The Cost of Straw

[Rachel Squires]

Hiya,

Just thought I'd let you all know, don't be surprised if the price of straw goes up this year!

We buy the right to bale and keep the straw from arable fields once the combine has done it's thing and usually pay about £12 an acre but we've been told the price is £40 an acre this year. As the mark up on straw is very low and the cost of diesel is getting stupid, unless we can find another source, we won't be making any. If you have anywhere to store it and you need baled straw for any reason, now might well be the time to buy! I wouldn't like to say whether this trend is countrywide but John says that the arable farmers are blaming the high cost of fertilizer this year.

At these prices, it will be cheaper for us to bed our own animals down on our own hay - talk about 'let them eat cake'!

Rach.

[red]

boo - spose it figures with all other prices rising at the mo....

luckily we dont house our animals much..

[Millymollymandy]

Everything else has gone up so much, nothing surprises me anymore! Good warning though.