trucking brokers, what do I need to know

[jimg]

I have hay advertised for sale on the net and fully intended to sell only into an area w/i a few hrs drive of my farm. However, I got a call today from a trucking broker who expressed interest in moving my hay. It would be great to expand my market area and/or offer transport w/o the necessity of owning the equipment. I really dont know though what it means to load hay onto a truck and wave good-bye as it disappears around the bend. Has anyone gone this route before? Id be interested in particulars...pros & cons. From what little I know this deal isnt the same as a hay broker who either buys the hay outright and/or lines up sales for me. This is simply a trucking company willing to move hay Ive already sold. My only experience is on the other end, using a trucking broker to line up a ride for equipment I bought out of state. That went very smoothly. I suspect theres more to it than Ive experienced though.

 

[plowking]

My wife has had dealings with brokers. They will take a percentage for their services and the truckers they hire. Have to be sure they have experience hauling and protecting hay. My wife had a load brought down from Canada,it was wet or moldy when it arrived. She had to sell it as construction hay and have the company deliver another load of new hay. plowking

 

[jimg]

Yup, I hear ya. I was sort of interested in what was involved on the other end. Did your wife set up the sale and transport? Did she own the hay once the sale was complete (bit before it was loaded or delivered)? Oh, I guess so b/c she was stuck w/ unusable hay. On the seller side I dont want to take a hit b/c the trucker was napping and ruined his load.

 

[charlz]

If you sell to someone outside your area I would sell it 'as is, where is' and let them find a trucking company, take the risk of transport etc etc. Generally this is how business is done... maybe you give 'FOB' if you have a way to load it.

 

[plowking]

Yup, I hear ya. I was sort of interested in what was involved on the other end. Did your wife set up the sale and transport? Did she own the hay once the sale was complete (bit before it was loaded or delivered)? Oh, I guess so b/c she was stuck w/ unusable hay. On the seller side I dont want to take a hit b/c the trucker was napping and ruined his load.

My wife and others formed a little co-op and split the load,the farm in Canada sent a truck down,when it was discovered the hay was bad,the farm sent another load to replace it. She and the farm owner did work out a deal for her to sell the old hay to recoup some of the money. My wife had driven over the road years ago,she has experienced hauling brokered loads from Maine to NY,New England[paper loads.] plowking

 

[YanmarFever]

If you sell to someone outside your area I would sell it 'as is, where is' and let them find a trucking company, take the risk of transport etc etc. Generally this is how business is done... maybe you give 'FOB' if you have a way to load it.

I have a few friends that sell hay, and the above advise is how they have operated for years without problems

 

[LBrown59]

. She had to sell it as construction hay and have the company deliver another load of new hay. plowking

I bought 14 bales of mulch hay from a farmer in W.Va. today for $1.40 per bail.

 

[jimg]

Thanx for interesting replies...much appreciated.

 

[LBrown59]

She had to sell it as construction hay and have the company deliver another load of new hay. plowking

We call it mulch hay here.
She made out on this deal -made money on both loads of hay but only paid for one.