350 companies, associations and organisations present seeds, crop varieties, agricultural technology, inputs, animal feed, stable constructions, consultancy services and much more at the Öko-Feldtage ("Organic Field Days") 2023. (Photo: Henrik Müller)
The nationwide Öko-Feldtage ("Organic Field Days") are a two-day meeting point for organically working farmers as well as all farmers interested in new methods for environmentally friendly agriculture. The event offers an ideal platform where current topics can be discussed with practitioners and representatives from politics and economy. The so-called innovation show demonstrates the current state of organic farming and where it is heading.
Visitors can get a full picture about innovations in agricultural technology, plant cultivation, animal husbandry and research. Companies, associations and organisations present seeds, crop varieties, agricultural technology, inputs, animal feed, stable constructions, consultancy services and much more. 12.000 people came to the Öko-Feldtage 2023 and experienced the grand range of services offered by organic farming. A third of the visiting farmers are working in the conventional sector.
An essential difference to "classic" field days: Livestock farming and animal husbandry play a central role, not only because livestock and the circular economy are important components of organic agriculture. The focus lays on the entire system of organic farming with innovative operation concepts, cultivation systems and modern animal husbandry in all its diversity.
The programme of the Öko-Feldtage offers the perfect mixture of practice and research and all the latest news on organic farming. Visitors can get an idea of the latest farming technology such as in machine demonstrations.
Many innovation examples show prototypes and new developments. The latest findings on challenges such as the climate crisis, eco-breeding and animal welfare are discussed in guided tours and forums by scientists and practitioners. In 2023, companies, breeders, consultants and universities presented new cereal and legume varieties, heat-tolerant crops such as millet and chickpeas, catch crops and other organic farming inputs on numerous demonstration plots. Delicious organic food from regional suppliers, music and dance complete the programme.
The Öko-Feldtage 2017 as well as 2019 took place at the Hessian State Domain Frankenhausen, the teaching and testing facility of the University of Kassel in Grebenstein. In 2022 the third Öko-Feldtage took place in Villmar, where the Hessian State Domain Gladbacher Hof is located, the teaching and testing facility of the University of Giessen. The last Öko-Feldtage 2023 moved south to Baden-Württemberg and took place on the ecological farm Grieshaber & Schmid GbR in Ditzingen-Hirschlanden in June 2023. The next Öko-Feldtage will be held for the first time in Saxony at the Wassergut Canitz GmbH Wasewitz-Thallwitz, close to Leipzig, from June 18 to June 19 of 2025. For more information, please visit www.oeko-feldtage.de.