Dairies in Germany: Key Factors for Grassland Conservation?

Nicolas Schoof, Rainer Luick, Karin Jürgens and Gwyn Jones
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Nicolas Schoof: Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Rainer Luick: Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg, 72108 Rottenburg, Germany
Karin Jürgens: Institute of Rural Sociology and Agriculture, 37310 Gleichen, Germany
Gwyn Jones: European Forum on Nature Conservation and Pastoralism, Penygraig, Llanfair Clydogau, Lampeter SA48 8LJ, UK

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 10, 1-17

Abstract: Germany is the largest milk producer of the 28 EU Member States (statistically still including Great Britain) and dairying is the most important single sector in German agriculture. Dairies are of central importance in the value chain, but very little is known about their objectives and perspectives in relation to grassland management, feedstuffs deriving from grassland and towards resource conservation issues. This study gives an insight on the way German dairies think about and act in such topics by using a standardized survey method. The survey revealed little to no linkage between the size of dairies and their interest in conservation issues on grassland and very little consideration of extensive grasslands. Dairies are divided over questions of governance for a more sustainable milk market and on the nature of their relationships with farmers. There is evidence that the German dairy industry is willing to contribute to a more sustainable and more robust milk market, but the enterprises mostly regard other market actors as more important. According to this survey, consumers will tend to opt for more sustainable milk products in future and there are possibilities to raise the willingness to pay.

Keywords: dairy industry; grassland; grassland conservation; dairy farmer; dairy goods; survey; Germany; climate protection; food system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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