Support Policy for Organic Farming in Germany

摘要

Organic agricultural policy has developed very dynamically over the past few years. A broad range of support measures is now offered by the Federal Government and Federal States (Lander) throughout the entire supply chain to the consumer. A comprehensive overview of policy support from the Federal Government and the Lander in the area of organic farming had not been available until a recent study was undertaken by the Institute of Farm Economics. The objective of this study was to make financial support measures for organic farming in Germany more transparent, and to place the German situation into an international perspective. This paper presents the most important results of the study. The analysis of support policy reveals that, despite a significant expansion in the spectrum of policy measures, area-based organic payments remain the dominant means of financial support. From the international perspective, the policy environment in other EU countries shows that support to the organic sector has now become an established element of agricultural policy throughout the EU. Analysis of the role of financial support in Germany indicates that, from the perspective of most organic farmers, policy support for organic farming, particularly area-based payments, is of considerable significance. Comparison of different support budgets in the agricultural sector makes clear that the specific support for organic farming does not substantially stand out from comparable domestic and foreign expenditures.