This article analyses the existence of sustainability management in floriculture plant companies in Germany and the extent to which sustainability assessments are carried out. In view of the forthcoming EU regulations on sustainability, the study analyses whether the companies carry out basic sustainability measurements and what infrastructure exists for this. The methodology is based on personal interviews with ten managers of ornamental plant farms in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The results show that formal sustainability management does not exist in the companies surveyed and that decisions are predominantly made intuitively. The focus is primarily on ecological measures, while social and economic aspects are given less consideration. In order to promote the implementation of sustainability management, various hurdles need to be removed, for which external advisory services are needed, among other things. Future research should focus on developing suitable sustainability assessment systems that meet the needs of farm managers and on the implementation of advisory systems in practice.
This report refers to the identification and description of digitally accessible information sources and statistics in the field of grain legumes in Germany. The availability of comprehensive and up-to-date market data plays an important role in the development of a transparent and efficient market for grain legumes. Especially for peas, faba beans and sweet lupins, a lack of market transparency and price quotations has often been reported in the past. The study presents the most frequently used sources of various actors along the value chain of German grain legumes and provides insights into how accessible the data is and how different users assess its importance. In addition, LeguDash, a newly available source from the legume network, is presented. Quantitative secondary data, qualitative internet research and expert interviews were used to determine the status quo. The qualitative interviews followed a semi-structured, guideline-based approach, whereby key questions on the use and evaluation of existing information platforms were addressed. A total of eight experts from the fields of breeding, trade, marketing and industrial processing of grain legumes were interviewed. The statements were evaluated and categorised using qualitative content analysis in order to identify key aspects, patterns and differences. In addition, the data was paraphrased and structured using AI-supported methods. The interviews make it clear that market players are dissatisfied with the existing data basis. The lack of transparency in prices in particular makes it difficult to make decisions, for example on purchase times, quantities and origin of the goods. In addition, there is often a lack of consideration of regional and systematic differences, such as the differentiation between conventional and organic production. These deficits also have an indirect negative impact on breeding programmes, for example, as the need for specific varieties cannot be properly quantified. The currency of the data also remains a problem, as there is a time lag in publication in many sources. The most important primary sources of information are agricultural surveys such as the Land Use Survey of the German Federal Statistical Office. This provides annual data on acreage, production and yields for legumes, differentiated according to organic and conventional production. This is followed by the databases on seed production, the results of national variety trials, foreign trade statistics and processed information such as that provided by the Chambers of Agriculture or the Agrarmarkt Informationsgesellschaft. Nevertheless, the data situation remains limited, as key information such as regional price differences and seasonal developments are not systematically recorded. Cooperation between the AMI and the LeguNet project could provide important groundwork in this regard in the future. The 'LeguDash' is intended to improve market transparency by pooling and processing existing data. It integrates public and private data sources as well as forecasting models such as the 'Soester Leguminosenpreis-Index' (SoeLI) in order to map future developments. While the experts interviewed attest to the potential of LeguDash to be used frequently in the future due to the simplified access to desired data, the dependence on existing data sources remains a limiting factor. In conclusion, the study shows that clear differentiation and comprehensive presentation of market key figures are important and offers points of reference for the further development of existing information platforms and the optimisation of new tools such as the 'LeguDash'.
This study examines the digitalization status of equine facilities in Germany and the factors influencing the adoption of digital tools. Based on qualitative interviews with 18 horse-keeping operations, the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework was applied. The results show a medium level of digitalization (5.6/10), with substantial differences between operational areas. Accounting, communication, appointment scheduling, and feed management are partially digitized, while other areas remain analogue. Major barriers include insufficient internet connections, lack of horse-specific tools, varying digital skills among employees, and limited time resources. Financial resources are not a constraint for most operations. Notably, there is a lack of supporting cooperations and an ambivalent attitude of customers towards digital solutions. The digitalization potential is substantial, as most operations are open to implementing digital tools. The study derives recommendations for facilities, software providers and policymakers and identifies research needs for future studies.
Agricultural marketing cooperatives face diverse challenges that test their resilience. This study is the first to examine the perceived resilience of these cooperatives from the perspective of their members. Based on the resilience concept proposed by MEUWISSEN et al. (2019), the capacities of robustness, adaptability, and transformability were operationalized and complemented by cooperative values and principles as an organization-specific resilience attribute. A quantitative survey of 144 cooperative members conducted in 2024 captured their perceptions of resilience, satisfaction, and engagement. The results indicate high perceived robustness, while adaptability and transformability are assessed more moderately. Cooperative values and principles are perceived as an important resilience attribute, but they are also viewed somewhat ambivalently in the context of change processes. Members are predominantly satisfied and particularly value economic benefits and knowledge exchange. The study provides new insights into the resilience of agricultural marketing cooperatives and highlights the importance of the member perspective for understanding cooperative organizations.
The article "Why are the goals of water protection not being achieved with fertilizer legislation in Germany?" by Taube and Bach attempts to demonstrate that further legislative intervention in nitrogen fertilization practices in agriculture is necessary to achieve existing legal objectives for water protection. This response points out a number of the authors' arguments that are technically problematic and even misleading, and presents specific, contradictory evidence. Nitrogen (N) surpluses in agriculture have decreased significantly in recent years, likely due in part to the requirements of the updated fertilizer legislation. In fact, the N surpluses and are below the levels of comparable EU member states. However, the fact that this has not resulted in a drastic, short-term decrease in nitrate concentrations in groundwater is not surprising, given the sometimes very longterm transport and conversion processes of nitrogen into groundwater. It can be shown that statistically significant decreases in nitrate concentrations in groundwater have been observed for some time. The extent to which existing EU legal requirements for water protection are ultimately achievable in general, or what consequences a fertilizer policy strictly geared towards these goals would have, should be the subject of further discussion.
Climate change and biodiversity loss pose an increasing threat to ecosystems. Agricultural practices, especially meat production, contribute significantly to these challenges. Niche crops such as chickpeas, lentils, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth offer potential to help mitigate these problems through sustainable farming practices and climate-friendly diets. This study examines how such crops can be marketed in Germany and accepted by consumers. To answer these questions, focus group discussions were held with 30 people who differed in terms of their purchasing behavior and geographical origin (urban/rural). The results show that chickpeas and lentils are consumed relatively frequently, while quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth are less popular. Decisive influencing factors are taste, ease of preparation and health aspects, while time and lack of knowledge about preparation are barriers. Purchasing behavior shows that niche crops are preferably bought in brick-and-mortar stores. Consumers value organic products, but prefer regionally produced products. Online purchases are met with skepticism, particularly due to a lack of trust in product quality and sustainability. In terms of marketing, it was found that consumers know little about the ecological benefits of niche crops. Targeted communication should therefore emphasize their benefits for species and climate protection, with a preference for concise messages and visual content. Credibility is crucial; public institutions are considered suitable actors for communicating this information. The study recommends processing niche crops more to make them more suitable for everyday use, while communicating their health and environmental benefits in a targeted manner. The results provide important pointers for the development of effective marketing strategies and the promotion of sustainable consumption.
The "future dairy barn" is designed as a research barn to improve animal welfare that integrated a family herd that avoids regrouping and enables stable social relationships, a free lying area to allow species-typical lying behavior and pasture or paddock access to enable the cattle to stay indoors or outdoors. In order to conduct an economic analysis of innovative barn concepts, research barns must first be adapted to practical use by dispensing with the equipment necessary for research purposes, such as data collection, storage, and evaluation in the practical barn. Therefore, four variants were compared in the analysis: variant 1) adaptation of the research barn to practical conditions without research facilities, variant 2) as in Variant 1 with mother-bonded rearing of all calves up to 16 weeks of age; thereafter heifer rearing in a separate barn, variant 3) composting barn for cows without pasture and outdoor access; calf and heifer rearing in a separate barn, and variant 4) cubicle barn with deep litter, scraper manure removal, no pasture, with outdoor access. The economic assessment takes into account differences in the investment costs of the variants as well as other cost and price factors influenced by the husbandry method. Dairy farming, calf rearing, and heifer rearing were considered separately in order to determine minimum prices for milk and veal and thus enable marketing strategies. The research concept of the "future dairy barn" can be put into practice, for example, based on existing barn types. However, the capital requirement would be approximately 30 % higher and the annual costs approximately & euro;500/cow per annum higher than for simple composting barns. The bedding of the free lying area with wood chips causes higher costs, and the extended mother-bonded rearing reduces milk revenue. The sale of the calves does not fully cover these costs, so a surcharge of & euro;0.76/kg of veal would be necessary. In order to break even in milk production, based on the average market price of & euro;0.43/kg of milk, a price surcharge of & euro;0.17/kg of milk would be necessary for the adapted practical barn (variant 1). The "future dairy barn" serves as a research barn for investigating animal welfare and developing possible improvements in animal welfare in dairy farming. Further effects, such as alternative bedding or consumer acceptance, can only be examined once the barn has been built. This study demonstrates that transferring practices from the research barn to commercial dairy farms, with adaptation to practical conditions, can lead to cost savings and improved economic efficiency.
Family farms form the backbone of agriculture in western Germany, combining family life, agricultural work, and economic activities. This success is based on close cooperation and mutual support within the family, which contributes to the economic stability and long-term planning of agricultural businesses. At the same time, the close intertwining of family and business often leads to conflicts, as personal and business concerns are difficult to separate and traditional gender roles usually persist. Against this backdrop, this qualitative study examines the future role models of young women who have married into family farms in northwestern Germany. The aim is to develop a sustainable and fulfilling understanding of roles in family business contexts from the perspective of these women. The analysis is based on six guided interviews with women from different types of farms, supplemented by a structured qualitative content analysis. The results are divided into five central dimensions: retrospective and current situation, desired situation, support needs, environment/framework conditions, and ideal situation. Looking back, it becomes clear that the parents' generation of the women interviewed was strongly influenced by patriarchal role models, which often led to the structural invisibility of female labor. In contrast, the interviewees formulate a target understanding based on partnership-based division of tasks, financial independence, legal security, and individual self-fulfillment. However, these target images often conflict with real operational and family structures. The women's support needs focus in particular on legal advice, protected exchange formats, target group-oriented further training, and better social infrastructure in rural areas. The family environment-especially living with parents-in-law-is viewed ambivalently: on the one hand as a resource, on the other as a source of structural dependence. The ideal situation describes a balance between professional independence, family involvement, and psychological relief. The study makes it clear that equality in agricultural contexts cannot be achieved through individual adaptation alone, but requires structural changes. It provides differentiated insights into the negotiation of female roles on farms and at the same time positions itself in the broader social discourse on gender equality. Political, agrarian-social, and educational measures are necessary to translate the ideal images formulated into real opportunities for action. The study thus makes a practical contribution to making female perspectives visible in German agriculture.
The market for specialty coffee, as coffee of an extraordinary quality, is constantly growing. There still is little knowledge about consumer preferences for this relatively new market segment, which makes target group-oriented marketing difficult. The aim of this study was to identify the preferences for intrinsic and extrinsic product characteristics that lead consumers to choose coffee in the premium price segment. For this purpose, a survey was conducted with a sample of 114 customers of the Hamburg specialty coffee roasting company "elbgold". In a choice-experiment, the respondents could choose between products with different attribute levels from attributes such as label, taste profile, intensity, origin and price. All options were roasted coffee from the "elbgold" brand. Using latent class analysis, the respondents were grouped into two segments of homogeneous consumers. It was found that in both segments the origin of the coffee plays the most important role in the choice decision. In addition, the taste attributes and the associated sensory indulgence are important. Overall, sustainability labels are of minor relevance, but for one group they are more important than for the other. Elbgold coffee is only traded directly. Accordingly, it was assumed that customers would consider elbgold to have a particularly high level of competence in this area. However, in the context of image comparison with market leaders, this was only confirmed to a limited extent. Taste, quality and consulting expertise achieved significantly higher values. Direct trade was given the highest utility value among the sustainability labels in the choice based conjoint analysis. Nevertheless, the results of the study show that product characteristics such as origin and taste are prioritized by customers when making a purchase decision, although them being customers of a brand that stands for direct trade.
Due to their positive effects on the environment, hedgerows are important components of the agricultural landscape. They provide a variety of ecosystem services such as erosion control, improvement of the microclimate and carbon storage and fulfil an important role for biodiversity as a habitat for flora and fauna. Due to these benefits, hedgerows can contribute to the achievement of political goals, for example by acting as a carbon sink in the agricultural landscape. However, too few new hedgerows are currently being planted for this purpose. This article therefore aims to show how the attractiveness and acceptance of planting new hedgerows can be increased. In the first step, the positive effects of hedgerows on biodiversity, water balance and yields on neighbouring arable land as well as their contribution to carbon storage are presented. New findings from the project "CatchHedge-carbon sequestration in hedges and field copses" are incorporated here. The challenges and opportunities of planting and maintaining hedgerows are then analysed. In addition to the complicated regulations of regulatory and subsidy law, these include the costs of planting new hedges. In particular, the provision of land and game browsing protection were identified as cost drivers. These costs are not currently compensated for in all funding programmes. Based on the analysis, options for action are derived that include simplifying regulatory law and redesigning funding programmes. It also shows how regulations for hedgerows and agroforestry systems can be harmonized. Comprehensive change is needed in many areas to ensure that more hedgerows are planted.
Water pollution caused by nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) inputs from agriculture is characterised by two contrasting developments: since the amendment of the Fertiliser Ordinance (D & uuml;ngeverordnung, D & uuml;V) in 2017, N and P surpluses declined significantly, but the objectives of the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive (WFD) are still not being met. The Nutrient Report for Lower Saxony 2023/2024 illustrates the reasons of this discrepancy and the shortcomings of the D & uuml;V as a key instrument in water protection in Germany. In Lower Saxony, the soil mineral nitrogen content in the root zone in autumn (SMNa) have not changed between 2008 and 2023, and the nitrate concentrations measured in leachate in deep soil profiles on arable land have only decreased slightly from an average of 69 mg/l (2016-2018) to 62 mg/l (2021-2023). The average nitrate concentration in groundwater in Lower Saxony has remained nearly constant at 56 mg/l between 2012 and 2023, based on measurements from 1,142 monitoring stations (with a concentration > 5 mg/l). Calculating the potential nitrate concentration in drainage water is not suitable to indicate changes in groundwater nitrate pollution. The Nutrient Report explains the lack of improvement by the long response time with which N surpluses arrive at a measuring site. However, for measuring sites with a known short response time (<= 10 years), no separate analysis is carried out to determine whether the measures are already showing success. For the Weser and Ems rivers, the WFD target of 2.8 mg total N/L will be significantly missed in 2023. The WFD targets for total phosphorus concentration in surface waters were exceeded at 63 % of the measuring sites in Lower Saxony in 2023. Based on the D & uuml;V requirement for permissible amount of P fertilisation, a negative P fertilisation balance of-3.6 kg P/ha is calculated for Lower Saxony as a whole. However, according to the P fertilisation recommendations of the VDLUFA (2018), animal husbandry alone results in a P surplus of 5.6 kg P/ha, which would have to be transferred to other federal states with farm manure from Lower Saxony. The German Action Programme must be revised to achieve a substantial reduction in N and P inputs into water bodies. The regulations of the D & uuml;V must be critically reviewed and complemented; in particular, the calculation of N fertiliser requirements of crops must be adapted to the current state of knowledge by independent experts, and the N mineralisation from various pools must be taken into account to a much greater extent. Furthermore, nutrient flows must be recorded and evaluated at the individual farm level and impact monitoring must be implemented. Finally, the response times of measuring sites must also be estimated in future and the nitrate vulnarable zones must be re-shaped based on the nitrate concentration in the groundwater, taking into account the denitrification value (excess N2).
The number of farms has decreased drastically in recent decades, with smaller and medium-sized farms being particularly affected by this decline. The innovative model of community-supported agriculture (CSA), in which the total costs of a farm are borne by the consumers or members, could offer a long-term economic perspective, in particular for these farms. How farmers in Germany evaluate the CSA model and whether a partial or complete conversion to CSA represents a possible future perspective for existing farms has hardly been investigated so far. To close this gap, questionnaires were distributed to several thousand farmers. Of the 238 farmers who answered the questionnaire completely, nearly 25 % rated a conversion to community-supported agriculture positively and around 6 % could imagine converting their own farm. Particularly female farm managers running smaller, environmentally friendly farms that already market their products directly, showed a significantly higher interest in converting. A higher awareness of the socio-ecological challenges facing agriculture and a positive assessment of the Solawi model in the surrounding area were also associated with a more positive attitude and a higher conversion rate. To exploit the growth potential identified here and to promote the spread of the CSA model, awareness of the problem should be raised, prejudices reduced and the advantages and diversity of the CSA model demonstrated, even for farm structures that have hardly been represented to date. In addition, support is needed from various stakeholders in order to overcome barriers to conversion, for example with regard to recruiting members.
The German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) supported fourteen digital trial fields to advance digital transformation in agriculture, foster sustainable solutions, and strengthen knowledge transfer into practice. A survey among the responsible project managers of all fourteen funded projects, conducted within the working group "Quality Assessment of Digital Technologies" of the Competence Network on Digitalization in Agriculture, mapped the technologies, research methods, and evaluation criteria addressed in the projects. In total, 181 technologies, addressed in the projects, were analysed, ranging from sensors and automation to robotics, and classified into five categories such as data management, decision support, and specific applications. Applied methods in the digital trial fields included demonstrations, evaluation procedures, and further research and development. The assessment focused on agronomic, economic, ecological, and social dimensions, with particular emphasis across all projects on reliability and economic viability, while social aspects received less attention. Two examples illustrate the findings: automated feeding systems can optimize processes and reduce labour, though they face challenges such as high investment costs and lack of standardization; field robotics shows potential for mechanical weed control and precise data collection but requires greater robustness and integration into farm operations. Overall, the digital trial fields enabled practice-oriented testing and technology assessment, identified both potentials and challenges, and contributed significantly to knowledge transfer as well as to the development of sustainable and efficient agricultural applications.
Agricultural research has so far only inadequately addressed the treatment of digital farming as a subject in agricultural education in Germany. Therefore, the present study investigates the experiences and expectations of technical students and teachers regarding the methodical and content-related design of teaching digital farming in technical school education. Methodically, the results of a standardized survey of 37 students and 35 teachers from Baden-W & uuml;rttemberg are used. The results show that the teaching of digitalization should be integrated into existing subjects and that students and teachers particularly value practice-oriented teaching methods. In terms of content, the students state that farm management information systems have so far been insufficiently covered in technical school education. Overall, teachers and students agree that a wide range of topics related to digital farming should be taught in technical schools in the future. The results of the study provide insight into the content-related and methodical possibilities of teaching and learning about digital farming in school-based education and give impulses for the conceptual adaptation of educational offerings taking into account the needs and expectations of technical students and teachers.
This article sheds light on the state of genderequality in German agriculture and what information on recognised gender equality indicators can be provided by official statistics. Women represent 36 % of the agricultural labour force. They work part-time more often than men and are less likely to hold management positions on farms. The farms managed by women and men differ in size, business orientation and the type of income combinations. Access to land is also still restricted for women. Female farm managers have a different educational background totheir male counterparts. According tothe conclusion, not all areas important for equality (e.g. gender paygap) can be illuminated from the agricultural census. An additional survey instrument should be considered in order to obtain a comprehensive picture of the situation of women on farms at regular intervals.
The demand for specialists and managers in the German agricultural sector is being met by an increasingly scarce supply of qualified workers. This has far-reaching effects on the competitiveness, added value, innovative strength and sustainability of the agricultural industry. The demand for labor is expected to continue to rise. The recruitment of specialists and managers in the agricultural sector is seen as problematic both now and in the future. The causes are demographics, digitalization and structural change, emigration, early retirement and training. In the agricultural sector, there is also the negative image and the comparatively low income level. Approaches to overcoming the shortage of skilled workers include reactivating previously unused work potential, the increased integration of women in the family phase, the integration of older workers, the targeted immigration of skilled workers and the recognition of foreign qualifications. Many state institutions are proving to be too bureaucratic and too slow in implementing these measures, so there is no end in sight to the shortage of skilled workers and managers.
