Socio-economics of farm businesses

Farm businesses are subject to a number of influencing factors. In addition to influences of the market economy, local conditions, environmental influences, animal health and family backgrounds and constellations create the framework for agricultural activities.

As part of our research, evaluation and consulting activities, we analyse and evaluate the social and economic aspects of farm businesses. We examine the embedding of farms in regional structures and their scope for action under given political and market conditions. For many years we have been specifically concerned with the promotion of individual investments in agriculture and with processing and marketing within the framework of the evaluation of rural development programmes. In addition to profitability calculations for individual branches of production and grassland management, we also carry out analyses of the financial and labour economic situation of farm businesses and farm succession as well as income diversification and regional sales markets.

Contact person at IfLS: Jörg Schramek (schramek[at]ifls.de, +49 (0) 69/9726683-14)

Projects in the field

Research

Establishing regional processing structures - How can the trend be reversed?

The German food system has a low level of self-sufficiency in many food sectors. The relevance of imports is correspondingly high in many areas and the resilience of the food system with regard to possible crises is low. However, ecological location...

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Organic eggs from small production units - Current and alternative utilization of non-marketable eggs

In recent years, the number of farms with small flocks of laying hens (100 - 3,000 hens) has increased. This increase has been observed in both the organic and conventional sectors and logically also causes an increase in so-called dirty, cracked and...

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Institutional support needs of producer organisations - ways to strengthen farms

The price crises in various agricultural sectors ((mainly milk and pigs) in recent years have made it clear how weak the bargaining positions of producers of agricultural products are vis-à-vis the processing companies. Against this background,...

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Perspectives for agricultural diversification in the field of nature conservation, landscape management and municipal services – LP-Diverse

Traditional cultural landscapes usually have a high diversity of species and habitats. From an agricultural point of view, these are often in disadvantageous locations. On the one hand, this results in the social challenges of nature conservation and...

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Information und knowledge dissemination

Innovations for a Climate-Smart Agriculture

The project "Innovations for a Climate-Smart Agriculture " (InnoCSA) aims to promote sustainable agricultural practices that help farms adapt to climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The project produces three outputs:

  • Learning...
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ON-FARM: Farming, food production and food processing with added value for local small and medium-sized farmers

In the 21st century, it is completely normal to have your food delivered from all over the world. People have become accustomed to the fact that their meat, fruit and vegetables, or even their cookies and drinks travel thousands of kilometres before...

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Niche Market Farming

"Growing or dying" - this has long been used to describe the outlook for farms. The economic pressure of global food markets means that farms either have to grow in order to remain competitive, or give up if farmers cannot realize economies of scale....

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Learning on Entrepreneurship and Agriculture for New farmers – LEAN

While European agriculture is facing an ageing population with transmission issues, a new generation of farmers is rising: young people with no agricultural certification and without a farming background. These new farmers are seeking to develop a...

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Concept

Socio-economic study in the large-scale nature conservation project "Streams, moors and mountain meadows in the Thuringian Forest"

The UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Thüringer Wald is home to a diverse mosaic of beech and mixed mountain forests, mountain streams, moors and mountain meadows with rich biotic communities. To preserve and promote this habitat and species diversity,...

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Socio-economic analysis as part of the care and development plan for the large-scale nature conservation project "Ribbons of Life in Hunsrück"

In the Mosel-Hunsrück-Nahe region, the nature conservation project "Ribbons of Life in Hunsrück" is planned. The project is supported by the districts of Birkenfeld, Bernkastel-Wittlich and Trier-Saarburg together with the Rhineland-Palatinate Nature...

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Nature conservation project "New pastoral paths in the Palatinate Forest" - Socio-economic analysis as part of maintenance and development planning

A maintenance and development plan (PEPL) for the conservation of the species-rich open-land biotopes and drift paths will be drawn up for the 8,500-hectare development area of the nature conservation project "New pastoral paths in the Palatinate...

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Agro-Socio-Economic Study for the LIFE-Project „Hessian Rhön – Mountain Grasslands, Wood Pastures and their Birds“

Species diverse Natura 2000 habitats of the bird sanctuary “Hessian Rhön”, i.e. mountain hay meadows and Nardus grasslands, represent habitats especially to meadow breeders such as whinchats, meadow pipits and common snipes. The LIFE-project “Hessian...

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Evaluation

Ad-hoc study to the funding of the processing and marketing of regional quality products in Rhineland-Palatinate

In Rhineland-Palatinate, investments in the processing and marketing of regional products have been supported since 2015. The measure is specifically intended for companies that process and market certified organic products and / or products with...

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Consulting

Consulting on citizen financing models for the planned citizen vineyard Obernhof-Weinähr

The local communities of Obernhof and Weinähr in Rhineland-Palatinate want to establish a citizen vineyard in the course of a land consolidation within the LEADER project, which will be cultivated both organically (Weinähr) and conventionally...

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