Welcome to West Country Grain
Providing greater value for members’ grain
West Country Grain is the preferred supplier of choice for buyers and processors of grain in the SW of England.
Representing around 500 growers, the co-operative provides its farmer members with market security, and adds value to their grain.
Through its long-term marketing agreement with Openfield, WCG delivers a convenient, professional, supply service of guaranteed specification, vendor assured grains to a range of end-users.
In partnership with
Store open evenings and moisture clinics.
We look forward to meeting our members at our store open evenings. Come along to your local event and enjoy a hog roast bap.
Please speak with you local store with regards to meter clinics.
Dates to be confirmed.
Insight
Insight is a simple, secure online tool that allows you to view your account in real time. With a fast response and simple navigation, the easy-to-read and customisable screens adapt to mobiles and tablets, giving you access to your information whenever or wherever you need it.
Not registered? Click Here
WCG offers a stress-free marketing service. I secure premium prices along with prompt and efficient movement.
Members and Membership
With over 500 farmer members across a region stretching from just south of Bristol, to Hayle in Cornwall, WCG handles around 100,000t per annum.
Most of this is feed grown for local feed mills, but the business also handles all other combinable crop commodities, including milling wheat, malting barley, oilseed rape and pulses.
Each year, all members are sent a form prior to harvest on which they indicate the tonnage and commodity they wish to market through the co-operative. This tonnage includes that grain stored at any associated store – i.e. Cannington Grain, Devon Grain or Kernow Grain.
All grain needs to be kept in a marketable condition and clearly identified and segregated from other grain and be of ACCS, FABBL or equivalent assured standard.
Members pay WCG to market different grains on a £/tonnage basis.
Movement is tailored to suit the member’s needs and storage options and can include a direct link into one of our three partner central stores in the region.
Members select from a range of flexible marketing contracts – including a Harvest Pool, Autumn Pool, Long Pool or a Direct Pricing Scheme – in order to suit individual farm business management and cash-flow requirements. WCG also runs advance payment schemes.
A key benefit of membership is the receipt of payment at a guaranteed time – helping meet cash-flow requirements – safe in the knowledge that their grain is backed by bad debt insurance.
All grain traded with West Country Grain is covered by bad debt insurance. Thus in the unlikely event of an end-user customer going out of business, 90% of all grain sales are protected.
By being members of a farmer-owned co-operative, West Country Grain members can also be sure that their interests are of paramount importance to those running the business.
-
Over 500 members across the SW
-
West Country Grain handle 100,000t per annum
-
Handle feed wheat, malting and feed barley, oilseed rape and pulses
-
You indicate the tonnage and commodity you wish to market
-
Movement is tailored to suit the member’s needs
-
Members select from a range of flexible marketing contracts
-
Receive receipt of payment at a guaranteed time
-
All traded grain is covered by bad debt insurance
-
Nearly two thirds of all grain marketed is feed wheat
-
Key markets are a range of mills across the SW and export out of the deep water port, Portbury
-
We supply to Mole Valley Farmers, For Farmers, Crediton Milling, Harpers Home Mix and more
-
Round the clock delivery of high quality grain
-
Our relationship helps maximise haulage efficiencies
-
West Country Grain works with leading grain marketeers, Openfield
-
Farmer controlled business
-
Advanced payments are available
-
Sell your grain at a time to suit you
-
West Country Grain work with three separate storage businesses
Market and Marketing
Nearly two thirds of all grain marketed by West Country Grain is feed wheat, grown supplied and delivered locally.
Thus, key markets are a range of mills across the SW which increasingly value the service, quality and provenance West Country Grain provides.
As a result, WCG has become a key supplier to a range of local businesses including: Mole Valley Farmers, For Farmers, Crediton Milling, Harpers Home Mix, W J Watkins at Holsworthy and Lloyds Animal Feeds.
End-users increasingly like to pull on supplies out of the three associated, TASCC farm assured, central stores in the region which offer a round the clock delivery of high quality grain.
Due to the need for grain exports, because of the annual grain surplus in the South West, WCG also has access to export facilities through Openfield’s exclusive use of Portbury dock.
This relationship also helps maximise haulage efficiencies and by providing continuity and security of supply, usually ensures a premium return for members.
West Country Grain works with the UK’s leading grain marketing business, Openfield to position members’ grain in the supply chain.
The farmer controlled business offers a number of pool selling options including a Harvest Pool, Autumn Pool and Long Pool.
Advanced payments are available against the Pools, thereby easing cash-flows and competitive market returns.
Alternatively, West Country Grain members can opt to sell grain under Direct Pricing Schemes at a time that suits them. This also gives growers the flexibility they need to store and manage their own grain according to market and individual farm situation.
West Country Grain works with three separate central storage businesses to effectively condition, store and meet annual supply chain grain needs.
As a result, growers can opt to buy space in these facilities and by marketing their grain through West Country Grain gain the advantages of any carry in the market.
You can read our latest Grain Marketing Guide using this link.
Staff
Regional Business Manager
Ed Hastie-Smith
Mobile: 07595 070541
Transport & Logistics Manager
Graham Pettitt
Tel: 01264 321414
WCG Advances, Account Queries and Account Information
Verity Neal (Accounts Assistant)
Tel: 01264 321433
Justin Davis (Finance Manager)
Tel: 01264 321424
Partner Stores
West Country Grain works closely with three associated central grain storage businesses.
Members of these farmer-owned storage businesses – Cannington Grain Store, Devon Grain Store and Kernow Grain – can opt to market their grain through West Country Grain.
Devon Grain
Store Manager – Duncan Lyon 01884 32827
Situated adjacent to J28 of the M5, Devon Grain has excellent links to the many local feed mills.
With a storage capacity of 25,000t most of the members’ grain is sold on a long pool, helping maximize market potential.
2019 saw extensive upgrading of the grain processing facilities, part funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development, aiming to increase productivity and efficiencies for members of the co-operative.
Kernow Grain
Store – 01208 833000
Based at Lanivet, Bodmin, Kernow Grain handles over 15,000t of grain.
Cannington
Store Manager – John Collins 01278 652167
With a 40,000t capacity, Cannington Grain, near Bridgwater, markets around 36,500t of grain.
It has strong relationships with all the national and independent feed mills throughout the South West and being within close proximity to the deep water export facility at Portbury, capitalises on the export ships through the partnership with Openfield.
All three of the stores are part of NetworkGrain UK.
Grain Testing
WCG utilises the grain testing services of the three independent central storage businesses for which it markets grain in the SW.
Each laboratory operates to industry recognized standards to assess bushel weight, moisture, admixture, oil content, Hagberg, protein and nitrogen content.
These help WCG to virtually eliminate rejections at end-user customer intakes even in exceptionally difficult harvests.
Logistics
History
Annual Accounts
West Country Grain Marketing Limited Report of the Directors and Unaudited Financial Statements for the:
Year Ended 30th June 2021 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2020 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2019 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2018 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2017 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2016 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2015 – download PDF
Year Ended 30th June 2014 – download PDF
Directions
From the North
Leave the M5 at Junction 23 and head into Bridgwater.
Turn right onto the A39 signed Minehead.
In the village of Cannington, turn right signed Combwich.
West Country Grain is around ¾ of a mile along this road on the right hand side.
From the South
Leave the M5 at Junction 24 and head into Bridgwater.
Turn left onto the A39 signed Minehead.
In the village of Cannington, turn right signed Combwich.
West Country Grain is around ¾ of a mile along this road on the right hand side.
Cannington Grain
West Country Grain
Combwich Road, Cannington, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA5 2PL
Kernow Grain
Kernow Grain
Newgate Farm, Lanivet, Bodmin, Cornwall, PL30 5HX
Devon Grain
Devon Grain
Saunders Way, Cullompton, Devon, EX15 1BS