Dairy farm count dwindles in Thuringia - Dairy Farm Count in Thuringia Experiences a Decline
In Thuringia, the agricultural sector has witnessed a significant decline in the number of dairy farms over the past decade. As per a response from Thuringia's Ministry of Economy to AfD state parliamentarian Melanie Berger, there were only 280 dairy farms left in 2023, compared to 500 a decade earlier.
While the decline in dairy farms has been substantial, the number of dairy cows has decreased by around 24% to 82,900 animals during the same period, with 109,000 cows ten years ago.
The Thuringian State Farmers' Association attributes this trend to nationwide factors, including the tendency of farms to either abandon dairy farming or invest in larger stables and more automation. This shift results in fewer farms hosting more animals and producing more milk. The amount of milk produced in Thuringia has declined by only around 21% over the past nine years, despite a near-halving of dairy farms. According to the Federal Statistical Office, Thuringian dairy farms produced 770,000 tonnes of milk last year.
Ecological dairy farming for organic products plays a minimal role in Thuringia, with only 20 of the 4,890 organic dairy farms nationwide located there in 2023. This number has remained relatively unchanged over the past ten years, despite a nationwide trend. Together, Thuringian organic farms kept 1,800 dairy cows last year, primarily due to the low number of dairies in the country that must strictly separate conventional and organic production.
Structural and economic challenges, including economic pressures, modernization demands, demographic shifts, and external risks such as disease and environmental concerns, have contributed to the decrease in dairy farms in Thuringia. These challenges are consistent with broader trends in German and European dairy farming, leading to decreased milk production capacity and changes in the agricultural landscape. The reduction in farms may result in greater industrial consolidation, with mixed socioeconomic outcomes for the region.
The community should consider providing aid to support the production of milk to counteract the decline in family dairy farms, as industrial consolidation may occur due to the fusion of smaller farms, potentially leading to significant changes in the agricultural industry and finance. Even with fewer dairy farms, the amount of milk produced in Thuringia has only decreased by around 21%, indicating that there is still a need for milk products, giving relevance to community aid to maintain milk production capacity.
