Inflation, new funding regulations, and the associated demands for greater climate and environmental protection are impacting grassland and livestock farming. The very well-attended winter conference at the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein on February 1, 2024, provided an intensively used platform for discussions and exchange to find sustainable and practical solutions for agriculture.
In his opening address, Federal Minister Norbert Totschnig outlined his strategies for the further development and support of Austrian agriculture. Quality production on family farms and supplying society with high-quality, regionally produced food will remain a central focus of Austrian agricultural policy. "We will provide the best possible support to every innovative farm in its development," said Federal Minister Totschnig.
He also emphasized that it makes no sense to cast Austrian animal husbandry in a negative light while simultaneously importing products with demonstrably worse environmental impacts from countries with lower standards. Our beautiful cultural landscape is valued by society and also forms the basis for other important economic sectors such as tourism. Together, we intend to work with all our might to further develop the quality strategy.
In his presentation , Franz Titschenbacher, President of the Styrian Chamber of Agriculture , addressed the tension between sustainability and competitiveness. Farms need planning security for their development, because investments in barns, for example, are generational projects.
The importance of close cooperation between producers and farmers was clearly demonstrated in the presentation by Barbara Riegler, chairwoman of Bio-Austria . Despite inflation, organic sales in Austria remained high, while in many other countries they have declined significantly. Considerable efforts are currently underway to further strengthen the position of organic products in public catering. In Germany, a key export market, work is also underway on new marketing strategies and a dedicated organic logo.
Micaela Schantl, Marketing Manager at AMA-Marketing, highlighted the development of plant-based milk and meat substitutes. While demand is growing among young people and urban populations, it remains very limited at 3% and 1% of the market volume, respectively. The subsequent panel and audience discussion provided ample opportunity for in-depth exchange.
The following section changes in the beef market and innovative projects such as "Kalb rosé" and "ALMO". These topics highlighted opportunities for strengthening competitiveness and tapping into new market potential.
the importance of climate protection measures on a global scale and the flawed conclusions drawn from current methodologically incorrect climate calculations. In his presentation, he highlighted the contribution already made by cattle farming to achieving climate goals and further potential for optimization.
The next session focused on the practical implementation of climate and environmental protection measures. Experts shared their knowledge and experience on topics such as the climate impact of agriculture, economic viability and eco-efficiency, as well as sustainable and efficient strategies in milk production. Furthermore, options for green space management were presented, using the highly innovative "spot spraying" method for controlling dock, which can contribute to the sustainable development of agriculture. Breeding strategies for improving the climate efficiency of cattle were also covered in this session, as were the fundamentals of the climate impact of agriculture.
Afterwards, an excursion to the research area of the HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein offered: Participants gained insights into current research on the following topics: methane measurements in cattle, opportunities and limitations of digitalization, and fattening of dairy cattle. HBLFA This year's winter conference concluded with a pleasant
Download the program booklet for the Winter Conference 2024 (all events)
Images from the grassland and livestock farming day as part of the 2024 winter conference in Raumberg-Gumpenstein
