YOUNG farmers branching out on their own could cut costs by joining a machinery ring.

Mr Tony Brown, chairman of the Northumberland and Durham machinery ring, said established farms tended to have a full range of machinery and equipment but most stood idle for long periods of the year.

The ring could allow them to hire machinery when it was needed and sell their under-used equipment.

"We could also help young farmers looking to start farming on their own because they would not need to go out and buy machinery," he said. "It would save on a large capital cost."

Mr Brown himself has a 50-acre, all-grass farm with 250 sheep and a few cows. "I have no machinery myself," he told the meeting at the Royal Derwent. "I get a local farmer in once or twice a week in winter to put big bale silage in for the animals and use contractors to make the bales and everything else."

It was cheaper and provided jobs.

The ring, formed in April 1998, quickly became one of the most successful in the country. It has 260 members and is still growing, with a turnover of £470,000 last year.

It offers a huge range of services and skills but particularly wanst to expand its membership of farmers' sons and other farm staff who could take on extra work at quiet times of the year.

Group buying has proved particularly successful and the ring is actively exploring the potential for energy crops.

The ring can be contacted on 01207 590064.