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.
