Öko-Feldtage (Organic Field Days) 2021
On the 23rdand 24thof June 2021 the third national Öko-Feldtage (Organic Field Days) will take place in Villmar, at the Staatsdomäne Gladbacherhof (Hessian State Domain), which is the research and experimental institute of the University of Gießen. This event unifies a unique combination of practise and research in organic agriculture and animal husbandry. It is the ideal platform to exhibit innovations and to discuss current topics with farmers and representatives from politics and business.
Germany has the biggest market for organic products in Europe. German politics aims for an expansion of organic agriculture and to increase the share to 20 % by 2030. The national Organic Field Days 2021 will demonstrate the strength and diversity of organic agriculture and will invite all actors to further increase its great potential. Not only organic farmers are addressed, as well are their colleagues from the conventional sector, so they can come into contact and interact on equal terms.
The first and the second Öko-Feldtage in 2017 and 2019 were a complete success. Therefore, the established cooperation of partners will continue in 2021. The FiBL Projekte GmbH is organiser of the Öko-Feldtage 2021. Co-organisers are the Hessian Ministry of Agriculture, the University of Gießen with the Hessian States Domain Gladbacherhof and the Foundation for Ecology & Farming (SÖL).
The Öko-Feltage offer an ideal platform
The nationwide Öko-Feldtage (“Organic Field Days”) are a two-day meeting point for organically working farmers as well as all farmers interested in new methods for environmentally friendly agriculture. The event offers an ideal platform where current topics can be discussed with practitioners and representatives from politics and economy. The so called innovation show demonstrates the current state of organic farming and where it is heading.
Farmers can get a full picture about innovations in agricultural technology, plant cultivation, animal husbandry and research. Companies, associations and organisations present seeds, crop varieties, agricultural technology, inputs, animal feed, stable constructions, consultancy services and much more. 11.000 visitors came to the Öko-Feldtage 2019 and experienced the grand range of services offered by organic farming. A third of the visiting farmers are working in the conventional sector.
An essential difference to “classic” field days: Livestock farming and animal husbandry play a central role, not only because livestock and the circular- economy are important components of organic agriculture. The focus lays on the entire system of organic farming with innovative operation concepts, cultivation systems and modern animal husbandry in all its diversity.
Latest news on organic farming
The programme of the Öko-Feldtage presents the perfect mixture of practice and research and all the latest news on organic farming. Visitors can gain an impression of the latest agricultural technology in numerous machine demonstrations of hoes, harrows, rakes, GPS and camera-guided machines.
Many innovation examples show prototypes and new developments. The latest findings on challenges such as the climate crisis, eco-breeding and animal welfare are discussed in forums by scientists and practitioners. In 2019, companies, breeders, consultants and universities presented over 70 crops reaching from field beans to sugar beet and organic farming inputs on 1,200 demonstration plots. Delicious organic food from regional suppliers, music and dance complete the programme.
Evaluation of the Öko-Feldtage 2019
Under the direction of Dr. Benedict Jahnke, students of agricultural and food marketing at the University of Kassel questioned 564 visitors and 156 exhibitors about their satisfaction at the Öko-Feldtage. 96 % of visitors as well as 8 % of exhibitors are content and up to very content with the event. More than half of the visitors are farmers, of whom more than half (55%) are organic farmers. The number of conventionally farming colleagues is rising compared to the premiere in 2017 and is about one third. The proportion of visitors who want to convert their farm remains roughly the same at 11%. Of the 90 conventional farmers questioned, 40% are interested in a conversion, 31% are undecided and 29% do not want to convert to organic farming. Besides farmers, representatives of associations and organisations and students make up the largest group of visitors.
First Öko-Feldtage at the Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen
On 21 and 22 June 2017, more than 8000 visitors attended the first ever nationwide Öko-Feldtage in Germany. Our Video shows the special atmosphere.
