Projects

Federal State

Baden-Wurttemberg

Project Title

Cooperation of mountain and arable farmers for quality beef, circular economy and nature conservation (KoRinNa)

Project description

The "KoRinNa" project stands for cooperation between mountain and arable farms in
the setting of the Southern Black Forest Nature Park and pursues the goal of joint
fattening of calves or beef cattle from organic dairy farming. The aim is to optimally
combine the respective site conditions: The mountain areas are characterised by
extensive grassland areas that are valuable for nature conservation. However, for
reasons of cost and lack of winter fodder, further investments are often avoided.
Organic arable farms from valley locations, on the other hand, need large amounts of
nutrients to achieve sufficient soil fertility and passable yields, which is associated
with high costs without animal husbandry. Keeping cattle on conservation-relevant
mountain pastures in summer and on arable farms in winter can resolve this conflict.
Methodologically, researchers from grassland management, nature conservation,
animal husbandry as well as economics will investigate farm cooperations in order to
establish and publicise a value chain for such beef cattle together with the other
actors in the OPG.

Final report

Results and the Final report will be found here, as soon as the project is completed.

Results focusing on practiceorientation

Cooperation between mountain and arable farms generates significant economic advantages that
make it possible to use grassland areas sustainably. This is the basis for avoiding succession of
grassland areas that are valuable for nature conservation and thus for keeping mountain farms'
grassland in cultivation.
Organic dairy farms provide their surplus male and female calves for cattle fattening, which are
usually not used regionally.
Arable farms in the valleys house the grazing cattle in winter and benefit from the sensible utilisation
of existing clover-grass growth, which makes it possible to significantly improve the nutrient cycles in
view of the current sharp rise in nutrient costs. In combination with the abundant straw available in
arable farms and the favourable climatic situation, simple stables can be managed cost-effectively,
which is often not feasible in mountain areas.

Main funding source

Rural development 2014-2020

Project status

ongoing

Total budget applied for in EUR

505,796

Link 1

project video

Link 2

project website

NUTS3 CODE

DE111