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Support for Organic Production Boosts Farm Competitiveness in Altmark

Summary

The Dihlmann family purchased a farm in the Altmark 15 years ago and converted it into an organic farm. Area-based payments for organic production, namely for ensuring traditional crop rotation, contributed to ensure the competitiveness of the farm.

Background

The members of the Dihlmann family have been farmers for more than 14 generations. They moved from Baden-Wuerttemberg to the northern Altmark (Saxony-Anhalt) 15 years ago and purchased a farm in the village of Busch in the administrative district of Stendal. Since then the farm has been managed following organic production principles.

Objective

The farm’s owners turned to the possibility offered by the EAFRD support for organic production practices (under the agri-environment payments) in order to continue organic production and specifically to produce under the German organic standard and label ’Bioland’, while at the same time maintaining a competitive farm enterprise.

Main activities

The support provided by the specific RDP measure 214-3 ‘organic production’, granted for 5 year- period, was used to ensure continuity of the organic production. The farm size has increased from initially 70 ha to 412 ha on which clover, winter wheat, spelt, triticale, winter rye and oat are grown in traditional crop rotation. Pig and cattle breeding including fattening, the latter in cooperation with the dairy business of the owners brother, are other organic production of the farm

Results & Benefits

Thanks to the support the farm could continue to be a competitive enterprise. In addition to its core business the farm put great effort in creating networks with other enterprises in order to increase its overall viability (for example through engaging with Öko-Korn-Nord, a regional organic producer and marketing association). Other on-farm activities such as the creation of meeting places and farm visits were eventually established to boost the farm’s business.

Lessons learnt

EAFRD support was critical to grant the continuation of agricultural production practices which are compatible with the environment while maintain the farm business in the market. The specific RDP support to organic farming practices contributed to consolidate the farm’s core business providing the possibility to diversify and grow. The collateral on-farm activities were beneficial as to ensure visibility and customer loyalty.

Project location and other information

Busch, Landkreis Stendal

Region

Sachsen-Anhalt

RDP Territory

Saxony-Anhalt

Total project cost (€)

355 000

EAFRD contribution (€)

280 000

Contact name

Constanze Elz

Languages for contact

German

At a glance

Country

Germany

Final beneficiary type

Individual farmers

Budget range

€20 000 - €99 999

Start date:

01/01/2007

End Date:

31/12/2011

Theme / Measure:

• Environment and Sustainable Resource Management
• Sustainable use of agricultural land
• 214. Agri-environment payments

Keywords:

Organic farming, Agri-environment, Crop rotation

Last update

19/06/2014