By Alex Dacey, Grain Farmers of Ontario
In June, a group of 28 farmers, agronomists, and researchers from the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) traveled to England to connect with their United Kingdom (UK) counterparts and exchange insights on maximizing winter wheat yields. Over the course of five days, the group visited research centers, innovative farms, and spent a full day at the Cereals 2025 event, gaining a deeper understanding of both global challenges and cutting-edge strategies in winter wheat production.
A big group attended, with Michigan representation from growers, MSU researchers, MSU Extension and agricultural business.
The tour featured visits to renowned research sites like Rothamsted Research—home to the Broadbalk Experiment, the world’s longest-running arable experiment—and Syngenta’s Jealott’s Hill Research & Development Center, where participants learned about new approaches to weed control and advanced wheat breeding techniques.
The group also visited farms participating in the UK’s YEN program, led by ADAS, which inspired the creation of the Great Lakes YEN in 2021. Farmer Tim Lamyman, a multiple world record-holder for wheat yields, shared his management strategies and soil health practices with the group, joined by YEN founders Dr. Roger Sylvester-Bradley and Dr. Daniel Kindred.
From digging deep clay soil pits in Lincolnshire to trying out brixometers in the field, tour participants explored a wide range of agronomic practices, equipment, and technologies. Highlights included touring breeding labs at Elsom’s Vegetable and Wheat Breeding Farm, learning about biodiversity initiatives and funding opportunities from farm management company Velcourt and their partner Oakbank, and engaging in valuable conversations with UK farmers like Michael Brown in Covington about the common challenges growers face and how to overcome them.
The Great Lakes YEN was launched in 2021 as a partnership between agricultural organizations in Ontario and the US, modeled on the UK’s YEN program. With nearly five years of data collected, tour participants were eager to share their insights and return home with new ideas to enhance their own farming practices.