Increase biodiversity with proper roadside maintenance
Mulch mania and a love of tidiness are destroying nature \"Mulching\" is the term used when roadsides are mown and the cuttings are left to rot. This may make sense in the vegetable garden to enrich the soil with nutrients. When mulching open spaces and the edges of paths and fields, however, everything that cannot escape and disturbs the "order" is mulched. source: www.stadtzeitung.de
"The costs of alpine pasture farming are galloping away"
The operators of the 28 alpine dairy farms in the Landeck district are facing challenges in terms of personnel costs. Tourism, the state and municipalities are to be brought on board. Fließ - Even if the cowbells ring loudly on days like these - the idyll on the mountain pastures is deceptive. District Farmers' Chairman Elmar Monz stated yesterday, Thursday, at the Landeck Chamber of Farmers' Alpine Pasture Conference in Gogles (near Fliess): "The costs of Alpine pasture farming are galloping away. It's mainly about the personnel costs. That is why we have tried to find partners to share the costs." Source: www.tt.com
Bavarian State Chancellery message from 30/06/2017
Minister for Europe Dr Beate Merk honours integration project by Malteser Hilfsdienst and the German Alpine Association with the main prize of the ARGE ALP Award 2017 / Merk: "High quality and creativity of all award-winning projects / Impressive voluntary commitment throughout the ARGE ALP region" / ARGE ALP heads of government strengthen their cooperation in new cross-border projects Source: www.focus.de
Structural change in agriculture in Austria slowed down Vienna - Structural change in agriculture has slowed down in Austria.
According to the preliminary results of the 2016 agricultural structure survey by Statistics Austria, the total number of agricultural and forestry businesses last year was 161,200, 5,100 or 3% below the figure recorded in a similar survey in 2013. At that time, around 7,000 farms or 4% fewer than in 2010 were counted. Around 20 years ago, 239,100 agricultural and forestry businesses were surveyed, according to Statistics Austria in Vienna this week (27 June). source: www.proplanta.de
South Tyroleans fear German organic milk glut
Dairies in South Tyrol are concerned about the higher conversion rate of German milk producers to organic milk production and expect a surplus of organic milk in Germany from 2018. The South Tyrolean Dairy Association expects large deliveries of organic milk to Italy and consequently a drop in demand for conventional milk. In order not to "drown in the organic milk lake", South Tyrol must stand out, explained the chairman of the South Tyrolean Dairy Association, Joachim Reinalter, according to a report in Tagblatt Dolomiten. In order to prepare for this and set themselves apart, some South Tyrolean dairies have already converted their conventional range to hay milk. source: www.elite-magazin.de
Upswing: Farmers want to invest more again
German farmers are looking positively to the future again. This is according to the latest economic barometer, which shows an improved mood. The economic mood among German farmers continues to brighten. However, according to the latest data from the German Farmers' Association's (DBV) June 2017 Economic Barometer for Agriculture, the further improvement in sentiment in the agricultural sector is driven more by expectations for the future than by the current economic situation. Source: www.agrarheute.com
\"The days of everyone fighting for themselves are over\"
Fluctuating cattle prices, uncertain market developments and increasing milk volumes on the European market are causing problems for mountain farming. In order to face the difficult market together, the South Tyrolean associations for livestock and dairy farming have launched a business network. Source: www.stol.it
Milk price: this is what leading EU dairies paid in May
Producer milk prices rose on average in the EU in May 2017. Germany's largest dairy DMK also increased to 32.81 cents per kilogramme of milk. Leading European dairies paid their suppliers an average of 33.28 cents net/kg of raw milk in May, 0.25 cents more than in the previous month of April. This is an increase of 7.09 cents/kg or 27.1 per cent compared to the previous year's level. source: www.agrarheute.com
In favour of greener agriculture
Nobody is satisfied. The EU's agricultural policy misses the target of protecting the environment. Nor does it secure the livelihood of farmers. Take Bavaria, for example. 6000 farms there have given up, 1000 have switched to organic production. This was the view of participants at a conference at the Evangelical Academy Bad Boll, which wants to contribute to the discussion on agricultural policy after 2020. Further points of criticism: There is an inequality in distribution. 20 per cent of farmers were skimming off 80 per cent of the subsidies. source: www.swp.de
Over 10 million euros a year for bees, wasps and bumblebees
HANNOVER. Lower Saxony is strengthening its reputation as a bee state: funding for beekeeping was increased once again in 2016 compared to the previous year. And thanks to farmers, a record number of flower strips are blooming throughout the state. "We need more of these bee-friendly habitats," said Agriculture Minister Christian Meyer (Greens) during a press conference in the ministry garden today. source: celleheute.de
Mountain farmers hope for help
Oberallgäu - Where are the mountain farmers in the Allgäu feeling the pinch? That's what Federal Minister of Agriculture Christian Schmidt wanted to know during his visit to the Gunzesried Valley. At the "Mountain Farmers' Summit", the Federal Minister discussed the "intricacies" of farming in the mountain region with mountain farmers. source: www.kreisbote.de
Nature needs technology - Heinz Sielmann Foundation launches project to develop remote-controlled mowing machine
At the invitation of the Heinz Sielmann Foundation, 30 experts met in Neuglienicke/Neuruppin at the end of April to launch the NaTec project in the Kyritz-Ruppiner Heide. The aim of the six-year project is to refine the determination of vegetation using aerial photographs and to develop a remote-controlled mowing technique for the areas contaminated by munitions on the former "Bombodrom" in north-west Brandenburg. Source: www.sielmann-stiftung.de