Harvest balance in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district: farmers optimistic despite hurdles!

Harvest balance in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district: farmers optimistic despite hurdles!

On August 14, 2025, agricultural experts and interested parties met in the picturesque Bad Endbach-Hülshof for the annual harvest discussion of the district farmers' association (KBV). The event, which was hosted by Walter Preuß, an experienced farmer from the region, gave a positive assessment of this year's harvest, which brought pleasing results despite the rainy summer months and uncertain weather in the spring. Around 50,000 hectares of agricultural land in the Marburg-Biedenkopf district were examined - of which 30,000 hectares were arable land and 20,000 hectares of grassland.

The feedback from district farmer Frank Staubitz was particularly pleasing, as he reported unexpectedly good harvest results. Herbert Becker from the Hesse State Agriculture Office also spoke of a “healthy” year, although concerns about pests continue to concern farmers. The rainfall in July also significantly improved harvest conditions for corn and sugar beet, which is a relief for farmers.

Challenges and concerns of farmers

However, there are also dark sides. Price pressure remains high, the current price of wheat is around 170 euros per ton, while the disposal costs for household waste are around 250 euros per ton. Rising costs for fertilizer, energy and wages are putting increasing strain on businesses, making the discussion about the future of agriculture in the region even more urgent. The topic of the discussion was, among other things, the dressing of seeds to prevent disease and African swine fever (ASF), against which preventive measures are currently in force because it has not yet occurred in the district.

Another important topic that was addressed was the issue of succession in agriculture. Many businesses are faced with the challenge of finding suitable successors, which makes planning and the continued existence of many farms difficult. These concerns are highly relevant for farmers, as sustainable planning for the future is not even that easy.

Outlook: district harvest festival

For anyone interested in agriculture, there is a festive occasion that should not be missed: the next district harvest festival will take place in Niederwalgern on October 5th, at which “Farmer Willi” is expected to be a speaker. These events not only offer an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas about current topics in agriculture, but also to strengthen the sense of community in this industry.

The harvest discussion in Bad Endbach-Hülshof showed that, despite various challenges, the farmers have a good hand and are optimistic about the future. Overall, the harvest results are encouraging, and the exchange of knowledge and experiences is a valuable resource for all involved.