Project details

The new funding period of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) begins in 2023. Agri-environmental and climate measures as well as compensatory payments within the framework of rural development (EAFRD) are to continue to be important instruments for environmental, nature and climate protection. The federal states are currently engaged in redesigning and revising these measures. In addition to the funding conditions, appropriate premium levels are crucial for achieving the desired goals, as these are often decisive for the uptake of the measures in practice.

According to the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2021/2115), the calculations of the premiums must be independently verified with regard to their appropriateness and correctness in terms of derivation, the data material used and comprehensibility, among other things in order to exclude distortions or competitive advantages. A technical evaluation of the individual measures is not carried out.

In this context, the IfLS, together with the Agricultural and Regional Development Research Group (ART), was commissioned by the Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR) to verify the calculated premiums. The central aspect here is the loss of income or the additional expenditure associated with the participation of a farm in a measure. For example, when a flower strip is planted, not only is the corresponding acreage no longer available, but additional costs may also arise, e.g. through the use of regionally adapted seeds. In return, however, costs can also be saved, e.g. through reduced fertiliser application.