Germany: 1.4 million hectares organic land

The figures published by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture confirm that many German farmers switched to organic farming in 2017. Germany's organic area grew last year by more than 120,000 hectares (9.7%) to a total of 1,373,157 hectares.

Felix Prinz zu Löwenstein, Chairman of the Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft (BÖLW), comments: "More and more farmers are grabing the organic opportunity. In 2017, more than 2,200 farms in Germany switched to organic farming. Every day, farmers converted an agricultural area as large as 467 football fields into organic."

And further he states: "More organic is good for everyone. For the customers who buy more and more organic products from here. For bees, hares or skylark, who benefit from environmentally, climate- and species-friendly production. And of course for the farmers, who can live off their products through stable and good prices."

Politicians should use the eco-potential

"We call on politicians at federal and state level: Use the eco-potential for the urgent restructuring of agriculture and food in Germany! We expect all ministries to tackle the Future Strategy as a joint task of the entire Federal Government, including research, health and environmental policy, for example. Federal Minister Julia Klöckner must focus her policy on 20% organic farming by 2030, the goal set by the Grand Coalition in the coalition agreement. The strategy for the future of organic farming must now be vigorously implemented. And in line with the fertiliser ordinance, animal welfare label, public procurement and EU agricultural policy", postulates BÖLW.