Book of Abstracts
11th IFOAM
Scientific Conference
11-15 August 1996
Copenhagen, Denmark

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Stockless farming in Northern Germany S13

Holle, R.

Ökoring, Kieler Str. 26, 24582 Bordesholm, Germany

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Between 91/92 and 94/95 a survey of the financial success of stockless farms was carried out in the region of Schleswig-Holstein, North Germany. The study covered 13 farms in the first two years and nine in 93/94 and 94/95. Stockless farming was here defined as having no dairy cows and very few sukler cows or pigs per area unit.

For the review the farms were devided into regional groups of East-coast and West-coast. In cases of more than three farms in one region the groups were subdivided according to their gross income. The average of the organic farms of each region was compared with data from the accountancy network of conventional farms. Further on the data from organic and conventional farms was grouped according to their gross income. As a result an economic overview of four years can be presented. It indicates that the economic success of organic farms is determined by the yield and price of cereals, root crops and vegetables. Differences between organic and conventinal groups are less considerable than within groups. It can be concluded that the economic success of a farm is more likely to be a consequence of the management of the farm and the abilities of the farmer and is not dependant of the farming system.