Membership Information

A true not-for-profit farmer-owned co-operative. Our team are as passionate as our founders about the principles established over 63 years ago.

Who we are

Established in 1961, we haven’t looked back and are now one of the UK’s leading, member-owned farmers’ buying groups.

With in excess of 1,050 member farms around the country we have considerable buying power across a full range of farm inputs and all the benefits go directly back to our members.

What we do

Farm Inputs

From fertiliser to seed and sprays to animal feed.

Fuel

Red and white diesel, heating oil, bulk and bottled gas, fuel cards and AdBlue.

Utilities

Electricity, mains gas and water for your farm.

Communications

Mobiles, landlines and broadband services.

We encourage innovative thinking and embrace new ideas. We challenge conventional methods and live and breathe our core values of co-operation and collaboration. Our members are at the heart of everything we do.

Machinery & Vehicles

Great deals on all farm machinery and vehicles.

Tyres, Parts & Spares

Plus workshop equipment, wearing parts and more...

Building Supplies

All you need for your on-farm building projects, roads, tracks and fencing.

Professional Services

Farm assurance, health insurance, casual labour and more...

How it works

Our membership is about value, support and shared commitment

First and foremost we get to know you and understand your business.

We have been supporting farmers across all scales with their purchasing for over 63 years, and our members’ farms include arable and livestock, as well as mixed and organic farms. The team can work out how we can best support your purchasing needs, provide a simple process for you to follow and help to procure all your farming inputs.

Call, or order direct

Call 01507 602396 or order direct, quoting your Woldmarsh membership number.

We call our suppliers

We secure the best deals from our trusted suppliers and present you with the available options, taking market conditions and opportunities into consideration.

We send you quotes

You retain control. Where appropriate, we will compile quotes and send them to you so that you can decide the option that suits you. Your business, your decision.

We place your order

Once you choose an option we will place the order and arrange delivery, and manage everything from start to finish, giving you the time to do your job.

We make your accounting simple

We send you a monthly consolidated account for all goods and services acquired through us.

We will notify you each month when your account is online and you can log in to view your account in real time and at your convenience. From the portal, you can view, download and print all your invoices. Payment is collected on a fixed day each month by direct debit.

Simplified accounting!

Why join us?

Professional, cost effective and totally member-focussed

We have the prosperity of your business at the heart of what we do.

When you join us, you will enjoy a professional, reliable service. Our knowledgeable and experienced teams secure favourable deals with all benefits returned directly to you.

You consolidate your purchasing, with us becoming your one-stop-shop.

You benefit from our group buying power with no need to set up individual accounts with each supplier.

We relieve you of a large amount of the administrative burden of running your business, allowing you the time to farm.

You receive one monthly statement and a transparent and fair fee structure.

We negotiate preferential prices with hundreds of suppliers, saving you money, year on year.

We know our members. We will search the market for the best option to fulfil your requirements, offering choice and delivering practical solutions.

Our team are knowledgeable in their trade areas; they watch the market place to make sure you are offered competitive prices.

We have a one off standard membership fee. Thereafter ongoing costs of your membership are recovered through a hierarchy of quarterly and annual charges, applied based upon the level of spend channelled through us. We believe our transparent pricing approach is the fairest way to ensure greatest value for all members.

There is no fixed commitment; you choose what you spend and when.

Last year, Woldmarsh members benefitted from rebates on ag-chem, fertiliser and seed in excess of £673,000

Farm Inputs

Seed

Our seed department has many years’ experience, and work closely with merchants and wholesalers to ensure members receive competitive pricing. We have also negotiated seed cleaning and dressing terms with a number of companies as well as germination testing for farm-saved seed.

Fertiliser

With over 25 years’ experience there’s not much that we don’t know about buying fertiliser. Price is obviously important but we never compromise on quality so we only work with suppliers who can meet our robust standards; right product, right price and at the right time! We communicate what’s happening in the market and make the process simple, leaving you free to get on with farming secure in the knowledge that we will only ever do our best for you. We are also Fertiliser Industry Assurance Scheme (FIAS) Accredited.

Agrochemical

We work with independent agronomists and distributors to provide a complete package for members, including earlyseason ordering, in-season timely delivery to invoicing and rebates. We hold a database of over 2,000 live negotiated product prices with terms finalised twice a year, with all rebates/ price adjustments paid back to members. We have excellent relationships with manufacturers who give us the latest information on current products, and an insight into the technologies for the future.

We can offer an informed view on the market and keep in constant communication with our members and their agronomists.

Animal & Feed

We work with numerous suppliers for animal bedding, feed, health products and livestock equipment including fencing, gates and more. Members can contact the office to place their orders or can deal with their regular contacts at our suppliers and still benefit from our pricing structure.

We buy electricity for over 4,000 sites

Utilities

Electricity

We buy electricity for over 4,000 sites, from cold stores to hatcheries, driers to domestic properties and even churches, caravan parks and golf clubs.

We have worked with our chosen electricity supplier for over 10 years and have an exceptional working relationship, providing consistency of service and excellent price plans for our members. Our team has considerable experience working in the energy sector and can assist with any queries. We only work with fixed price contracts, making budgeting easier. Our pricing negotiations are carried out on an annual or bi-annual basis to ensure continuity of cost.

Water

We can quote for your farm or domestic water supply so you can benefit from our payment terms as well as any preferential pricing.

Telecoms

Mobile phone, landline and broadband packages (including fibre and wireless internet solutions) are available through a variety of networks, ensuring that members can carry out their daily business needs whilst on the move!

We work closely with a number of networks including Vodafone, O2 and EE. Through these relationships we can offer price plans in order to suit an individual business’s needs and are able to adapt throughout the term of the contract.

IT Software

We work with software providers to offer members a variety of packages including:

• Accounts packages that conform to Government VAT regulations

• Crop and livestock records

• Business accounts

• Cloud based back-up systems

We also work with web developers and companies offering carbon measuring software packages.

More than 41,000,000 litres of fuel and 1,000,000 litres of adblue are purchased annually

Fuel, Fuel Cards & LPG

What can farmers do to improve their chances of consistently buying well in a challenging market?

This is where we step in. In a typical year, Woldmarsh buys over 40 million litres of fuel, as well as 1 million litres of AdBlue. Within the agricultural sector, we are one of the largest buyers of fuel in the East Midlands and Yorkshire. We can help you to buy smarter in the current market.

If you want to evaluate the right time to buy, our buyers are plugged in real time to the fuel markets. At any given minute we know the market trends. When an external event influences the market speculators, we know about it and see its effect on prices. Farming is a complex business. You cannot be everywhere at once.

Although the life of a farmer is full of unpredictability, the phrase “control the controllables”, has to be a significant way to help optimise farm profitability. If that means buying fuel in advance, to fix costs and improve the predictability of your margins, we can help. If monitoring your tank to avoid run-outs is what you need, we can assist with the technology to make sure you never run out.

Looking to buy on the spot market?

We will find the most effective combination of price, delivery schedule and quality of service that meets your needs.

What does group purchasing of fuel do that you either cannot do by yourself or it comes with added difficulty?

Our team know how the market works and how to optimise the data they see every day. It is their job to guide you to make good decisions for your set of circumstances. Members receive a weekly bulletin via email, highlighting what’s influencing the market and what to look out for.

Could a fuel card come in handy?

Do you want to restrict your employees to buying at specific outlets, or does the prospect of one bill a month and guaranteed weekly prices at a discount on pump prices appeal to you? All of this is possible with a fuel card from us and we have multiple options to choose from, including cards that can be used at supermarkets or via outlet chains such as Keyfuels.

Last year, almost £60,000 was returned to Woldmarsh members in the form of rebates on tractors and machinery

Machinery, Vehicles & Tyres

Tractors and Agricultural Machinery

We help our members save on machinery, plant and commercial vehicles with a number of manufacturers offering special rebates or discount terms, including in particular, through our long association with New Holland Agriculture.

Vehicles

We have vehicle fleet discount terms in place with the main manufacturers including Toyota, Ford, Vauxhall, Fiat, Renault, Peugeot and others.

Parts and Spares

With an annual spend in excess of £10 million and over 200 approved main suppliers we help our members obtain lower prices for a wide range of agricultural machinery parts and spares, including wearing parts (both OEM and pattern), batteries, belts, filters and more.

Tyres

Our annual spend on tyres is approaching £2.5 million for both agricultural and road vehicles. We have significant buying power in this field and work with over 30 national and local tyre suppliers, ensuring we can service and supply our entire membership.

Hire

We work with numerous hire companies – national and local – offering an extensive range of services with discount terms and account facilities in place. We cover the full spectrum of plant, from excavators and tool hire to mobile storage and office units, making the whole process simple and convenient.

Oil and Lubricants

With an annual spend in excess of £600,000, we have a number of key suppliers for oil and lubricant products.

Over 500 suppliers and an annual spend in excess of £18m

Building & General Supplies

Rather than specifying what we can source it’s easier to presume that we can help procure anything needed on farm or linked with farm diversification projects.

Aggregates

Our suppliers can provide all forms of aggregate for example concrete, limestone, builders rubble and tarmac.

Tanks

Whether you need a tank for fuel, oil, water or irrigation, we can help.

Crop Packaging

With an annual spend of over £300,000 we have a number of reliable key suppliers supplying silage wrap and sheets, netwrap, twine, crop cover fleece and more.

Security

We have suppliers who can provide full security systems, cameras, trackers and data-tags.

Renewables

With the increased interest in renewables, we have taken on a number of quality suppliers to assist in this sector, including but not limited to the supply of solar installations, heat pumps and rainwater harvesting.

Parts

For member convenience we have supplier arrangements for a wide range of goods including, but not limited to.

• Gun cartridges

• Steel

• Drainage Equipment and Civils

• Fencing and Gates

• Paint

• Drones

• Machine parts

• Clothing and PPE

Online Suppliers

You can make purchases through your Woldmarsh account with a number of online suppliers, including Amazon Business, Spaldings, Toolstation, Arco, Agri Linc, Pan Anglia, Kramp and CEF. If you are interested in setting up accounts with these suppliers, let us know.

Woldmarsh genuinely makes life so much easier.

Charles A – Lincolnshire

Professional Services

Insurance

We are able to offer health cash plans to members and their families as well as employees to help pay towards everyday health costs including eye tests, dental check-ups, physiotherapy and more.

Members also have access to discounted whole farm and vehicle insurance.

Health And Safety

We have access to a number of suppliers who can carry out a review of Health & Safety arrangements and offer advice.

Labour

We work closely with labour suppliers who are able to provide temporary or permanent labour solutions for members.

Farm Assurance

We have discounts in place with both NSF and SAI Global covering all aspects of Farm Assurance, including Red Tractor schemes. KIWA PAI schemes can also be supplied through Woldmarsh.

Waste Disposal

We can source skips and find a supplier to dispose of toxic waste, plastics and cans.

Architectural Services

We can help members looking for expertise in agricultural planning and design projects including barn conversions, new build, commercial buildings, extensions and planning permission.

Trade & Chargecards

Our charge card fills a gap in the service, allowing members to purchase goods and services where we have no direct supplier invoicing arrangements in place, including online shopping. A further benefit is the convenience of using the card to identify business purchases, thereby streamlining the billing through our accounting system.

We can order you UK Trade Cards to use at Screwfix to book items to your Woldmarsh account

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the application process take?

As soon as we receive your documents, applications are processed, on average, within 2-3 weeks.

What do I need to provide?

We need three things – your completed application pack, including signed membership agreement, audited accounts for the last two years and basic farm data.

Who will see my accounts?

As soon as your audited accounts have been received, they are sent - unread - to our accountants - strictly for their eyes only, nobody else will see your books.

Do I have to be nominated by an existing member to join?

Absolutely not. Anyone can join Woldmarsh as long as they can provide the required information.

Can I speak to an existing member?

Of course. We have a number of members who would be happy to talk to you about their experience with us. Just ask and we can put you in touch with somebody.

Do I have to buy everything I need through Woldmarsh?

No, there is no upfront commitment to purchase. The higher the spend through your Woldmarsh account, the lower the levy rate you are charged, the cost of being a member is therefore based on your turnover through the group.

Can I open another account for a sub business?

Yes you can. Once you are a full member, you can apply for a No 2 account which will be linked to your main account. If this is something you are interested in, let us know.

Do you offer rebates?

Yes. We have schemes in place with a number of suppliers who offer rebates to Woldmarsh members. All attributable rebates are returned directly to members.

Can you offer payment terms?

Working with a multitude of suppliers means we are often able to work collaboratively with them to offer payment options to members. If you are looking to manage your input payments, just ask.

How much does it cost to join?

We don’t charge an annual acreage fee. There is a one-off joining fee of £250 + VAT and thereafter a minimum quarterly charge for the extensive service we offer which is outlined in our membership pack. This is, on average less than 1% of a member’s annual spend.

Do members have responsibility for another’s debt?

No. All our members contribute to a Contingency Fund and in the event of a bad debt, this fund would be used.

Can I view my invoices online?

Yes, you can. Our website has a member’s area where you can log in and view your monthly statement and invoices. You can also download your monthly account as a csv file which can be imported into your accounts package and download all your invoices for the month into a Zip File.

What are your opening hours?

Our office is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm. We do close on Bank Holidays and weekends. There is an answerphone for any out of hour orders which will be picked up on the next working day and we accept orders via email or through the member portal via the web site. Additionally, visitors are always welcome, so feel free to come and meet the team.

I’m interested in joining – what do I do next?

Contact the Membership Services Team and they will be happy to come and visit you to explain the next steps in detail.

Woldmarsh In Figures

The average member levy rate is less than 1%*

More than 41 million litres of fuel purchased each year

In excess of 205,000 invoices & Credits processed annually

41,012 purchase orders placed

Over 1,050 shareholding and 250 secondary accounts.

Key purchases in 2023 totalled almost £151 million

£673,021 returned to members in rebates in 2023

*of a member’s annual spend

Matthew G – LINCOLNSHIRE