On 8 and 9 July 2026, the meeting of the Monitoring Committee (BGA) for the ‘National CAP Strategic Plan (CAP-SP)’ took place against an alpine backdrop in Bad Reichenhall. On the first day, the IfLS presented the initial findings of the evaluation of support for young farmers. The focus was on the setting-up grant, which is offered in six federal states under the CAP-SP.
The findings were the subject of a lively discussion among the representatives of the authorities and economic and social organisations present. Topics discussed included aspects such as how beneficiaries use the funds, which farms should be eligible for support, and the overall validity of such support. It became clear that there is still a great need for information and dialogue in this area, and that further evaluation results are urgently required for future planning in the forthcoming CAP-SP. The evaluation is due to be completed by 31 December 2026; until then, the evaluation team still has a steep climb ahead of them to reach the summit.
On the second day of the BGA, the participants visited the Berchtesgadener Land dairy in the Traunstein region. It was interesting to learn about the diverse strategies employed by a small, remote dairy in Germany – one which also faces the specific challenges of milk collection in mountainous regions – to hold its own in a highly competitive market: these include a range of higher-priced, quality products based on organically produced milk from Demeter and Naturland farms.
Contact persons at IfLS: Bettina Spengler (spengler[at]ifls.de); Jörg Schramek (schramek[at]ifls.de)
