Salzburg organic farmers: Easy increase despite the challenges of funding

Salzburg organic farmers: Easy increase despite the challenges of funding

In Salzburg, an interesting trend in agriculture is observed: after a more than one -year decline, the number of organic farmers has increased slightly for the first time. There are currently around 3,500 organic farms in the region, which makes up almost 50 percent of the total farms. This development comes after a phase that was characterized by uncertainties regarding the funding.

The changeover of conventional to biological agriculture is supported by special support, which is provided by both the Republic of Austria and the European Union. These funding is regularly determined every five years; The last adaptation took place in early 2023. These changes had an immediate effect on the decision of many farmers: 240 companies gave up in the first half of 2023 to continue to have organic farms.

funding practice influences agriculture

The main cause of the decline was the revision of the funding guidelines of the "ÖPUPP" (Austrian program for environmentally friendly agriculture). The program, which consists of EU and national funds, is the central source of support for companies in organic farming. Andreas Schweighofer, spokesman for Bio Austria, explained that the new funding criteria were no longer attractive for many organic farmers. There was a reduction in funding rates and additional requirements that the economic profitability questioned for many farmers.

Despite these challenges, the quota of organic farms in Salzburg has now risen to 48 percent, which is considered gratifying in international comparison. However, Schweighofer confirms that the long-term goal should be to achieve a 100 percent quota of organic farmers. This realization depends heavily on the consumer behavior of the population and the continuous support through funding programs such as the ÖPUL.

The situation shows how important it is to make the conditions for organic farmers positively in order to sustainably promote an increase in organic farms. Efforts for increased biologically oriented agriculture are not only important for the environment, but also reflect the growing desire of consumers to support regionally produced, sustainable foods. For more information and details on this topic, the reports on Salzburg.ORF.AT are consulted.