I was given the unique opportunity to participate in a forage tour in the Netherlands and France hosted by Union Forage last August.
This was a fantastic chance to see new developments but also to put boots on the ground and see what drives the forage industry in Europe and globally. It was reiterated over and over on the tour that our production systems are quite different between the Prairies and the parts of Europe we toured, but the concerns in agriculture are universal and every farmer we visited would be at home in any Canadian small-town coffee shop.
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The first stops on the tour were in the Netherlands. This is a country with a population density of 1,353 persons per square mile. In a western Canadian context, that equates to an average of 338 people living on every quarter-section, or just over two people per acre. The interface between farming and the public is very apparent and it means farmers face a lot of regulation.
The agricultural industry in the Netherlands has a significant focus on forage production. The dairy industry is a major player in the Netherlands and very much a forage-based industry with a year-round growing season. The productivity is incredible in an environment with lots of fertility and very little limitation to moisture. Forage blends tend to rely heavily on blends of perennial ryegrasses and legumes. Leaving a hot, dry, smoky summer at home, I was staggered by the productivity of the environments we were shown.
A vast difference from the Prairies is that many operations harvest forages fresh daily and feed them, rather than grazing — although we also toured several operations where stored feed was a very important component of their business.
One of the beef operations we toured silages perennial forage crops every month (on the same field). Animal selection pressure was quite different for most of the beef producers in the crowd. The cow herd consisted of larger cows and leaner, more terminal-type genetics. Due to regulations, only intact bulls were on feed and the majority had horns. The dairies we toured were very technology-forward, employing robots and very good forage management.
While the operations were typically smaller than those on the Prairies, the pressures to grow and improve efficiencies were intense and producers must navigate a maze of public pressure and regulation. Several operations had a direct-to-consumer component to their business, including a meat shop and a cidery.
Research and development
The tour stops were suggested by Barenbrug, a global leader in the forage industry, and as such a major highlight of the tour was a visit to the Barenbrug head office to see their operations and research program. Barenbrug has operations across the globe, including North America, with Union Forage being the Barenbrug retailer in Canada.
Its operations in the Netherlands were extremely interesting as we toured one of its major production facilities and saw the core of its research programs.
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The production and global distribution channels for Barenbrug are a bit staggering, with seed production occurring in 13 countries. The production facility in the Netherlands is the second largest in Europe and produces roughly 20 million tonnes of seed a year. Basically, there were yellow bags of forage seed from floor to ceiling.
The research program was also extremely impressive. The Barenbrug company research budget is roughly 12.5 million euros (about C$18.4 million) per year and has direct operations in nine countries and collaborative efforts in another 12, including Canada.
The program is highly sophisticated and incorporates a lot of DNA sequencing, test plot, greenhouse and lab work. It really adds perspective when you see the steps required to produce a new variety and the fact it takes almost a quarter of a century with traditional breeding to go from inception to market. The use of genomic sequencing has cut almost a third of that time off, reducing inception to market down to 15 to 16 years. Still a big commitment.
Also of interest was the effort that is put into turf products for uses such as sports fields, golf courses and lawns. This is a forage market most of us in the cow business would rarely give a second thought, but globally is in the multi-billions of dollars.
A particular personal highlight was touring through the “biobank” where years and generations of germplasm are stored in order to preserve biodiversity and provide the ability to dip back into the past to resample genetics as our environment or markets change.
After the Netherlands, the tour travelled through Belgium and into France to look at more operations and how they use forages. Simply driving through the countryside, you can see the importance of forage production in European agriculture.
There are significant differences between the French environment and that of the Netherlands; the drier climate means more grain production in the mix and a bit less reliance on forages. Dairy is a high priority in the animal agriculture space, although it is slightly more common to see beef cows along the road in France in comparison to the Netherlands.
Another factor in France is the focus on terroir, or capturing regional variation and preserving local cultures. This was reflected in the choice of dairy breeds in use (lots of Normande in in the area we visited) and in the local cidery we visited, as well as the cheeses and wines. We saw some good regional farmer/company partnerships in the on-farm test plots in France.
A special highlight of the trip was a stop at Vimy Ridge. It certainly put into perspective what is important in life and the sacrifices those before us have made to allow us to do things we may take for granted today, such as going on a forage tour. Vimy Ridge was the best use of my taxpayer dollars I have ever experienced and is highly recommended.
Overall the tour was a great experience and the opportunity provided by Barenbrug and Union Forage to gain a broader perspective on forage and agriculture brings out several key points that I think apply in our Canadian context.
- Well-managed forages can provide a solid basis for productivity and profitability.
- Science and technology are rapidly advancing in the forage industry and we should take advantage of this.
- The effort that goes into forage breeding and seed production can and should be taken advantage of at the farm level.
- We are more the same than we are different. Farmer concerns are shared across borders. Public knowledge of our craft, finding willing successors, and regulatory burdens are common threads in every country.
- Our businesses and our nations are built upon the shoulders of those before us. It is important to honour this by building forward as well.
