Our Pools

At Camgrain, we operate in a unique and transparent way to ensure that our members are protected from the financial risks that have impacted other grain stores. Our co-operative model focuses on the security and value of your grain, and we take every step to keep your interests at the forefront of our operations.

Grain Ownership and Ring-Fenced Accounts

One of the key principles that sets Camgrain apart is that your grain is never 'owned' by Camgrain Stores. Instead, it is kept off-balance sheet, ensuring that it remains in your ownership, even once it's delivered to our storage sites. This is an important safeguard that ensures our members maintain control over their crops.

Additionally, the money received from selling the grain is kept in a ring-fenced bank account within a dedicated entity, Camgrain Ltd. This structure ensures that funds generated from the sale of grain are handled separately and securely, further protecting our members' interests.

The Surplus: What It Means for You

At the end of each crop year, following the completion of the pool process in August, Camgrain Ltd will distribute a surplus to each member who delivered grain into the Camgrain pools. This surplus will be paid on a per ton basis, ensuring that the value is shared equally among all members who have marketed their crops through our collective pool arrangements.

The surplus itself is made up of two components:

1. Financial Surplus: This is derived from the excess of interest charged to members for advance payments, less the net interest costs and overdraft fees charged by our banking partner. Essentially, it reflects the value generated from managing our members' financial transactions.
2. Store Surplus: This is the income derived from selling any store surplus - amounts in excess of the stored weights. This surplus arises when Camgrain, as a grain store, has not lost all the throughput or other weight loss deductions (such as drying and ergot cleaning processes). Essentially, if we’ve successfully managed the storage and handling processes and achieved a higher-than-expected yield, that value is passed back to you.

Returning Value to Members

This surplus distribution is a core aspect of the Camgrain co-operative model. All the value generated from these surpluses is returned to our members, reinforcing the true co-operative ethos that drives our business. It’s our way of ensuring that our members not only benefit from a reliable, secure grain storage service but also share in the financial successes of the co-op.

By keeping your grain in your ownership, offering transparency in how we handle and sell it and sharing any surpluses equitably, we strive to create a fair and valuable experience for all of our members.