Decline in Dairy Farms Found in Thuringia's Agricultural Landscape - Decline of dairy farms identified in Thuringia region
Dairy Farming in Thuringia: Sharp Decline Over the Past Decade
Thuringia has witnessed a significant decrease in the number of dairy farms over the past ten years, according to data from the Thuringian Ministry of Economics. In 2023, there were only 280 dairy farms remaining compared to 500 in the previous decade, a striking 45% decline.
Simultaneously, while the number of dairy farms has seen a significant drop, the number of dairy cows has decreased by approximately 24% to 82,900 animals. A decade ago, the figure stood at 109,000. This trend, observed both nationally and locally, is due to various factors, such as dairy farms either ceasing milk production or expanding their stalls and automation, partly to counter the skilled labor shortage in the agricultural sector. Consequently, even though the number of farms has halved, the total amount of milk produced has only decreased by around 21% in the same period.
According to figures from the Federal Statistical Office, Thuringian dairy farms in conventional agriculture produced 770,000 tonnes of milk last year.
On the other hand, almost no significance is attributed to the eco-friendly rearing of dairy animals for organic products in Thuringia. Data shows that there were only 20 such farms among the approximately 4,890 organic farms across the country, a number that has remained nearly constant over the past decade. These farms collectively keep 1,800 dairy cows. According to an expert from the farmers' association, this is due to the scarcity of dairies in the country—establishments that need to maintain separate conventional and organic production.
Factors leading to the decline in dairy farms can be attributed to several key elements, including market pressures, environmental and regulatory challenges, labor and succession problems, technological advancements, and market dynamics. The combination of these issues has likely contributed to the decline in dairy farms across Thuringia, emphasizing the need for policy support, market adaptation, and innovation to potentially stabilize or reverse this trend.
Community aid could be essential to address the decline in dairy farming industry in Thuringia, as the sharp drop in the number of dairy farms (45%) over the past decade has left only 280 farms in production.
Financial support for the production of milk and milk products might also be crucial, considering the total amount of milk produced has only decreased by around 21% in the same period, despite the halving of the number of farms.
