Local Societies
Benefits of Local Societies
BGS currently have 48 active affiliated local grassland societies and discussions groups.
Affiliation is open to any discussion group or society with an interest in grass and forage.
Affiliated societies or discussion groups paying an annual subscription to BGS are entitled to the following benefits:
- Grass and Forage Manager – One free copy of each issue per member of that society.
- Grassland Farmer of the Year Competition – Entry for one member into the regional round of the competition.
- BGS website – The Society will be listed on the BGS website. Enquiries from potential new members will be forwarded to local societies by the BGS office.
Calendar items and other content can be included on the BGS website – send details to the BGS office - Annual General Meeting – The society can nominate one member to vote at the BGS AGM.
- Speaker List – A list of potential speakers for meetings, collated by BGS, is available to local society secretaries.
- Special members rates will be available for events when the affiliated society is the host of that meeting (e.g. Summer Meeting)
- BGS Regional Council Member – A member may stand for election as a BGS Regional Council Member. The Society may nominate a person as a BGS Regional Council Member or Trustee.
- Public Liability insurance cover for activities under the BGS policy at a level determined by BGS Trustees – details can be advised by the BGS office
New groups are welcome. If you are interested, please call the BGS office on 01785 450284 or use the Contact us page of our website.
Local society events
One of the benefits of the affiliation of Local Societies to BGS is cover by the BGS indemnity insurance for events. With respect to any planned events, a risk assessment should be carried out prior to it taking place.
Guidance on completing risk assessments can be found here:
HSE risk assessment England/Wales/Scotland
https://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/risk/risk-assessment-template-and-examples.htm
HSENI risk assessment Northern Ireland
https://www.hseni.gov.uk/articles/risk-assessment
An example of a BGS event risk assessment is available upon request from the BGS office.
Regions
Corporate Members
Agrovista
Agrovista UK Limited is a leading supplier of agronomy advice, seed, crop protection products and precision farming services. Working in partnership with arable, forage, fruit, vegetable, horticultural and amenity sectors, Agrovista is committed to helping customers manage their businesses more efficiently and more profitably. We are dedicated to our company purpose - releasing agronomic potential. With roots originating more than 60 years ago, Agrovista offers a unique blend of local experience, research-based expertise, customer-based knowledge and trusted relationships; practising values of honesty, integrity and fairness across all aspects of the business. Agrovista also embraces care for the wider environment, with an understanding of the important role now played by all those who manage the land, through dedicated initiatives such as Agrovista Soil Health and Agrova Decision Support services.
Twitter: @AgrovistaUK
Visit the Agrovista website
Animax
Animax, the market leader in trace element supplementation for livestock. Best known for its Tracesure boluses with unique leaching technology for slow release of trace elements at a regulated rate. Cobalt, copper (if required), iodine and selenium are supplemented for 6 months. Much of the country’s grazed or conserved grass is deficient in these essential trace elements. Without supplementation, functions affected by deficiencies include immunity, energy metabolism, digestive enzymes, and breeding hormones. Sub-optimal function in any one of these is likely to have adverse effects on animal productivity and financial performance, so bolusing to help maximum use of forage is good business as well as an affordable and easy way to accurately control trace element intake to each animal.Twitter: @Animax_Vet
Visit the Animax website
Visit the Animax website
Barenbrug
Barenbrug UK Ltd is a grass seed producer supplying more than 4000 tonnes a year into the amenity and forage markets. As a plant breeder, it creates new grasses, legumes, and forage mixtures at 14 breeding and research stations worldwide, including in Northern Ireland since 1991, and trials them on farm. The company has a strong research focus and one of its research sites is at Cropvale in Worcestershire, where numerous species, varieties and mixtures have been tested since 2007.
Twitter: @BarenbrugUK
Visit the Barenbrug website
Twitter: @BarenbrugUK
Visit the Barenbrug website
Berry BPI Agriculture
Berry bpi agriculture is a leading global producer of high performance agricultural film. Our continuous focus on farmers’ needs helps optimise crop production. The conservation of silage from forage crops is an essential part of agricultural production systems with forage forming a significant part of livestock diet. Berry bpi agriculture’s silage films and agricultural bags enable farmers to produce cost-effective, nutritious fodder that enhances dairy and beef herd yields.
Twitter: @rpcbpi_ag
Visit the Berry bpi website
Twitter: @rpcbpi_ag
Visit the Berry bpi website
Califert
LKAB Minerals supplies a range of easy-to-apply granulated products for the agricultural and horticultural sectors. The Calcifert range is best known for its flagship granulated lime product, Calcifert Lime, a highly reactive and pure agricultural lime product, made using 100% British lime from the Peak District – well-proven to effectively balance soil acidity and regulate pH in grassland and arable soils. Other products available include Calcifert Sulphur and Calcifert Mag, as well as high-specification products containing key trace elements, humates and bio-stimulants. LKAB Minerals is an international industrial minerals group with a leading position in a number of product application.
Visit the LKAB minerals website
Visit the LKAB minerals website
CF
CF Fertilisers UK are the sole British manufacturer of fertilisers, producing the market leading brand Nitram, best quality Nitrogen and Sulphur products SingleTop and DoubleTop and a full range of true granular NPKS compounds for all grass and forage situations. Investment in research and advice to take science into practice is at the core of our business (click here). Our products are proven to provide the best nutrient uptake and have lower carbon footprints, accredited by the Carbon Trust.
Twitter: @cffertilisers
Visit the CF Fertilisers website
Twitter: @cffertilisers
Visit the CF Fertilisers website
Corteva
Corteva helps livestock farmers grow the best quality and quantity home-grown forage. Our market leading weed control solutions for grassland optimise grass growth by giving effective long term control of docks, thistles, nettles, buttercups, dandelions and ragwort with products like Doxstar Pro, Thistlex, Forefront T and Grazon Pro. We have wider spectrum herbicides for new sown leys with Leystar and Envy. Our Pioneer branded silage inoculants help to further optimize production of quality silage and reduce losses. Our significant research and development effort will see a number of new technologies launched to benefit the livestock farmer in the coming years.
Visit the Corteva website
Visit the Corteva website
DLF
DLF Seeds are a seed breeding and production company operating on a worldwide basis with grass and legume crops forming the core of the business. Other forage crops such as Fodder Beet, herbs and brassicas are also an important part of the portfolio. The DLF trials farm at Didbrook in Gloucester tests and evaluates many species for adaptability to UK conditions and is an integral part of the UK testing system that produces the recommended lists of many crops. Cover crops for soil health and fertility together with diverse species are all part of the DLF seed package.
Twitter: @DLFSEEDS_UK
Visit the DLF Seeds website
Twitter: @DLFSEEDS_UK
Visit the DLF Seeds website
Genus ABS
Genus ABS is the world-leading provider of bovine genetics, reproduction services and technologies, marketing in over 70 countries around the globe. In addition, Genus ABS provide a technologically advanced range of forage and udder care products. Genus ABS is at the forefront of animal genetics and technology. Through innovation and expertise we help to maximise the potential of dairy and beef farms to help them Profit from Genetic Progress.
Twitter: @GenusABS
Visit the Genus ABS website
Twitter: @GenusABS
Visit the Genus ABS website
Germinal
Germinal are specialists in grass and forage seed, working at ground level to share knowledge and expertise with customers, distributors and partners across agriculture and amenity. Germinal is a privately owned firm that works closely with IBERS at Aberystwyth University, funding near-market work for forage grass, red and white clovers. Germinal also conducts extensive trials via its research facility. The majority of Germinal’s grass seed is produced in the UK via a network of contract growers. However, it also works with international seed breeders to offer a broad range of species (such as chicory, kale and maize) and varieties.
Twitter: @wearegerminal @GerminalUKAgri
Visit the Germinal website
Twitter: @wearegerminal @GerminalUKAgri
Visit the Germinal website
Lallemand
Lallemand Animal Nutrition is a global leader in microbial fermentation using yeast and bacteria in animal agriculture. Lallemand develops, produces and markets high-value yeast and bacteria products including probiotics, silage inoculants, yeast and yeast derivatives. These innovative solutions positively impact animal nutrition and well-being, forage management and the animal environment. Using sound science, proven results and knowledge from experience, Lallemand applies the right strains for the right applications to have the greatest impact for our customers. Lallemand Animal Nutrition is committed to optimising animal performance and well-being with specific, natural microbial product and service solutions.
Twitter: @Magniva
Visit the Lallemand website
Twitter: @Magniva
Visit the Lallemand website
LIC
LIC UK specialises in dairy genetics sourced from its parent company in New Zealand. Sires are proven on commercial dairy farms worldwide, on both grazing and concentrate systems. The company is also involved in milk recording, business and grassland management, offering an AI service, farm consultancy and farm business software. Some 26% of annual income is spent on research and development each year. Through its Pasture to Profit network in the UK, it brings together like-minded dairy farmers to focus on growing and utilising more grass.
Twitter: @LIC_UK_Ltd
Visit the LIC website
Twitter: @LIC_UK_Ltd
Visit the LIC website
Limagrain
Limagrain is a plant breeder and supplier of seeds to both livestock and arable farmers. It offers a full range of grass and forage seeds through its LG, Sinclair McGill and LG Monarch brands. Limagrain invests more than £215m a year in research worldwide, with plant breeding stations and trial sites across the UK, including the LG Innovation site in Lincolnshire. Here long-term forage quality trials have been instrumental in creating the LG Animal Nutrition (LGAN) portfolio of grass mixtures. The LGAN accreditation is awarded to products that offer a combination of improved nutritional value and excellent agronomic qualities.
Twitter: @LGSeedsUK
Visit the Limagrain website
Twitter: @LGSeedsUK
Visit the Limagrain website
Nufarm
Nufarm is the UK’s leading manufacturer of grassland herbicides, insecticides and growth enhancers. Grassland is a core part of Nufarm’s business and we are proud to have weed control solutions for every grassland situation, including clover swards, reseeds, silage and grazing systems. Our herbicides are manufactured in the UK at our “state of the art” global production plant at Wyke in West Yorkshire and supported by a dedicated grassland technical team. The Nufarm range offers best return on investment to maximise profit from grass.
Twitter @NufarmUK
Visit the Nufarm website
Twitter @NufarmUK
Visit the Nufarm website
Nutricor Agronomics
Nutricor Agronomics is a leading innovative developer of non-hazardous, biostimulant and enhanced mineral fertilisers. A proven, cost-effective biological approach to agriculture. Sustainably advancing yields, using cutting-edge organic agronomics, products and research. Healthier, vibrant and nutrient rich grassland and forage crops, lead naturally to healthier, better nourished dairy and beef cattle, livestock and a more robust environment. Promoting a living soil for superior grassland at a considerably reduced cost, enhancing bioavailability and crop nutrient densities. Creating more with less. Proven in trials across the UK and supplied internationally, substantiated by 20 years’ ongoing research and development.Working in synergy with nature.
Twitter: @NutricorA
Visit the Nutricor website
Twitter: @NutricorA
Visit the Nutricor website
Volac
Volac International Limited is committed to helping farmers produce consistently better silage as a key part of maximising milk and meat production from homegrown forage. As well as its www.cuttoclamp.com six-step blueprint for better silage-making, the company provides regular, in-season silage-making advice, and conducts pioneering silage research. Silage preserved with its leading Ecosyl additive has been proven to result in improved dairy cow and beef animal performance, and the company markets a range of other additives, utilising the beneficial MTD/1 bacterium used in Ecosyl, for preserving a wide range of other forage crops.
Twitter: @ecosyl @cuttoclamp
Visit the Ecosyl website
Twitter: @ecosyl @cuttoclamp
Visit the Ecosyl website
YARA
Yara grows knowledge to responsibly feed the world and protect the planet, to fulfil our vision of a collaborative society, a world without hunger and a planet respected. To meet these commitments, we have taken the lead in developing digital farming tools for precision farming and work closely with partners throughout the whole food value chain to develop more climate-friendly crop nutrition solutions. In addition, we are committed to working towards sustainable mineral fertiliser production. Founded in 1905 to solve the emerging famine in Europe, Yara has a worldwide presence of about 17,000 employees and operations in over 60 countries.Twitter: @Yara_UKFind more information about grassland nutrition on the Yara website