All in price for gamecrop (Maize) ?

[Teal]

A friend and I are putting down a few pheasants this year on a bit of ground in the south of England. The ground is good arable, probably grade 1/2. We have to compensate the farmer for income foregone, and seed, drilling, fertilising costs, which is fair enough.

 

I know there are a quite a lot of others who are involved in syndicates, and was wondering if anyone has some experience of the cost of this on a per acre basis. The gamecrop is maize, because the scheme the farmer is a historic one, and is fixed for the life of the scheme which means that he can't plant it as wild bird cover, which would obviously recoup some of the costs.

[CharlieT]

Teal

 

Difficult one to answer because it depends a lot on what your farmer considers his losses to be.

 

I can only quote on what tends to be paid round here and what we pay for "plots" on neighbouring farms where we own the shooting rights.

 

The going rate for game plots is around £300/375 per acre. On top of this if it's a stock farm the plot must be fenced at say £3.75/meter, we also put up deer fence round many of our kale plots but don't bother if it's a maize only plot.

 

Tillage, seed, drilling, spraying and fertilizing would depend on what your farmer charges you on an hourly rate but all in deals can be done.

[Teal]

Thanks very much for this Charlie, exactly what I was after. That's about the level that we were quoted (£400/acre), seems a reasonable deal given the quality of the land, it's all arable so no fencing required fortunately.

[CharlieT]

Thanks very much for this Charlie, exactly what I was after. That's about the level that we were quoted (£400/acre), seems a reasonable deal given the quality of the land, it's all arable so no fencing required fortunately.

 

 

My pleasure, hope it all goes well.

[starlight32]

My farmer allows me 200 an acre against the loss of income and we drill ourselves using his machinery. Have another who wont have any game cover at any cost.