Farmers have always been each other’s best teachers. Long before formal education reached rural areas, knowledge about crops, weather, and livestock was shared over fences, at markets, or during community gatherings. These early forms of farmer peer groups were informal but powerful.

In the 20th century, the rise of agricultural Extension services brought more structure to farmer education. One of the most influential models emerged in the 1980s: the Farmer Field School, which interestingly, was first developed in Indonesia. Instead of top-down instruction, farmers met regularly throughout the season to observe, experiment, and learn from each other — pioneering a new approach to peer learning.

One of the first organized and successful examples of farmer peer groups grew out of Argentina through CREA (in English, Regional Consortiums for Agricultural Experimentation) over 50 years ago. At one time, there were over 200 CREA groups made up of thousands of agribusinesses. By the 1990s and 2000s, structured farmer peer groups began to take off around the world, especially in countries like Australia, the UK, New Zealand, and Canada.

These small, trust-based groups focused not only on farming techniques but also on financial performance, business management, and even mental health. The emphasis was on honest sharing, benchmarking, and collaborative problem-solving.

Dr. Danny Klinefelter, former ag economist with Texas A&M and founder of The Executive Program for Agricultural Producers, often explained that the purpose of a peer group is to act as informal business advisors for fellow members. No matter what the group calls itself, it should adhere to the same principles:

  • An information exchange established for mutual self-improvement – all members give, as well as take.
  • Groups are custom-built to meet the needs and wants of members.
  • Members respect one another’s ideas, opinions and suggestions.
  • Everyone actively participates.
  • Members typically avoid competition and are chosen by geographic areas that are many times quite a distance apart from one another.
  • Confidentiality is key – for a peer group to be truly effective, it must be built on trust among the members.

Over time, technology has taken these connections even further. Today, farmers can join peer groups from across the globe through WhatsApp, Zoom, and online forums to support one another in real time.

That same collaborative spirit continues at Pinion, where we facilitate peer groups among crop and livestock producers, as well as manufacturers and other agribusinesses.

As Pinion lead peer group advisor Davon Cook shares, “I’ve led hundreds of peer group meetings over the last thirteen years. At every meeting I am inspired by the sharing that takes place. It brings real value to members. It’s a powerful combination of specific business advice and personal support through the challenges of leadership.” 

We believe in the power of idea exchange. Learn more about Pinion peer groups here.

Farmer peer groups continue to evolve, but their core strength remains the same: learning from those who walk the same rows and face the same challenges. Whether in a field or on a screen, farmers thrive when they learn together.