willing to have it delivered loose and then offer a bagging service, however the smallest silos are around £900 which is out of our reach just now.

So I am based in the Forfar area if you would be interested in getting together to form a feed syndicate please get in touch and if there is enough interest we might be bale to take this forward.  Please let me know approximately how much food you would need and for what animals.  It doesn't matter if it is only 1 bag of chicken pellets every 3 months.  As long as we can get enough of us together we should still be bale to make a saving