Talking Money: Crazy How It Comes Before Quality, But That’s the World We Live In

We feel it is backwards. Everyone asks first, “What is your rate?” before they ask, “How many years of experience do you have?” or the most important one, “Are you reliable?” and “Will you turn up on time?”

We understand our margins are getting hammered down and the costs of everything from inputs to gear are increasing, but if we do not start looking out for each other, it will not end too well.

So in this section, I want to cover off on communication around availability.

Putting a time on it is hard, we know, but something like, “We are predicting it to come in within this 10-day time frame” can help.

If we keep it open and agree between both parties for some leeway, it probably makes things a lot better.

If that contractor is putting a few headers in with you, he could start staggering them in. That way, he can guarantee you something at the drop of a hat.

Either way, there are many ways both parties can make it work, but the conversations need to convert to some form of agreement both parties understand.

Have the conversations and conversions at the right time, not when the canola is a day from being ready to pick up.

Now talking rates, yup these bloody things.

Both parties need to agree on what the rate is and any other details, for example, fuel supplied, meals, accommodation and so on.

It is not up to me to tell you what rates are what. If you want a guide, you can go to the Broadacre Contracting website and browse equipment listings to look at what contractors are doing.

I am not going to complicate this, but when talking rates, state what the machines are and what they are capable of. For example, our machines are a Class 8, and in these conditions they are capable of this, and in bad conditions they are capable of that.

They might be capable of 11ha an hour or 40 tonne an hour in that crop type, but there are so many variations that it is hard to guarantee. So set a straightforward hourly rate and come do the job in the most professional way possible.

Put on paper the rate, what the grower supplies, what the contractor supplies, keep it simple and be done with it.

So Who’s Who? Defining the Nitty Gritty

It is the small stuff that can make everything very productive.

We need to clearly list who is responsible for what before the header arrives so there are no awkward conversations in the middle of a 15-hour shift.

Some good examples: diesel, mostly the grower supplies it and has a staff member come around and fill up each night as we blow down, or in the morning.

Although at times these finer details do not get relayed, so communicate how we are getting fuelled up.

At the end of the day, no juice, machine no go go, crop not getting stripped and contractor losing money.

Accommodation, the quality of accommodation and daily tucker are good ones.

More often than not, it is the brief detail of “yup, we have accommodation,” but then the blokes get there and it is proper rough living.

When blokes are expected to work 15 to 17 hours a day, 7 days a week, a decent place to wash and put the head down is the least that can be done.

So communicate it clearly. For example, “Look, there is accommodation but she is pretty rough. We can get a cleaner up to touch it up, as it has been empty for a while, and it will be a good place to put the head down and shower. There are no amenities there, therefore we will get all tucker over to you from coffee in the morning to dinner. Just bring a fridge on your ute if you want, but we do have all that at the main homestead.”

In-paddock storage is another one. When the contractor is coming, is he bringing a chaser bin? Is there a mother bin on site?

At the end of the day, headers stopping is not good, but if we just communicate and say, “Look, there may be times we get held up, so if we do experience that, can we work with you to use these times to blow down, drop you lunch, fuel up, do filters, check over the gear, etc.”

The Oh Shit Stuff: Damages, Hazards and Insurance

“Oh shit” is exactly what you say when a rock has gone through the feeder, or a stump has just rode off a front, and the grand finale of all oh shits is when you smell smoke and you see smoke.

Nobody likes talking about any of it.

It is better to talk about it now than when the header is on fire or the insurance company is getting a phone call.

So if the grower knows about a rock, stump, or washout and does not mark it, and the contractor hits it, is that repair bill on the grower?

If the grower did mark it clearly and the operator was just not paying attention, is that on the contractor?

It is a serious question, and I do not legally know who is liable, but what we would recommend is communicating any objects in the paddock, from powerlines through to bloody melon holes.

Ethically, should any objects be voiced and put into a document? Bloody oath, it is only respectful.

Should stumps and things be in paddocks? Well, I think we all know the answer.

The Modern Day Communication Template

We are not lawyers and I am not giving you legal advice.

What I am saying is do the right thing by each other, communicate, and the document below will help you with that.

GROWER: [Enter Business Name Here]
CONTRACTOR: [Enter Business Name Here]

1. THE JOB
Crop Types: [Wheat / Barley / Lentils / Etc.]
Estimated Area: [Total Ha]
Location: [Farm Name & Addresses]
Start Window: [Approx Start Window]

2. THE RATES (THE MONEY)
Base Rate: [$ Hourly / Hectare + GST]
Payment Terms: [7 / 14 / 30 Days Etc.]

3. THE SIMPLE STUFF (ROLES)
Fuel Supplied By: [Grower / Contractor]
Meals Supplied By: [Grower / Contractor]
Accommodation Supplied: [Yes / No + Details]
Fire Unit: [Grower must have unit in paddock at all times / Contractor to have tank on service truck etc.]
In-Paddock Storage & Grain Movements: [Chaser bin / Mother bins / Trucks]

4. THE "OH SHIT" QUESTIONS (DAMAGES)
Foreign Objects: [The Grower agrees to mark all known hazards, including rocks, stumps and washouts]
Insurance: [Both parties confirm they hold current Public Liability insurance. Grower confirms current Crop Insurance.]

5. ANY OTHER REQUIREMENTS OR DETAILS
[Biosecurity details, UHF channel, no dogs, best bakery in town, or anything that makes everything better for both parties]

SIGNED & DATED (Or agreed via email/text):

Grower: ___________________

Contractor: ___________________