Worm Breeders Association

[wormfarmer]

Interested in hearing from other commercial worm breeders - especially ex ORM breeders - with a view to setting up some sort of association.
Anyone interested?

[NigelB]

Afternoon Wormfarmer, there should be a good deal of interest and need in some sort of association, this has been something that has been talked of before but nobody has gone the next step, a few years ago there used to be an element of "not sharing information" amongst the relatively new growers that were getting into the business whether that is still the same situation I am not sure, there is one thing for certain this lack of communicating good information has led to a lot of urban myths and bad practices, if there was more communication, openness and less suspicion the business of growing, selling (and buying) worms I am sure would be in a better situation than it is now!
Speaking as a seller, I am often frustrated by what I hear from growers who contact us, everybody is working independantly but one thing is consistent - everybody at some stage is/was supplying ORM, recently due to there being more and more "ex ORM suppliers" we are contacted regularly by these growers looking for another outlet, at the same time we have people contacting us with a view to starting up worm farming! so the problem seems to continue. The first question and no doubt the hardest one that has to have an honest answer is "what and where is the real, genuine, sustainable market? I hope this is discussed further.

[wormfarmer]

I think it's been in ORM's interests to keep breeders from speaking to each other - or we might have found out what was actually going on! The breeders I've spoken to seem (on the whole) keen to communicate - and there appears to be a reasonably healthy market judging by the enquiries we receive. There is talk of an online forum to bring breeders and wholesale buyers together - do you think that might work?
I am talking to various waste companies about using worms to deal with food waste. Market for this is huge and would provide a healthy demand for worms on an ongoing basis.
Also believe we may have found a market for cast which I know many breeders were expecting to sell to ORM but it was never picked up. Early days though.
I guess the problem is that an online forum or association needs funds to set up - and as many worm breeders realise when they start picking that breeding isn't all it's cracked up to be, there might well be a reticence to part with even more money.
Let's hope that other breeders come to this forum to discuss this and see if we can't get something off the ground.

[NigelB]

Since this thread was started some time ago, several growers and potential growers have phoned and discussed this matter, I am sure it would be very beneficial if this thread was discussed openly on the forum, so come on, give it a go!

[two sheds]

I've been breeding worms on a very small scale for nearly 10 years now and have a chance to take things up a notch. I've been hearing the name "ORM" a lot recently and thinking they look like a reputable company, thought I might get in touch. Why are there so many "ex-ORM" breeders out there? Is it the usual empty promises and unbalanced buy back scheme? I think an association would be a great idea, a central point for information might help steer the industry and breeders in the direction of sustainability and away from the empty promises and easy money carrot and stick mentality.

[wormfarmer]

Two sheds, please contact me before you speak to ORM. You can e-mail me through our website at www.northumbrianworms.co.uk. I'll be happy to talk you through why we are an 'ex' ORM breeder. We might also be able to help you if you want to scale up as we have a lot of kit here which we'll be finished with fairly soon. The idea of an association isn't going anywhere fast at the moment due to lack of interest. Many worm breeders are reluctant to talk to other breeders - which is a major reason why ORM and others get away with what they do. If we were all more open about our experiences then I think we could save others from falling victim to the same problems.

[janeerolph]

My husband & I seem to have become ex ORM breeders. We would love to have help from established breeders as to who we can now sell our worms to, the best way to package them, food products etc. We have really been left high & dry after only one season of picking & are very much still novices.

[wormfarmer]

Please get in touch via the contact details at www.northumbrianworms.co.uk and I'll be happy to help.