Most British contractors run anything from one to four large square balers. There are others with more, and a handful with up to 10 on the books. Supplying straw to power stations in Brigg and Sleaford (Lincolnshire), Ely (Cambridgeshire) and Snetterton (Norfolk), Cambridgeshire-based AgriBale reckons to be the only contractor to run 14 big balers; all Massey 2200 series models made at the former Hesston plant (now owned by AGCO) in Kansas, North America.
The contractor does not have any combines and is a pure baling specialist, paying farmers for the straw in the field. Operating within a 100-mile radius of Rectory Farm, on the outskirts of Luddington village, near Peterborough, during the short summer season the contractor’s machines visit 50-60 farms and bale approx. 20,250ha (50,000 acres). Wheat is the biggest crop (roughly 12,000ha) followed by barley (4,750ha), OSR
(2,000ha for pelleting), oats (1,000ha), and 250ha each of rye and linseed. And the 20,250ha total does not include the 1,000ha of miscanthus baled in March/April.
The main two-month summer baling season sees the eight fulltime staff swell to 25 to fill the seats of the 14 baler and eight chaser tractors and four telehandlers.
