Under the motto “A lot helps a lot ? Farm diversification today for tomorrow” the German Rural Youth Association (BDL), the German Farmers’ Association (DBV) and the Federal Information Centre Agriculture (BZL) invited young agricultural players to discuss future prospects. In days of Corona, the Farmers Lunch took place at the 25th of June as video conference with 23 participants. Founder and Ceres-Award winner Magdalena Zelder builded up a diversified farm called « Berlingerhof » with her husband in Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany. Magdalena Zelder shared her experiences about stumbling blocks and important planning steps, she gave good tips on networking and helpful administrative procedures. Her practical introduction completed Dr. Andrea Tausch from the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture as she presented the federal funding programmes for income diversification, provided various examples of support and presented the funding database of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, which can form a starting point for the search for support possibilities.
From the participants point of view, there is no lack of opportunities to receive support, but they are little known and hardly to apply in the jungle of requirements alone. For the participants after the web brunch, it is clear that the diversification of operations is an opportunity for additional financial security for their farms.
Information material from the Federal Agriculture Information Center : https://www.praxis-agrar.de/de/betrieb/einkommensalternativen
Funding database of the Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy : https://www.foerderdatenbank.de
BDL press release : https://www.landjugend.de/presse/news/standbeine-muessen-passen