Agrologists.. Are they liable??

[JDGreen]

Finished wheat harvest with disappointing yields from 28-55 bpa. Quality somewhat reasonable I would think. This CWRS wheat was IP and had an agrologist assigned to monitor the fields throughout the year as well as did soil testing and fertility recomendations. Anyways long story short I was gone to work for 30 days and when i returned home my wheat fields were suffering a severe rust infection and anywhere from slight to severe wheat midge damage. I called my agrologist (s) and asked wth was wrong with my wheat fields and had they bothered to even look at them in the last 30 days. They replied they hadn't had time to look at them. They were unaware that wheat midge were even in the area let alone rust. I found it interesting that i could arrive home and take a look across the fields from a distance and know something was drastically wrong. Why are we paying proffesionals to not do their job and who is liable for damages??

[wd9]

Do you have a contract that clearly lay out terms and expectations? Written and defined liabilities and limitations?

[SASKFARMER3]

I would talk to your lawyer about a law suit against the group. But they will have a contract that has every loop hole covered. Your still responsible for your own being. So good luck but they will win.

[JDGreen]

yes a contract and yes they will likely win .. Makes me wonder why we hire these clowns..

[countryguy]

Must make you wonder what the point is going away to work. I'd be pissed too.

[RichFarmer]

You don't get this service for free from you Crop Inputs supplier ?

[AG_guy]

I quite a few years ago there was a write up in a paper from manitoba and it was from a farmer who went through that exact same thing. He wrote up his own contract and in there was things his Argologist had to do and what he would do in return. he also made one up for his retail. I forget the jist of it all but i remember he would give 100% of his business to the retailer if they agreed to it. He said his retailer wouldn't sign it so he went to the next and one did sign it. And he's been doing this every year since. There were thingd the retailer had to do and there was things he would do.

Some people want as many acres to consult on as possible but they don't think if they can actualy handle it. I was with a consulting company and each consultant had to check each field once a week. The maximum acres each consultant could handle was between 15-18 thousand and 20 if they were really good. So ask your agrologist how many acres he is overseeing, if it's over 20 thousand you know he's not going to be able to check every field when problems in the area happens.

[JDGreen]

I agree 20,000 is max for one person. Im not sure right now whether or not I'm receiving anything for my money as I know most of what they blab for the most part.. Soil testing, well I'm going start doing that myself and will look for an agrologist to hire on a proffesional consult level. IE. How much per hour to sit in your office and decipher soil tests and discuss nutrient application. If it's 200 an hour, so be it. Can rattle thru them in a few hours at any rate. Or better yet get it for free from my retail supplier. However I dont like the latter because I dont like to be committed

[wd9]

I find it interesting farmers will spend tens of thousands on an agronomist yet will rarely spend a dollar on education for themselves for their own business.

[Hopperbin]

Wd I am not sure about how many acre JdGreen has but does it not make sense to stay home and watch things for yourself?
OK common sense says if you have plus million dollars worth of grain possible in field then look after the dam stuff Fzcopl,. I need a relax pill.

[parsley]

http://www.qp.gov.sk.ca/documents/English/Statutes/Statutes/A16-1.pdf


agrologists legislation equals farmers' naughty bits in a squeeze. Pars

[JDGreen]

yes hopper you are correct.. Our farm is teetering on fulltime management from myself or farm stays same size and I continue to work. It is tough call when your senior citizen partner tries to retain more than he needs nor has any idea how to transition the place. Job is tough to quit when it hits 6 figures every 3 months of work time ;-)

[wd9]

Hopper, i agree and is what i am trying to say. A lot of farmers, almost regardless of size, need to know what is going on. How plants grow. Research new pests of all kinds and new studies and treatments for them. New varieties, new methods. I'm not saying you have to walk every acre, but take a sunday afternoon and spot check if it is custom done regardless of the contract you have.

You the farmer has a lot to lose if not tending even in part to your fields. Again not all the acres, but spot checking goes a long way and takes little time. I think this has been lost today as farmers rely more and more on agronomists and 'experts' who see it as a per acre pay check and not like a farmer, his income for the year.

[tman]

It's unfortunate that there are farmers like yourself that have had problems with agrologists, which in this case I assume you mean agronomists. I also worked for a consulting company many years ago who was all about the money and acres. Even his billing schedule upset more than one farmer. So from my experience with them, I learned more what NOT to do. When I've made mistakes with my present clients, I reduce the charges without them even mentioning anything. So there are some good independent consultants out there, along with the less than ideal.

[DogPatch]

So in other words you didn't bill them for the screw-ups, but did you come clean to you clients about them.