Webinar Summary: Growing stronger together - Rapeseed farming, grower cooperation and EU integration

The Webinar focused on how grower cooperation can help improve rapeseed production and how Ukrainian farms can prepare for changing market conditions as Ukraine moves towards closer integration with the EU.

Albin Gunnarson from the Swedish Seed and Oilseed Growers Association (SFO) explained how Swedish growers jointly fund independent field trials on topics such as variety selection, sowing dates and crop nutrition. Growers’ experience helps determine which questions the trials address. The results are shared with growers through field meetings and other channels, and the association also uses them in its discussions with public authorities.

Oksana Prosolenko from I.P.Cert described how Ukrainian farms encounter sustainability requirements through legislation, buyers and finance providers. She distinguished between requirements that already affect trade and changes that could follow from future EU membership. She also highlighted tree-based windbreaks as an example of how agroforestry can make rapeseed production more resilient.

The presentations highlighted four key lessons:

• Joint field trials build knowledge that growers can use. When trials address growers’ own questions, the results can inform practical decisions on the farm. The same evidence can help grower organisations represent their members.
• Good records help growers work with buyers. Oil content and other product characteristics can be measured by testing a sample. To show how the rapeseed was grown, farms also need to be able to document details such as field boundaries, fertiliser applications and crop protection practices. Growers can start by reviewing their existing records and asking buyers what documentation or certification they require. The relevant requirements depend in part on whether the rapeseed is intended for food, feed or biofuel.
• Windbreaks need to suit local conditions and be managed over time. Trees and shrubs can reduce wind erosion, influence the microclimate and provide habitat for more species. At the same time, trees can compete with crops for water. Restoring existing windbreaks also requires clarity about who has the right to manage them and who is responsible for their upkeep.
• Practical examples show what it takes to put knowledge to use. One example from the Swedish presentation was Kvävevågen, a decision-support tool that helps growers estimate how much nitrogen winter rapeseed needs in spring. The tool shows how jointly funded research can inform decisions in the field. The Ukrainian example of windbreaks highlighted another aspect: even where the benefits for crops are clear, uncertainty about rights and responsibilities can make it difficult to put that knowledge into practice.

For advisers, grower organisations and policymakers, the webinar showed how cooperation can help smaller farms improve their production and respond to changing market conditions. Grower organisations can make trial results and information on buyer requirements more accessible, while bringing farmers’ experiences to the attention of those who shape the conditions for production and trade.