Farmers are irreplaceable for Tyrol: they shape the landscape and provide the population with food. But more and more farmers are throwing in the towel in difficult circumstances. In 2021 there were 9.5 percent fewer farms in Germany than ten years ago.
The number of farms in Tyrol is shrinking. In the past ten years, between 2011 and 2021, nearly 1,200 farms have closed, a decrease of 9.5 percent. According to figures from the Tyrolean Chamber of Agriculture, there were 90 fewer companies in the federal state in 2021 than in the previous year.
Smaller farms were usually closed, those in the valley being hit harder than mountain farms. “Agriculture is no different from gastronomy, hotel industry or craft businesses,” the chamber said when asked about the reason for the decline. The framework conditions are constantly changing, globalization is putting more and more pressure on prices and in general, and the demands on food production are increasing.
LK advises farmers on future concepts
According to the Chamber of Agriculture, the Tyrolean farmers are currently “fighting with extreme price increases for so-called business assets”. The rise in the price of fuel, fertilizers and animal feed would increase production costs enormously, which would only be compensated gradually or not at all in the market.
To prevent even more farmers from closing their business permanently, the Chamber of Agriculture wants to ensure that the added value is distributed fairly across the food production chain. “The farmer should not only get what processors and trade leave him”, is the demand of the farmers’ representatives.
With fewer farmers, the landscape changes
The Chamber tries to help farmers with advice in finding individual solutions for their company, so that they remain fit for the future. Because a dying farmer can have fatal consequences for Tyrol. Farming in the country is not easy due to its alpine location, many slopes can only be managed by hand. This is very labor intensive and time consuming. If one company stops now, it is not obvious that another will take over this area and grow in this way – there is often simply not enough staff or time for that.
“So if too many farms stop, self-sufficiency with food decreases, infrastructure such as trails or alpine meadows are no longer maintained and the landscape changes,” warns the Agricultural Chamber.
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
