Strategy process “Zukunft Pflanzenbau” (The Future of Crop Production)

Development of the Strategy

At the request of Federal Minister Rupprechter, the strategy process was headed by a recognised expert, M.P. Johannes Schmuckenschlager. The aim was to develop modern solutions for crop production and to guarantee security for farmers, consumers as well as the environment. As a basis for the discussion to be held, the Agency for Health and Food Safety (“Agentur für Gesundheit und Ernährungssicherheit”) and the Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics compiled documents addressing challenges as well as basics of crop growing and economic and social considerations.

All stakeholders from the field of crop production were involved in the discussion process - agriculture, processing, trade, audit bodies, interest groups, non-profit organisations, industry and science. In this way, the extensive knowledge and the different expectations regarding modern crop production were compiled. Priority issues were research and training, public relations, legal and regulatory framework conditions as well as the cooperation of all stakeholders (link to the final report on the future of crop production: “Abschlussbericht Zukunft Pflanzenbau”).

Johannes Schmuckenschlager summarised the stakeholders’ essential demands on modern crop production in a ten-point programme:

• Promotion of diverse crop rotation and enhancement of biodiversity
• Site-adapted breeds and varieties
• Promotion of soil-preserving production methods and targeted environmental monitoring
• Further development of integrated plant protection
• Further reduction of the use of plant protection products
• Clear and transparent framework conditions for the licensing of plant protection products
• Linkage of practice and research
• Educational campaign for modern plant production
• Intensified public relations work
• Better networking of all stakeholders

The results of the process were presented to the public on 8 June 2015.

Continuation of work

The implementation of the strategy is still going on. One key outcome of the strategy is the discussion platform “Runder Tisch” (Round Table), which addresses current issues of crop production with the interested public and relevant stakeholders.