Agrarian nature management: participation by farmers

Participation in agrarian nature management is highest among dairy farmers in the west of the country.

Current situation

Overall, the level of participation in agrarian nature management is highest among farmers in the north of the country. Agrarian nature management is applied most frequently by dairy farmers, particularly in the west. Farms with other grazing animals (these have been put in the class "other" farms) also frequently apply these methods. Arable farmers are least involved. The overrepresentation of dairy farms has also been clearly revealed by a survey of agrarian nature conservation organisations.

Farms applying agrarian nature management are larger, both economically and in actual area, and make far less intensive use of the land than farms that do not apply these methods. Farmers who apply agrarian nature management are on average younger and they are more likely to have a successor to take over the farm.