An exciting event unfolded from June 9th to 11th, 2024, as part of the EU-funded project “Grazing4AgroEcology” (G4AE). Aeres University of Applied Sciences Dronten organized an international Young Farmers Tour, bringing 46 young farmers from seven European countries to the picturesque regions of Friesland and North Holland in the Netherlands. The tour focused on exchanging knowledge and experiences related to grassland management topics.
Participants delved into grazing management, exploring the New Dutch Grazing system and strip grazing techniques. Discussions also covered Biodiversity and meadow bird management, along with the latest innovations in pasture management and livestock breeding. To foster exchange and networking among the diverse participants, several presentations of the 30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation, workshops, interactive sessions, farm visits, and a social event were organized. These activities provided a valuable platform for young farmers to learn from each other and gain insights into sustainable agricultural practices, emphasizing the importance of collaboration and shared learning in advancing agroecological farming methods.
Grazing for Agroecology
The tour kicked off with a dynamic introduction from the group leaders. After the introductions, participants engaged in discussions about being a farmer and grazing cattle, discovering many shared opinions. The event continued with the 8th Working Group “Grazing” meeting in collaboration with the European Grassland Federation. The theme, “Grazing for AgroEcology,” highlighted the various ecosystem services provided by pasture-based ruminant production systems, such as economic, ecological, cultural, and societal benefits. The meeting featured presentations on grazing, followed by group discussions on various statements. The day concluded with a networking reception, providing further opportunities for exchange and collaboration among the young European farmers.
The new Dutsch Grazing system & nature-inclusive dairy farming
The second day started with a farm walk at Doede Hettinga’s farm (Klooster-Lidlum), a demonstration farm for the New Dutch Grazing system, also referred to as compartmented continuous grazing. Doede showcased how to produce high-quality milk from Frisian Holstein cows using fresh grass. This grassland management system was new to most participants and found to be very interesting. The second farmwalk was at Wieke Marije Bakker’s farm (near the village of Ginnum). This dairy farm is dedicated to nature-inclusive dairy farming. Wieke Marije shared insights into their approach to dairy farming, which integrates nature and meadow bird management. The participants found this presentation fascinating and appreciated seeing dairy farmers committed to environmental stewardship.
In the afternoon program, the Young Farmers Tour participants attended two presentations that were part of EGF. Valentin Klaus (Switzerland) presented on “Balancing competing ecosystem cervices requires stakeholder involvement and actions on different spatial scales.” Thereafter Mugur Jitea (Romania) presented on “Assessing the economic value of cultural ecosystem services from grasslands using choice experiments.” Following these presentations, there were meetings in small groups with leading industry members in Dutch agriculture and sponsors from the EGF: CRV, Barenbrug, Eurofins, ICL, and Triferto. The day concluded splendidly at the Fries Museum, where Deputy Femke Wiersma delivered her insightful welcome speech, marking the inauguration of the 30th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation.
Agricultural pioneers
On the final day of the Young Farmers Tour, participants visited two pioneering agricultural enterprises. The first stop was at the Dairy Breeding Center of CRV (Wirdum). Here, the group learned about CRV’s breeding objectives and how their methodologies align with grass-based systems. Participants had the opportunity to observe the facilities, gaining a comprehensive understanding of CRV’s approach to dairy cattle breeding.
The tour then proceeded to North Holland to visit the Van der Starre dairy farm (Slootdorp). This farm stands out for its experimentation with cutting-edge innovations from Lely. Participants were introduced to the farm’s use of automated milking systems, a robotic feeding system, and the Lely Exos. The Lely Exos, capable of autonomously harvesting fresh grass from the pasture to feed the cows, was a novel and intriguing technology for most attendees. The final farmwalk of the day, and of the Young Farmers Tour, was the farm operated by Kay Oostinga and Iris Huisman (Burgerbrug). After an introductory briefing, participants toured the farm and examined the pasture system, strip grazing.
The valuable feedback from the young farmers was overwhelmingly positive and will be instrumental in organizing the next G4AE Young Farmers Tour, planned for Ireland in 2025.
In summary, the international Young Farmers Tour in the provinces of Friesland and North Holland was a resounding success, fostering cross-border collaboration, knowledge sharing, and inspiration among the next generation of European farmers committed to sustainable and agroecological practices.
