Every year, the European Arable Farmers (EAF) organisation organises an educational tour. This year, the tour will take place from 9 to 13 June in the Baltic states – Latvia and Lithuania. Erik Guttulsröd, Managing Director of the European Arable Farmers (EAF), has organised the trip and provides details of the highlights. Through networking and the exchange of experiences on the ground, participants gain valuable insights that will have a lasting impact long after the trip is over.
DLG: What are the EAF’s reasons for choosing the Baltic states as this year’s destination? What is particularly interesting about agriculture there?
Erik Guttulsröd: The Baltic region has its own unique set of conditions – in terms of agriculture, but also structurally and politically. It is precisely this combination that makes it so interesting for us as the EAF.
Let’s start with the most obvious factor: the climate. Due to their north-eastern location, farms there have a shorter growing season than we are used to in Central Europe. Cooler temperatures, wind, and then suddenly everything kicks off at once – harvesting, tillage, sowing. These tasks are sometimes so closely spaced that operations have to be organised in parallel. This necessitates very consistent, adaptable management. And we at the DLG find this extremely exciting for our members: precisely this question – ‘How do I keep my work chains stable when the weather window is tight?’ – is currently gaining in importance in many regions of Europe. Machinery and capacity planning, cooperation, and contractors – these are issues that concern us all.
Furthermore, there is another dimension that we find very valuable: the geopolitical one. The Baltic region is a strategically significant area within the EU. We have planned a meeting with advisers from the German Embassy during the trip, including a security briefing. What do the security policy conditions there mean for investment, for the supply of agricultural inputs, and for markets? How do local stakeholders assess the situation? This gives the trip a depth that goes beyond a mere farm visit.
Finally, there is the land market. This issue sends a clear signal, not only to local businesses but to all of us. Land market issues represent a strategic bottleneck in almost every region of Europe – and in that respect, this is a discussion from which our members can benefit directly.
The itinerary is packed. As the organiser, how do you choose the stops – and which part of the programme is a personal highlight for you?
When selecting programmes, we can draw on a truly broad base: a large network of partners, contacts, farms and stakeholders from upstream and downstream sectors. But of course, we can’t include everything, so it’s always a question of finding the right balance.
On the one hand, we want to reflect agricultural practice and farm-level perspectives. On the other hand, it is important to us to gain a better understanding of marketing channels, the processing of agricultural products and cooperative structures in the eastern part of the EU. We then add selected stops that complement the programme from a technical perspective. This year, that includes a visit to the Agrocerņas cooperative. We’ll also be gaining insights into alternative protein strategies and, of course, meeting with the German Embassy.
What is ultimately prioritised is always decided in close consultation with our local network partners. They are often involved in consultancy or agriculture themselves and can assess very specifically which topics and discussion partners are particularly relevant.
Land market issues are a strategic bottleneck in almost every region of Europe – which is why this is a discussion from which our members can benefit directly.
Erik Guttulsröd
The programme includes the EAF Annual General Meeting and a dinner with Danish colleagues. What role does informal interaction – outside of the official site visits – play in adding value to such a trip?
That is the very essence of European Arable Farmers. When farmers from different countries come together to discuss current challenges, a range of perspectives emerges. This leads to a better understanding of which solutions work under which conditions – and which do not.
Incidentally, this is also part of the DLG’s DNA: bringing together people with practical experience so that real progress can emerge from their experiences, comparisons and discussions.
And the informal part is at least as important as the official programme. The conversations in between – on the bus, over dinner, on the sidelines of an event – help participants to really get to know one another, build trust and strengthen the sense of community.
The exchange has the greatest impact when it becomes concrete: in approaches to the crop programme, fertiliser management or mechanisation. It is precisely this diversity of approaches that many participants see as a form of professional development.
What usually remains are two things. The first is exceptional farm visits, inspiring business leaders and hosts who have a clear vision and engage in open discussion. They leave a lasting impression and provide inspiration that extends far beyond the trip itself.
The other aspect is the sense of camaraderie within the group. The atmosphere within the network, the respectful dialogue, and the fun we have together throughout the day. These informal moments are a key part of what makes the EAF the club it is.
The DLG interview was conducted by: Clara Albrecht
About the European Arable Farmers (EAF)
Founded in 1991 in Frankfurt am Main, the European Arable Farmers club is a small network of entrepreneurial farmers from European countries. Coordinated by the DLG (German Agricultural Society), the EAF promotes cross-border knowledge transfer through expert talks, on-farm visits, and open discussion formats. Working language: English. For membership enquiries, visit www.arablefarmer.net.
