Q: Tell us a few words about yourself and your participation in DFA-organized activities?
A: I’m Marcin Pietruszka from JASNA-POL, Poland. My father, Jens Møller-Knudsen, and I run a farm in northern Poland near Vistula Bay, about 40 km from the sea. We are a family farm, cultivating 1,400 ha. I take care of most things, but my main focus is on administrative tasks and precision farming. I joined the ERFA Crop Managers group in November 2023, but had previously traveled with them to the Netherlands to explore the milk industry. Our first meeting as a group was at Dan-Slovakia Agrar in November 2023. Since then, we’ve had three more meetings, one in May 2024 at Goodvalley, one at my farm in Poland and the third meeting was in Romania at First Farms and JD Agro Cocora.

Q: What are the main activities you participate in within EEG and what are the main advantages/benefits that you take home and can apply in your daily work?
A: Our meetings focus on visiting farms, understanding their operations, and exchanging perspectives. We identify challenges, brainstorm solutions, and engage in meaningful debates led by our frontman, Ole Schou. The discussions are always inspiring, thought-provoking, and encourage open opinion-sharing.

Q: Can you share any valuable insights or best practices you’ve learned from other members?
A: Our group is multinational, with members from Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Romania, allowing diverse perspectives. Each farm differs in conditions and regulations, enabling valuable comparisons. Though in the EU, each country has unique farming policies, making it interesting to explore differences. Most of the farms managed by members of my group are large-scale farms, so for me, there is a lot of inspiration that we can apply on a smaller scale. Inspiration can come from the machinery they use, the daily activities they handle, and their approach to these challenges, always something worth considering.

Q: How do these meetings contribute to improving operations on your farm/business?
A: I always return from meetings full of ideas and inspiration, seeing new solutions to various challenges. For example, during our last visit to Romania, we explored First Farms' irrigation project. It was inspiring to see so many people working to improve conditions and the impressive results they achieved.

Q: What are the key challenges discussed in your group recently?
A: I think it is about EU policies and finding solutions to the difficulties farmers face. However, we also discuss crop management problems, including issues with weeds, mice, and slugs.

Q: Who can benefit most from joining an EEG Group?
A: Anyone involved in farming can join the EEG Group and gain inspiration and knowledge from our meetings. It’s also a great opportunity to connect with dedicated professionals. Despite coming from a “small” farm, I’ve benefited greatly. Building and expanding a strong network is essential for us.

Q: How do you see the EEG Groups evolving in the future to better support members?
A: Every year brings new challenges, so we can never stop. There is always something to discuss. Here, we can share our problems and challenges and look at them together. Everyone in the group is dedicated to bringing their own thoughts and showing how they would approach the topic.

Q: What advice would you give to new members considering joining an EEG Group?
A: Join us! If you're in the farming industry, we'd love to hear your opinions and experiences. More people mean more ideas and solutions. Danish Farmers Abroad connects you with inspiring professionals across Europe. If you want to build a strong network, share your views, and showcase your work, this is the place for you! 😊

Whether you're managing a small or large farm, this is a must-read for anyone looking to grow through collaboration. Thank you, Marcin, for sharing your knowledge with us!