Dairy farm count in Thuringia falls. - Dairy farm count in Thuringia drops.
Thuringia experiences a significant decline in dairy farming over the past decade
The agricultural landscape in Thuringia has undergone a significant change, with the number of dairy farms dramatically decreasing from 500 in 2013 to only 280 in 2023, as per the data released by the Thuringian Ministry of Economy in response to an inquiry by Melanie Berger, an AfD state parliamentarian. This decline is also reflected in the reduced number of dairy cows, which has fallen nearly 24 percent to 82,900 animals.
Economic pressures, structural changes, regulatory factors, demographic shifts, and evolving consumer preferences are among the key factors contributing to this trend. Small-scale dairy farmers often struggle with low market prices, volatile markets, and rising costs that outpace their revenues. Larger farms, with their economies of scale and technological advantages, are able to produce milk more efficiently, putting smaller operations at a disadvantage.
In addition, increasing regulatory burdens, such as environmental and animal welfare regulations, and a reduction in subsidies for small farms, further compromise the competitiveness of smaller dairy operations. Moreover, an aging farmer population, with fewer successors willing to take over, compounds these challenges.
The shift in consumer preferences, particularly toward plant-based alternatives, may also have indirect effects on conventional dairy production, although demand for milk and traditional dairy products remains strong in Germany.
Interestingly, organic farming plays a minimal role in Thuringia, with only 20 out of the 4,890 organic dairy farms nationwide found in the state, a number consistent over the past decade. This is mainly due to the limited number of dairies in the state, which must maintain separate conventional and organic production facilities.
Milk production in Thuringia saw a decrease of only around 21 percent over the nine-year period, with dairy farms producing 770,000 tonnes of milk in 2022, as per figures from the Federal Statistical Office. Despite this decline in farm numbers, the remaining farms are producing more milk per farm, as a result of increased automation and larger facilities.
The decrease in dairy farming in Thuringia has led to a need for community aid in supporting those struggling small-scale farmers, while the dairy industry seeks finance to innovate and remain competitive in the face of economic pressures, structural changes, and shifting consumer preferences. Despite the decline in farm numbers, larger dairy farms continue to produce substantial quantities of milk and milk products.
