Fall in Dairy Farm Count within Thuringia's Borders - Dairy farm count reductions observed in Thuringia
Thuringia Witnesses Decrease in Dairy Farms Over the Past Decade
The Thuringian Ministry of Economics has confirmed a significant decline in the number of dairy farms in the region's agricultural sector. As of 2023, only 280 dairy farms remain, compared to 500 a decade prior.
Concurrently, the number of dairy cows has seen a less dramatic decrease, declining by approximately 24 percent to 82,900 animals. In 2013, this figure stood at 109,000.
Andreas Ritter, a dairy specialist from the Thuringian Farmers' Association, attributed the trend to several factors: consolidation, a scarcity of skilled workers in agriculture, and economic pressures such as low milk prices and increased costs. The net result is an increase in the number of animals and milk per farm.
Even with fewer farms, the volume of milk produced has only decreased by around 21 percent over a nine-year span. Last year, Thuringian dairy farms in conventional agriculture delivered 770,000 tonnes of milk, as per data from the Federal Statistical Office.
Organic farming of dairy cows accounts for a minimal role in Thuringia's agriculture. In 2023, there were only 20 of the approximately 4,890 organic farms nationwide in Thuringia that kept dairy cows, a figure that has remained relatively unchanged over the past decade. Thuringian organic farms now house around 1,800 dairy cows, primarily due to a scarcity of dairies in the country that are required to maintain separate conventional and organic production.
The decrease in dairy farms impacts not only milk production but also rural communities and the quality and diversity of milk available.
Economic pressures, structural changes, and concerns over environmental sustainability and animal welfare are some factors contributing to the decline in small-scale dairy farms. Conversely, opportunities exist for remaining organic farms to expand, for new entrants to enter the market, and for increased governmental support.
Support for small-scale farms, adoption of innovative technologies, and market strategies can help mitigate the decline and ensure a sustainable future for dairy farming in Thuringia.
The Thuringian government is examining the potential for community aid and industry finance to support small-scale dairy farms as a means of addressing the declining number of dairy farms in the region. This could aid in the production of milk and milk products, potentially increasing the quality and diversity of such products available in the rural communities of Thuringia.
Government support, combined with the adoption of innovative technologies and market strategies, can help offset economic pressures and secured environmental sustainability and animal welfare concerns, thus ensuring a sustainable future for dairy farming in Thuringia.
