Geoff Alderslade - West Fell Gate Farm

Farmer and director of Tyne Grain, Geoff went on a study tour to Germany with LandSkills North East funding to help members of the Tyne Grain cooperative develop more competitive business practices and explore future trading opportunities.

Study trip to Germany

The trip to Germany aimed to broaden members’ knowledge of technological advancements in plant breeding across Europe and provide a valuable insight into how they can produce the products their storage business needs to market grain more profitably.

 

Geoff’s aim in taking part in the grain trip was to learn more about German co-operative systems and the benefits the farmers gain from being involved with those systems, in particular the collective grain store.

During the three day trip, Geoff and the group of Tyne Grain farmers met with both German farmers and executives from local co-operatives through The Raiffeisen Association. The farmers learnt about the technologies employed and how grain is traded on the European markets as well as how the Germans organise, strucure and invest in their co-operatives.

The visit also included a trip to the Biotech Farm in Sachsen-Anhalt where the group learnt about modern plant breeding with a focus on Biotech crops and new developments in energy and fuel crops. 

Through the trip Geoff became aware of the many advantages that Germany possesses, many of which were to do with soils and climate. He also found that the German farmers appear to embrace co-operation whereas the majority of the UK seem to fear it. Although Geoff already shares some farm equipment with another Tynegrain member, having witnessed the degree of co-operation in Germany, he is eager to investigate the possibilities of further co-operation.

Geoff who could not have undertaken this study visit without the support of Landskill North East said: “All types of training are important as you never stop learning, you may pick up what seems to be a fairly insignificant piece of information one day, but some time in the future it could be very important.”