Burgenland must regain an independent foothold in the dairy sector. The aim is to guarantee steady sales opportunities and price stability for dairy farms and to create new organic incentives.
Higher animal welfare standards, the new EU organic regulations, increasing demands from dairy companies and climate influences: dairy farmers from Burgenland have been under great pressure for years. After sharp declines in previous years, the number of milk suppliers in Burgenland remained stable for the first time last year at 76, of which only four were organic farms.
Sales and further processing currently in Styria and Lower Austria
Dairy farmers from Burgenland depend on dairy factories in Styria and Lower Austria for the sale or processing of their products. The processing of the raw milk takes place there, which then returns to Burgenland as milk or processed goods. If Governor Hans Peter Doskozil’s plans go ahead, that should change now: we are currently working with experts on a model for an independent organic dairy factory in Burgenland. “There has been no dairy factory in Burgenland for more than 15 years. This is also a disadvantage for local organic dairy farms, which we now want to compensate. On the one hand, the creation of a state dairy should ensure steady sales opportunities and price stability for our producers, and this will also guarantee the long-term survival of these organic farms,” Doskozil explains.
Encourage conventional dairy farms to switch to organic
On the other hand, the goal is to encourage conventionally producing dairy farms to switch to organic. In addition, there is also the possibility of reducing the ecological footprint by avoiding long transport routes. “That would be a win-win situation for local agriculture and the country’s organic goals,” Doskozil said.
Need for state and regional cuisines
In concrete terms, the “Burgenland Dairy Factory” will, in a first step, process approximately 500,000 kilos of raw milk for use in its own and regional kitchens. Two locations are planned for this: an organic dairy factory will be built in Central Burgenland in collaboration with dairy farmers and the milk will be further processed at the Güssing agricultural school – with an emphasis on a show cheese factory.
Doskozil: It’s about the future prospects for agriculture
Doskozil also shares his plans for the “Burgenland dairy” with the federal government. “Although the federal government places organic farmers in a significantly worse financial position, improving and safeguarding agriculture, especially organic agriculture, is an important goal in Burgenland. Our goal is to give agriculture a future perspective and also to convey the necessary appreciation.”
Source: Krone
I’m Ben Stock, a journalist and author at Today Times Live. I specialize in economic news and have been working in the news industry for over five years. My experience spans from local journalism to international business reporting. In my career I’ve had the opportunity to interview some of the world’s leading economists and financial experts, giving me an insight into global trends that is unique among journalists.
