Seed breeder launches UK farmer-led demo farm network

Limagrain is taking variety trials beyond the plot with the launch of a new UK farmer-led Demonstration Farm network.

The initiative is designed to give growers a clearer, more practical view of how varieties perform in real farming systems—moving away from purely small-plot data and into field-scale reality.

Instead of relying solely on trial sites and headline figures, the network will showcase Limagrain genetics under the pressures that shape day-to-day farm decisions, including soil type, rotation, cultivation and input strategy.

See also: 7 tips to make fertiliser go further this spring

Nicolle Hamilton, marketing director at Limagrain, says the aim is to give growers a different perspective.

“We want to offer growers a more meaningful way of looking at our varieties – through a farmer lens,” she says.

“That means taking them out of controlled conditions and putting them into real farming systems, managed by farmers making commercial decisions every day.

While she stresses that formal trials and the AHDB Recommended List remain important benchmarks, she says they do not always reflect the realities of commercial farming.

“This is not about replacing trials, it’s about adding another layer,” she says.

“Farmers want to know how varieties establish, how they cope with different soils and how they perform under lower inputs or after cover crops. That is where this approach adds value.

“It’s about working with farmers, listening to them and learning from them.”

Limagrain cereals product manager Heather Oldfield says the strength of the network lies in its farmer-led approach.

The focus is not on identifying a single standout variety, but on understanding where different genetics fit.

“There is no perfect variety,” she says. “Success comes from putting the right variety in the right place. What works on one farm may not work on another.

“These Demo Farms help us show those differences in a way that is much more relevant to growers.”

The farmers

The first two farms in the network are based in Suffolk and Staffordshire, offering two contrasting systems.

Ryan McCormack hosts the East Anglian site at Dennington Hall Farms, while Rob Atkin farms over in Staffordshire.

Together, they provide a broad snapshot of how varieties perform across different soils, climates and management approaches.

Suffolk farmer: Ryan McCormack

Ryan McCormack © Limagrain

At Dennington Hall Farms, Ryan McCormack is running a highly integrated system combining arable, livestock and environmental management.

The farm operates a 12-year rotation and places strong emphasis on soil health, with cover cropping, minimal cultivation and livestock grazing all playing a role.

“I’m farming for margin, but also for my soils,” he says.

This means he needs varieties that can cope with reduced tillage, cover crops and lower inputs. “The only way to understand that is to test them in those conditions.”

His trials include comparing multiple varieties under different establishment systems within the same field, giving a clear view of how genetics respond to management.

Staffordshire farmer: Rob Atkin

Rob Atkin © Limagrain

In contrast, Rob Atkin’s Staffordshire farm operates across a wide range of soil types, from heavy clay to high-organic-matter silt.

The mixed farm includes combinable crops alongside beef and sheep, with a growing focus on soil health and cost control.

“I still need yield to pay the bills,” he says.

“But I want varieties that work on farm, not just in perfect plots. I want to know how they perform under pressure.”