Cows in Pleidelsheim: Organic farm fights against new grazing obligation!

Cows in Pleidelsheim: Organic farm fights against new grazing obligation!

The stricter grazing requirement for organic farms in Germany creates significant challenges, especially for farmers like Andrea Seitz-Schick from Seitzhof in Pleidelsheim. Here on the orchard that she leases, there are now cows named Clown, Ferrero, Dora, Davina, Aloha, Gentian and Diana, who are about to give birth and are therefore no longer milked. This new regulation, which came into force this year, forces organic farmers to increasingly let their animals graze and at the same time puts many existing farms in a precarious situation. According to lkz.de, the implementation of this guideline is a big problem for Seitz-Schick.

The EU has decided to get serious about implementing its organic guidelines and is threatening countries like Germany with infringement proceedings if the grazing obligation is not complied with. These measures aim to increase transparency and sustainability in organic farming. Another measure that has been increasingly implemented since 2018 is that organic farming associations no longer accept new farms without pasture farming into their association. This is already evident in the affected regions, where organic farmers are being urged to establish a pasture farming system by 2029 at the latest. This is reported by br.de.

The reactions of farmers

The problem is particularly acute in Bavaria, where, according to Thomas Lang from LVÖ, around a third of organic dairy farmers do not offer pasture farming. This could potentially lead to a decline in organic farms, although Lang doesn't have exact numbers to hand. However, he explains that a return to conventional agriculture is unlikely and points to the experience in Austria, where only four percent of organic farms were lost. However, it is expected that not all companies will be able to implement the new grazing obligation. This is particularly difficult in certain regions such as Franconia, where there is traditionally a lack of suitable land.

Pasture farming is easier to implement in northern and eastern Germany because the corresponding structures have already developed here. In contrast, Bavaria, which has a high level of organic milk production, is struggling with a difficult situation. Bavaria has currently only achieved around a third of the target of 30% organic farming. Industry experts therefore expect that the greening of Bavarian agriculture could come to a halt and dairies and cheese factories are worried about the possible loss of their organic milk suppliers.

Overall, the new grazing obligation is not only a challenge for Andrea Seitz-Schick, but also for many other companies in Germany, which are now faced with the question of how they can implement these guidelines and at the same time ensure the profitability of their companies. In the current situation, political support and an understanding of regional peculiarities are essential.