Co-operative Livestock Marketing

General information

CQLP is an independent livestock marketing co-operative owned by its farming members. We are a group of farmers who benefit from marketing our stock together. We trace our roots back to 1975 when a group of enterprising Cornish lamb producers collaborated to market their early season lambs outside the county to achieve higher returns. Since then we have been selling livestock on behalf of our members. We now have members throughout the South West.

As livestock farmers we need to work together:
• To retain our strength and independence in the marketplace.
• To encourage best practice and improve the profitability of our members businesses.
• To promote the quality of beef & lamb we produce.

CQLP - OUR OBJECTIVES
• To obtain best prices for finished beef, cull cows & lamb.
• To secure good outlets for our livestock.
• To improve carcass quality & consistency.
• To promote our local beef & lamb.
• To stay independent.
• To provide a professional marketing service.
• To access funding streams that will benefit the membership.
WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO JOIN US
• We offer a trial period free of membership.
• We sell to deadweight outlets throughout the UK.
• We share transport.
• We insure against bad debt and charge low marketing fees.
• We can get help with stock selection.
• We have an inter-active website - the members’ only area has latest information and prices and a free advertising section.
• We get group discounts on eartags.
• We have over 250 members and market over 25,000 lambs & 5,000 cattle per year.
• We have over 35 years experience marketing beef & lamb.
• We liaise with other co-operatives and businesses to secure member benefits.
• We work with small independent outlets as well as the larger ones.
• We have strong markets for organic stock.
• We have developed various outlets for cull cows. In 2007 CQLP were approached by Milklink, as a fellow co-operative, to also offer this service to their members. By utilising the marketing expertise of CQLP their members are able to realise the best return for their cull cows.
HOW DO YOU JOIN CQLP?
• If you would like to join please complete the enclosed application form and return it to the office.
• You will not be asked to pay any membership fee on sending in your application.
• Your free trial period will last a year, you will then be asked to sign a membership agreement, pay a membership fee and purchase a one pound share in the co-operative. The membership fee is agreed by the Directors annually, for 2014 it is £25 + VAT.
• Organic producers please ensure you send the office an up-to-date copy of your organic certificate and trading schedule.
WHEN YOU HAVE STOCK TO SELL
• Phone the office and book in your stock at any time. If you wish immediate marketing please book cattle by 12 noon on a Thursday & lambs by 12 noon on a Friday. Most stock will be moved the following week, but in some cases because of abattoir variances specific stock can take a little longer.
• The check-list below outlines the questions you will be asked. The more information we have about your stock, the better the job we can do.
• The office will ring you to let you know when your stock will be collected, or, if you are using your own transport, when you are to deliver them. The office will inform you of the base price you will receive.
• On your request the office will send or fax you your stock grades within 3 days of slaughter. See application form for details.
• Depending on the abattoir, you will either receive payment from CQLP or directly from the abattoir.
LIVESTOCK CHECKLIST
In order to market your stock to the most suitable outlet, when you book stock in we will need as much information as possible on the following questions:
CATTLE
• Breed
• Sex
• Age
• Date they are 30 or 72 months old (if applicable)
• Approximate weights & condition
• If they are single suckled
• Farm Assurance status
• TB status SHEEP
• Age
• Approximate weight & condition
• Farm Assurance status
CHARGES

CQLP tries to ensure it keeps charges to members to the minimum. In some cases you will be charged a small commission fee. This varies depending on the outlet used. More information is available at the time of booking in stock.

CREDIT INSURANCE
All finished livestock that is marketed through CQLP is covered by credit (or bad debt) insurance. This means that if an abattoir were to default on payment for any stock up to 90% of the value of that stock would be refunded by the insurers. This cover is something that CQLP has always offered its members and is not an optional extra which members can choose to use or not – all finished stock is covered. This applies to full and trial members. Please sign the agreement included with this pack and return to the office.
The cost of this insurance cover to each CQLP member equates to 25 pence per sheep and £2.50 per bovine animal sold, this amount is reviewed annually and is calculated using the average value of stock.
When you are paid direct from the abattoir we have no opportunity to deduct the cost of the credit insurance cover from these payments. We therefore have to bill separately for the cost of the credit insurance cover. We keep detailed records of all members’ livestock transactions and prepare members’ credit insurance invoices quarterly. If your total is less than £10 you will receive your invoice in January along with your annual membership fee invoice.
If you would like to know more about credit insurance cover please phone the CQLP office.