SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 11, 2013
As the economic crisis ravages their country, a community of Greek farmers is prospering. Their cooperative specializes in saffron, the world's most expensive spice, which is keeping the community afloat and attracting global attention. By Manfred Ertel more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 09, 2013
Winter's hold on Germany lasted longer than usual this year, taking its toll not just on the moods of residents, but also on a number of economic sectors. Construction, agriculture, service and retail are all suffering, and experts warn the effects could be long-term. By SPIEGEL Staff
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SPIEGEL ONLINE
- April 03, 2013
The experience of dying at a slaughterhouse is "an enormous ordeal" for cattle. A farm in northern Germany is proposing an alternative: shooting the livestock in the places they live. Many believe the method provides a stress-free death for the animals. By Günther Stockinger more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 19, 2013
Foreign investors are buying or leasing vast amounts of farmland in Third World countries to profit from surging demand for food crops as a result of rapid population growth. "Land grabbing" amounts to a new form of colonialism that often runs counter to the interests of locals. more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- February 05, 2013
European Agriculture Commissioner Dacian Ciolos wants to reform Europe's agricultural policy, but resistance from the farming lobby threatens to derail his plans. It will be to the detriment of citizens, who are expected to pay for a highly subsidized industry that is harmful to the environment. By Susanne Amann, Jörg Schindler and Christoph Schult more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 18, 2012
Two researchers have discovered large numbers of truffles in southwestern Germany. They would like to see the country join France, Italy and Spain in becoming an exporter of the delicacy, which is highly sought after by gourmets. They say conditions in many parts of the country are prime for cultivating the fungus. By Frank Thadeusz more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- December 18, 2012
Environmental campaigners in Germany are up in arms because increasing areas of woodland are being switched to the cultivation of Christmas trees, which is far more lucrative than normal forests. Now a state government wants to limit the trend despite accusations that it is axing a centuries-old tradition. By Barbara Schmid and Fidelius Schmid more...
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 30, 2012
Creating energy from corn once seemed like a revolutionary idea in Germany. But subsidies for the biogas industry have led to entire regions of the country being covered by the crop, and investors are eagerly waiting for local farmers' land to go for sale. Some of those farmers who lease their land say they have been "ruined." By Nils Klawitter more... [ Forum ]
SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 21, 2012
The severe drought in the US has been blamed the rising prices of agricultural commodities. But that is only part of the story: Biofuels, financial speculation and changing dietary habits are also playing a role. The global food supply faces pressure from all sides. By SPIEGEL Staff
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SPIEGEL ONLINE
- August 09, 2012
Corn used for biofuel is taking over vast stretches of traditional grazing land in Germany. The change is transforming the landscape, driving shepherds out of business and threatening the dike system crucial for preventing floods. By Renate Nimtz-Koester more... [ Forum ]
