Agriculture and nature

Approximately 85 percent of Austria's total area of 83,850 km² is used for agriculture and forestry. Livestock farming and dairy production are particularly prevalent in the Alps and the Alpine foothills, while arable farming dominates in the northern lowlands and hilly regions, Lower Austria, and Burgenland.

In total, there are approximately 170,000 farms, of which around 100,000 practice grassland farming with ruminant livestock, and the remaining 70,000 cultivate arable land, vegetables, wine, and fruit. These are generally small farms run by individual farmers, cultivating an average of around 70 hectares.

Austria is considered a pioneer and model country in organic farming. With 22,000 organic farms, it leads the world in this area, representing 17 percent of all agricultural businesses. Austria also ranks third globally in terms of the use of total agricultural land for organic production, at 19.5 percent, behind the Falkland Islands (36.3 percent) and Liechtenstein (31 percent). In some regions, the percentage even reaches almost 50 percent.

The promotion of ecological practices in small-scale agriculture in Austria is due, among other things, to the country's agricultural policy, which supports this development through organic action programs. It is also thanks to the dedication of many small farmers who, like the operators of the FISCHERGUT in St. Wolfgang, are committed to practicing natural, environmentally friendly, and sustainable agriculture.

Austria's small-scale farming structure differs significantly from the predominantly large-scale agriculture of other Central European countries. In Germany, for example, the largest milk producer in the European Union, there are 89,000 farms that exclusively keep cows, totaling 4.2 million animals. Particularly in the former East Germany, there are large farms with more than 300 animals, which often receive not only conventional feed such as grass or silage – grass clippings preserved through fermentation – but also concentrated feed such as rapeseed or soybean meal.

But in the meantime, a gradual shift in thinking has begun here as well – as in many other countries. In Sweden, it is already legally required to let animals graze outdoors in the summer; other countries offer financial incentives for this. The number of organic farms and ecologically managed areas is also constantly increasing.

In Germany, the share of organic farms in total agriculture was 1.3 percent in 1996 and rose to 8.2 percent by 2013. The area under organic cultivation also increased during the same period, from 2.1 to 6.4 percent, although this is significantly lower compared to the figures for Austria.

As has long been the custom in Austria, there is a growing number of farms in Germany that sell their organic products directly and also offer farm holidays, although in some respects there is still a lack of clearly organized structures and projects. In Austria, on the other hand, 1,600 farmers selling their products directly have now joined forces under the "Gutes vom Bauernhof" (Good from the Farm) label, which stands for guaranteed, certified quality and also distinguishes the exquisite lamb and sheep salami from the Fischergut farm.

One reason for the trend towards more organic farming is the increased global consumer demand, which, as a result of food scandals such as rotten meat and heightened health awareness, is leading consumers to increasingly turn away from conventional agriculture. Furthermore, images of cruel factory farming have undoubtedly shocked many people and prompted them to reflect on conscious and responsible living.

Furthermore, the consequences of the global destruction of nature by ruthless profiteers in the agricultural sector are now becoming visible. One example is the clearing of rainforests in South America to make way for gigantic soy monocultures, from which animal feed is produced for export to feed cows in factory farms.

Environmental damage, such as the decline in biodiversity, can also be observed in various regions of Germany where indoor farming is prevalent and grassland grazed or treated with varying mowing schedules is shrinking. Furthermore, in maize-growing areas that produce specialized feed for high-performance dairy cows, nitrate contamination of groundwater and eutrophication of lakes due to the use of pesticides and other substances have been detected.

These examples illustrate the immense influence of the agricultural sector on nature, demonstrating its ability to both destroy and preserve it. Since natural resources are finite, intensive agriculture, which relies on extreme methods to maximize the productivity of animals and plants, is ultimately doomed to failure, while extensive agriculture, which adheres to ecological principles, is becoming increasingly important.