Browsing by Person "Gebhardt, Beate"

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Akzeptanz und Erfolg kleinräumiger Systeme der Lebensmittelversorgung im urbanen Umfeld am Beispiel Stuttgart : empirische Untersuchungen von Verbrauchern und Unternehmen
(2012) Gebhardt, Beate
The working paper analyzes the acceptance of short-chain food supply systems by consumers and companies in Stuttgart, the provincial capital of Baden-Württemberg, based on theoretical considerations and empirical studies carried out by the Chair of Agricultural Markets and Marketing at the University of Hohenheim. The key questions of the empirical studies focus on the following points: How does the city population reflect the importance of regional foods? What are the attitudes and purchase behavior of urban consumers in regard to regional food or self production and what importance can the subjects gain in the future? Of which importance is regional food to local merchants? assortment in Stuttgart and which future developments can we derive?
Beschreibung von 24 Nachhaltigkeitspreisen in Deutschland mit Relevanz für Unternehmen der Ernährungsbranche
(2016) Gebhardt, Beate
Sustainability awards are an exclusive instrument of sustainability communication. They are significant limited - mainly quantitative. Not everyone can get such a price. Often only a few, mostly one, wins a contest.Interest in sustainability prices grows. This interest express companies, the potential winners,and show the donors of awards, the awarding institutions. In the last yearsmore and more sustainability competitions in Germanyare founded.Meanwhile, companies in the food industry can participatein 24 competitions with 82 categories (as of 2013). It is a dynamic market of sustainability awards - with lots of potential, but also some challenges. Independence and transparency of procurement become important elements of awards’ concepts. In this report, 24 sustainability competitions and their categories are featured in factsheets. This include the relevant competitions directlyaimed at companies in the food industry or be open for those.The approach to identify them isdescribed. In addition, the evaluation scheme of transparency of sustainability competitions is explained. Key results are described.
Die Kraft von Awards : Umfrage unter Unternehmen und Vergabeinstitutionen in Deutschland 2023
(2023) Gebhardt, Beate; Hellstern, Laura
From an academic perspective, research on the effects of sustainability awards and their potential to contribute to sustainability transformation represents a niche. Against the backdrop of an increasing number of awards targeting companies and multiple crises "disrupting" companies in different ways and new EU regulations, such as on evidence-based corporate communication on environmental aspects, the question of the power of awards needs to be re-examined and answers are more important than ever. In a double study within the framework of the SIEGER project funded by the Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU), awarding institutions and companies throughout Germany were surveyed online in spring 2023. The objective was to discover first the effects of sustainability awards from the point of view of award-giving institutions, the donators, and companies, the award-recipients, and second the contribution they can make to a sustainability transformation. Sustainability awards are mostly attributed positive to very positive effects, both on the micro level (employee motivation), but especially on the meso level (image gain; awareness), less so on the macro level (ecological aspects; social aspects). The evaluation of the power of awards, their direction of impact and strength, in this study is perceived and is shaped by the different framing of the respondents. Award donors and winners overestimate the perception of awards by third parties as well as the external learning effects (imitation effects). The thematic focus on sustainability leads awarding institutions to overstate the intended ecological effects of an award. The majority of respondents believe that awards can contribute to sustainability transformation. Compared to other awards, sustainability awards are seen as having more power and making a more positive contribution to sustainability transformation. The analysis also shows that awards are a mirror of current political and social demands and developments. Beyond the ecological claim "sustainability award", awards integrate socio-ecological aspects in their requirements for the entrepreneurial participants of the competition. The further development of sustainability awards can therefore be achieved through internal development on the part of the awarding institutions and supported by external measures.
Nachhaltigkeitsexzellenz in der Landwirtschaft: Mehr Sichtbarkeit für die versteckten Leuchttürme der Alltagspraxis
(2024-09) Gebhardt, Beate; Hellstern, Laura
Im Projekt NEAL wurde die Bedeutung von exzellenter Mikro-Nachhaltigkeit und die Rolle von Nachhaltigkeitsawards sowie weiterer unterstützender Instrumente einer nachhaltigen Transformation in der Landwirtschaft untersucht. Die Erkenntnisse des Projektes sollen landwirtschaftlichen Unternehmen, Verbänden sowie weiteren relevanten Akteuren der land¬wirtschaftlichen Wertschöpfungsketten eine Orientierung geben in den Fragen: • Welche Nachhaltigkeitsthemen benötigen in Zukunft ein größeres Augenmerk? • Wie können Landwirt*innen in ihrer Nachhaltigkeitstransformation gefördert werden? • Welche Rolle spielen Nachhaltigkeitsawards in der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation? Für das Forschungsprojekt NEAL wurden dazu (a) 310 Landwirt*innen und 59 landwirtschaftsnahe Verbände in einem bundesweiten Nachhaltigkeits-Crowd-Screening im Frühjahr 2022 online befragt und hierbei insgesamt 236 herausragende, awardwürdige Nachhaltigkeitsaktivitäten identifiziert, die in der Landwirtschaft bereits umgesetzt oder geplant werden. Mittels Awards-Matching und Clustering wurde (b) der webbasierte, interaktive CSR-Award Finder mit über 150 Wettbewerben erstellt und Ende 2022 online gestellt. Der CSR-Award Finder macht die Welt der Awards für Unternehmen übersichtlicher und einfacher zugänglich, insbesondere erleichtert dies den Zugang kleiner Unternehmen und landwirtschaftliche Betriebe. Zentrale Aussagen der Studie lauten: 1. Nachhaltigkeit ist für Landwirt*innen ein relevantes Thema und viele „versteckte“ nachhaltige Tätigkeiten werden auf den befragten Betrieben bereits umgesetzt. 2. Bio-Betriebe zeigen sich als Vorreiter von Nachhaltigkeitsexzellenz in der Landwirtschaft. 3. Bodennutzung, Biodiversität, regionale Wertschöpfung und Tierwohl sind wichtige Bereiche, in denen viele nachhaltigkeitsbezogene Maßnahmen von Landwirt*innen umgesetzt und als besonders hervorgehoben werden. 4. „Blinde Flecken“ in Nachhaltigkeitsansätzen korrespondieren mit Bewertungen der Landwirtschaft.. 5. Leuchttürme der Mikro-Ebene kommen auf der Makro-Ebene kaum an. 6. Eine heterogene und multifunktionale Landwirtschaft benötigt vielfältige, multiple Instrumente zur Förderung von Nachhaltigkeit auf Betriebsebene. 7. Nachhaltigkeitstransformation in der Landwirtschaft benötigt mehr gemeinsame An-strengungen. 8. Nachhaltigkeitsexzellenz in der Landwirtschaft benötigt mehr Mut und Sichtbarkeit. Die Ergebnisse im Projekt NEAL unterstreichen: Ein Ansatz alleine ist nicht ausreichend. Aufgrund der Heterogenität der landwirtschaftlichen Betriebe gilt dies gerade auch für die Landwirtschaft. Sustainable Finance und Awards sind dabei zwei verschiedene Ansätze bzw. Instrumente, die beide als wichtig und unterstützend gelten, um die Nachhaltigkeitstransformation landwirtschaftlicher Systeme und Betriebe voranzubringen. Beiden Ansätzen wird bescheinigt, ein wichtiges Instrument unter vielen zu sein, aber singulär einen eher geringen Hebel zu haben, da nicht alle landwirtschaftlichen Betriebe damit eingebunden werden können oder sich dadurch angesprochen fühlen. Die Ergebnisse im Projekt NEAL zeigen außerdem, Awards sind in die Toolbox der bekannten Instrumente und Anreize zur Stärkung der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation einzubinden. Sie stehen damit neben ökonomischen Anreizen im Markt oder regulativen Anreize, die vom Staat gesetzt werden. Awards setzen am Positiven und an der Sichtbarmachung des Vorbildhaften und Innovativen in der Landwirtschaft an. Sie können damit das verborgene Besondere, die nachhaltigen Aktivitäten und die versteckten Leuchttürme in der Landwirtschaft, nach außen tragen und zum Leuchten bringen, und damit die Nachhaltigkeits-Motivation der Landwirt*innen erheblich steigern.
Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerbe in Deutschland 2020 : Übersicht und Methodik der Bestandsaufnahme
(2020) Gebhardt, Beate
This working paper present a systematic collection of German sustainability competitions in 2020 to all interested readers. The collection of 141 sustainability competitions serves as a basis for further projects and studies by the Business Excellence and Sustainability Transformation Working Group (AK BEST), University of Hohenheim. The present collection updates a previous list from 2017.
Obsoleszenz - auch ein Thema bei Lebensmitteln : Ergebnisse einer Expertenbefragung
(2018) Gebhardt, Beate; Ding, Jana-Lisa; Feisthauer, Philipp
Obsolescence is a topic that also concerns food products. Popular science has speculated that to a more or less significant extent, actors involved in food value chains were responsible for preliminary spoilage of food products. This speculation is true. Research and food experts in the field confirmed this during an expert survey conducted in 2015. This paper presents this survey. Experts confirm the main issue of this analysis which sheds light on the relevance of the following idea: Is obsolescence a topic regarding food products or does it only concern (technical) consumer goods? Only the latter is currently under debate. In total, 19 researchers and practicians from food value chains were surveyed and the majority shares this view. However, not all of them agree. The topic polarises researchers in particular. Eventually, issues such as the waste of ressources and social disparity due to food waste are not very disputed, irrespective of the reasons they emerged, but rather those responsible for the issue as well as the term that is to be used when food products spoil or are disposed preliminarily: obsolescence, food waste, avoidance, or other. The ensuing question focuses on this by addressing the advantages or added value if food waste was introduced into the debate on obsolescence or, on the contrary, if food waste was perceived in light of the debate on obsolescence. In this regard, we must emphasise the following key topics: 1) Avoiding arbitrary authority of definition: Shifting a term and generating authority of definition regarding (planned) obsolescence in merely specific areas is arbitrary. There are no objective reasons to apply obsolescence solely to consumer goods or technical devices. Irrespective of the type of industry, product, or the product’s shelf life, the reasons and circumstances for which products spoil preliminarily are similar in many aspects. Problems and reasons of unnecessary use of resources arise along the value chain due to processes and practices on all markets of modern and innovative societies. 2) Corrective of consumer responsibility: Addressing manufacturers and retailers represents a corrective when handing over responsibility for food waste. Especially in the food sector, to much responsibility is falling on consumers. In general, the aims of mitigating waste of resources are disputed. It should not pursue the way of least resistance and address primarily consumers. The corrective of consumer responsibility enables a corrective for solution-oriented approaches with greater diversity along the whole food value chain. 3) Problem-centred revision of definitions: In light of food waste, the use of natural materials and the role of agriculture are often neglected, described as inevitable, or excluded by definition or regulation (e.g. harvesting losses). However, obsolescence and its clear distinction between natural and artificial (planned) obsolescence does not fundamentally alter the view on natural resources of food and their use. Moreover, the necessity to critically revise regulation (e.g. the German Waste Management and Product Recycling Act) becomes clear. 4) Learning from and with each other: Changes in perspective and exchange among experts in debates on obsolescence and food waste are the bedrock to learn about tools, solutions, as well as experiences and mistakes made by others (e.g. proposal for a shelf life indication for technical devices without referring to experience with best-before indications of food products). Topics for further research include interdependencies and conflicts of targets which concern innovation for sustainability, shortage of product life cycles as well as the establishment of standards as means for more transparency to check their contribution to obsolescence and identify approaches for more appreciation in the overall concept considering all market participants.
Ökokaufhaus - Konzept der Zukunft? Empirische Analyse der Effekte eines innovativen Unternehmenskonzept auf Umwelt und Gesellschaft
(2006) Gebhardt, Beate; Schulz, Werner F.
Sustainable production and management in companies and sustainable consumption on the part of the consumers are the objectives, which are defined as trend-setting. However, it is not yet clear what role trade may play, as it is sometimes designated as the motor, sometimes the inhibitor of sustained development. With the shopping mall ?Ökokaufhaus Rommelmühle? in Bietigheim-Bissingen, an idealistically motivated eco-preneur wants to implement and realize different objectives of sustainable development in compagny concept. It opened in the autumn 1998. The innovative project incorporates the ecological shopping mall with nearly 6,000 m2 sales area, together with approx. 100 people who live in the old main building and in new, ecologically built houses. It is intended as a concept for the future, from which the economy, environment and society profit equally. The central question of this work is: can a company innovation in trade such as the ecological shopping mall actually promote steps towards sustainability? Apart from efficiency and consistency strategies, sufficiency strategies must also be successfully implemented. For this purpose the "Ökokaufhaus Rommelmühle" and its surrounding field is considered in the years 1998 to 2002 on the basis of various empirical investigations. The analyses of all aspects the Rommelmühle, as well as a further survey of other existing and planned ecological shopping malls in Germany, highlight the situation of an innovative trading venture on the eco-market. The results are summarized in the following four theses. Thesis 1: The basic idea of the eco-shopping mall is trend-setting. The idea of an ecologically influential and sustainably organised trading venture is still regarded as very positive. Today consumers demand more social and ecological responsibility from companies. In Germany people´s sense of responsibility remains high beyond the ecological dimension. Companies are slowly beginning to be sensitised. Despite the failure of the concept, the basic idea of an ecological shopping mall still meets with great enthusiasm. The idea of ecologically acting and the life-style of sustainably organised trade companies remains firm in people?s minds. This is a first and in a long-term view a central result of this work. Thesis 2: Eco-shopping malls enable a hybrid sustainable development Also in an ecologically motivated pioneering company the basis for corporate continuity is formed by the economic dimension. Thus the chances of changing ecologically and socially relevant elements in corporate operations depend on economic affordability. At present an ecological shopping mall in its realized or planned form is economically unsuccessful or at least endangered in its economic survival. If it can assert itself on the market, it acts as an innovative ?David? in the eco-niche. Eco-efficient basic conditions (like structure of buildings) and infrastructural offers (supply of goods) as typical ecological innovations in the eco-shopping mall substantially improve the chance of more sustainable production and consumption patterns. However, the ecological shopping mall sets as a potential supporter of sufficiency strategies provides no significant impetus. Even in planning, in the eco-shopping mall social components were subordinate to ecological aspects and in business a community-oriented approach was completely thwarted. In addition, the ecological shopping mall is an expensive supply installation and like the whole eco- market it is visited particularly by more highly educated consumers and by the older generation. Thesis 3: The establishment of eco-shopping malls is a matter of time. Particularly for economic reasons, the concept of an ecological shopping mall has no future ? at least in the short term. The demand for ecologically high-quality products is limited except with regard to organic food. The offer of different ecological branches of trade in one house hardly causes spill-over effects. However, in view of the production in industries and in the reflections and way of consuming of society at large in the long-term the beginning changes promise framework conditions, which could result in the success of eco-shopping malls in the future. Today in the ecological industries different lines of success in diffusion processes can still be observed. For example, the trade with eco-clothing has remained in the eco-niche, stigmatised since the eighties. And also the ecological building industry so far has not been able to develop remarkable movement, despite legally established standards of thermal insulation. Organic food alone, the oldest ecological commercial sector, is already on an economical successful course and enjoys increasing social acceptance. Historical experience shows: also the great department stores of the 19th Century developed over decades from offering a single branch of trade to a full range of products. Thesis 4: Ecological shopping mall is a model and chance for advancement in the trade. In the future the design and structure of an ecological shopping mall will be adapted to the things the economy will offer and the requirements of society. The ecological shopping mall of the future will not have much in common with the eco-mall Rommelmühle - analysed as a general case study. But the aim of this innovative idea will connect the past and the future: to place things again in a comprehensive context, to unite sustainable production/management and sustainable consumption, to see society and the environment as an interconnected whole. These expectations of people today will form the basis for how the companys will act tomorrow.
Plant-based foods for future. Results of consumer and professional expert interviews in five European countries - EIT-Food Project „The V-Place“
(2020) Gebhardt, Beate; Hadwiger, Klaus
This working paper documents the methodology of the qualitative studies and the resulting insights, as part one of the two-stage study of the Project „The V-Place - Enabling consumer choice in Vegan or Vegetarian food products“ in six European countries. The interviews with 70 consumers and professional experts in total has already been completed. Still in 2020, a quantitative consumer survey will be conducted in Germany, Denmark, France, Italy, Spain and Poland. The project is led by the Hohenheim Research Center for Bioeconomy, University of Hohenheim. The Department of Agricultural Markets at the University of Hohenheim is responsible for the qualitative studies. This project is funded by EIT Food, the Food Innovation Community of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT). EIT is an EU institution under Horizon 2020, the EU Framework Programme for Research and Innovation.
Quo vadis? Ansätze der Qualitätssicherung von Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerben für Unternehmen
(2021) Gebhardt, Beate
This report summarises the findings of an expert workshop on "Approaches and possibilities for quality assurance of sustainability competitions", which was successfully held on 4 November 2021. The workshop was hosted by the BEST initiative at the University of Hohenheim, under the leadership of Dr Beate Gebhardt. In the workshop, together with stakeholders from practice and science, approaches for quality improvements and visualisation of high-quality standards in sustainability contests were identified and evaluated by the experts. Essential steps and research projects for the future were defined. The key results of the event are: 1.) the impact and power of sustainability competitions as potential drivers of sustainability transition is endangered (loss of significance); 2.) in order to sharpen their profile, high-quality sustainability competitions should become more visible (visualisation); 3.) the BEST initiative at the University of Hohenheim is starting a dialogue to develop criteria for high-quality sustainability competitions (orientation).
Sensorische Beurteilung von Zweinutzungshühnern in der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung Ergebnisse einer Verkostung des Gerichts „Halbes Brathähnchen“ in drei Kantinen in Baden-Württemberg
(2024-08-14) Gebhardt, Beate
Um Verbraucher*innen einen verinnerlichenden Zugang zum Zweinutzungshuhn anzubieten und deren sensorischen Beurteilung in einer größeren Stichprobe zu erfassen, wurde in der vorliegenden Studie eine Verkostung von Zweinutzungshahnenfleisch in der Gemeinschaftsverpflegung in Baden-Württemberg im Projekt ZweiWert konzipiert. In drei Kantinen bzw. Mensen in Baden-Württemberg wurde Hühnerfleisch im Gericht „Halbes Brathähnchen“ von den Gästen sensorisch beurteilt. In zwei Testessen wurde einmal das „Standardhuhn“ der Kantine und ein anderes Mal ein Zweinutzungshuhn der Genetiken „Coffee“ und „Cream“ der ökologischen Tierzucht gGmbH (ÖTZ) zubereitet. In der Blind-Verkostung war den Gästen die Reihenfolge der Genetiken unbekannt. Nach Datenbereinigung standen 600 Fragebögen für die Analyse zur Verfügung. Die Ergebnisse zeigen: Das Zweinutzungshuhn ist den meisten Gästen bisher unbekannt. Es besteht ein hohes Interesse über das Zweinutzungshuhn in Kantinen mehr zu erfahren und dessen Fleisch auszuprobieren. Ferner besteht eine hohe Bereitschaft an der Studie teilzunehmen. Das Fleisch des Zweinutzungshuhns hält sensorisch mit dem Standardhuhn der Kantinen mit – insbesondere im Geschmack. Saftigkeit und Zartheit sind die kritischen sensorischen Attribute. Flügel und Schlegel sind die kritischen Teile. Viele Gäste sind bereit, etwas mehr für das Zweinutzungshuhn zu zahlen. Die Wiederwahlabsicht des getesteten Fleisches ist in beiden Testessen hoch, teils ist die Wiederwahlabsicht beim Zweinutzungshuhn etwas geringer, teils gleich hoch mit dem Standardhuhn. Das EIP-Projekt mit dem Titel „Aufbau von Wertschöpfungsketten für Zweinutzungshühner in Baden-Württemberg“ (ZweiWert) wird vom Ministerium für Ernährung, ländliche Räume und Verbraucherschutz Baden-Württemberg von 01/2022 bis 12/2024 gefördert. Projektpartner sind der Naturlandverband Baden-Württemberg, mehrere Fachgebiete der Universität Hohenheim und viele Partner aus der landwirtschaftlichen Erzeugung und Vermarktung.
SIEGER! Business-Awards als Instrument zur Steuerung der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation : Ansätze für Qualitätssicherung und Schärfung der strategischen Weiterentwicklung
(2024-08-14) Gebhardt, Beate; Hellstern, Laura
Das von der Deutschen Bundestiftung Umwelt (DBU) geförderte Forschungsprojekt „SIEGER“ ist ein wichtiger Baustein für Überlegungen und Analysen zum Nutzen und zur Qualitätssicherung von hochwertigen Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerben. Es stellt die Möglichkeiten der konzeptionellen und organisatorischen Weiterentwicklung von Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerben dar und beschäftigt sich mit Erfolg und der Zukunftsfähigkeit solcher Awards. Untersucht wurden in diesem Zusammenhang die strategische Bedeutung sowie Herausforderungen und – erstmals in diesem Kontext – der Einfluss von Krisen auf die Rolle von Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeits-awards. Eine weitere Frage ist, ob und wie Awards die konkrete Nachhaltigkeitsperformance und -bewertung von Unternehmen bzw. einen Paradigmenwechsel oder eine Unternehmenstransformation unterstützen. Die Erkenntnisse des Projekts sollen Vergabeinstitutionen von Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerben eine Orientierung geben in den Fragen: • Was macht hochwertige Wettbewerbe aus? • Wie können kleine und mittelständische Unternehmen (KMUs) davon profitieren und Awards nutzen? • Können Awards zu einer gesamtgesellschaftlichen nachhaltigen Transformation beitragen? Für das Forschungsprojekt SIEGER wurden mittels Methoden-Mix deutschlandweit Vergabeinstitutionen von Awards und Unternehmen befragt. Gesammelt, systematisiert und abgeleitet werden Möglichkeiten resilienter, erfolgsversprechender Ansätze einer nachhaltigen Transformation der Vergabekonzepte; Möglichkeiten zur Stärkung von KMUs aus Sicht von Vergabeinstitutionen (Awardgebende), von Unternehmen (Awardnehmende) und von weiteren Experten sowie strategische Empfehlungen für zukunftsfähige Umwelt- und Nachhaltigkeitswettbewerbe. Die Projektbearbeitung übernahm der AK BEST (Business Excellence and Sustainability Transformation), eine Initiative angegliedert an die Universität Hohenheim, mit Schwerpunkt in der Award-Forschung. Zentrale Aussagen der Studie lauten: 1. Auf den Ausbau oder eine Weiterentwicklung der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation können hochwertige Nachhaltigkeitsawards eine positive Auswirkung haben – auch wenn die (Unternehmens-)Welt von Krisen und/oder Unsicherheiten beeinflusst ist. 2. Die Stärken und Chancen von Awards werden höher bewertet als die Schwächen und Risiken. 3. Insbesondere der Imagegewinn, Sympathiegewinn bei Kund*innen und die Motivation bei Mitarbeiter*innen werden von Unternehmen als positive Effekte genannt. 4. Für kleine und mittelständische Unternehmen (KMUs) sind vor allem Finanzier-barkeit und Zeitaufwand eine Hürde für die Teilnahme, für Großunternehmen ist es die Vielzahl an Awards und deren Glaubwürdigkeit. 5. (Nachhaltigkeits-)Awards spielen auch in der Zukunft eine Rolle für Unternehmen, wenn die Vergabeinstitutionen fünf wesentliche Merkmale sicherstellen: Qualität, Glaubwürdigkeit, Transparenz, Zugänglichkeit und Wirkung. 6. Für zukünftige oder Zukunftsawards erwarten Unternehmen Kommunikations-fähigkeit (für sich) und Kommunikation (der Vergabeinstitution), um externe sowie interne Stakeholder in das Handeln und ggfs. eine Transformation zu integrieren. 7. Zentral ist dafür, dass auch die Vergabeinstitutionen in der Lage sind, ihre Awards situativ anzupassen und ggfs. eine Selbstveränderung zu schaffen (Resilienz). In diesem Abschlussbericht des Forschungsprojekts SIEGER werden diese Ergebnisse detailliert beschrieben, Ziel und Methodik der Forschungsstudie benannt und ein Weg in die Zukunft für (Nachhaltigkeits-)Awards aufgezeigt.
Status Quo und Potentiale des ökologischen Heil-, Kosmetik- und Gewürzpflanzenanbaus in Baden-Württemberg : Studienbericht & Supplement
(2022) Gebhardt, Beate
At first glance, changing social demands, such as the desire for more biodiversity and a more sustainable use of agricultural land, offer new opportunities for the organic cultivation of medicinal, cosmetic and spice plants. The increased health awareness and interest of consumers in organic food, natural cosmetics and alternative healing methods such as phytotherapy, lead to expectations of new product developments and market growth, both in the production of raw materials and in their processing and access to new markets and value chains. However, it is difficult to assess to what extent such potentials can actually be used by farmers and firms in Baden-Württemberg. On the one hand, only few data and studies on the status quo of medicinal and aromatic plant cultivation in Baden-Württemberg have been published. On the other hand, it is unclear which constraints exist for the further development of the organic medicinal and aromatic plant sector. This is the background for a recent status review in this report, which was carried out by the Department of Agricultural Markets at the University of Hohenheim from June 2021 to February 2022 funded by the Ministry of Rural Areas and Consumer Protection (MLR) Baden-Württemberg. The cooperation partners are the Centre for Organic Agriculture, University of Hohenheim, and the Netzwerk Kräuter Baden-Württemberg e.V. (Herb Network Baden-Württemberg).
Status-Quo und Perspektiven von Zweinutzungshühnern in Baden-Württemberg : Ergebnisse eines World-Cafés im Rahmen des 1. Dialogforums des Projektes „ZweiWert“ am 2.3.2023.
(2023) Bermejo, Gabriela; Imort-Just, Annik; Gebhardt, Beate; Hess, Sebastian; Kiefer, Lukas; Zikeli, Sabine
The motivation behind the growing interest in dual-purpose chicken is diverse. Among other things, it is driven by the prohibition of killing male chicks from laying lines, by the desire to improve animal welfare in general, and by the preservation of genetic biodiversity and a more sustainable poultry production system. The project "ZweiWert" aims to create a regional network of actors in order to build up a value chain for dual-purpose chickens in Baden-Württemberg. Following a status quo and potential analysis of the agricultural production of dual-purpose chicken, a network will be established along the entire value chain, so that a sustainable production as well as a regular supply of the resulting products can be ensured. In order to promote the exchange between actors and to be able to develop policy options and recommendations, dialogue forums will be organized during the course of the project. The first forum took place in March 2023 and brought together representatives from different sectors. After various expert contributions, participants were able to exchange views on different areas of the value chain in the format of a World Café. In particular, the topics of networking and economic efficiency, cooperation, aspects of the legal/political framework and the need for more transparency and communication were mentioned during these discussions.
Zweinutzungshuhn – was ist das? Umfrage unter Landwirt*innen und Geflügelhalter*innen in Deutschland 2022
(2023) Gebhardt, Beate; Bermejo, Gabriela; Imort-Just, Annik; Kiefer, Lukas; Zikeli, Sabine; Hess, Sebastian
To comply with the ban on chick culling that has been in effect since January 2022, the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture proposes three alternatives, including the hatching of dual-purpose chickens. In addition to the breeding and economic challenges of establishing dual-purpose animals in the value chain, the inconsistent understanding of what a dual-purpose chicken actually is and how its characteristics can be successfully communicated to consumers are seen as challenges. The goal of this working report is to present what a dual-purpose chicken is and what understanding farmers have of it. The German nationwide online survey among farmers and poultry farmers regarding the understanding and future of dual-purpose chickens was conducted in autumn 2022 as part of the EIP-Agri project "ZweiWert." The EIP project titled "Building Value Chains for Dual-Purpose Chickens in Baden-Württemberg" (ZweiWert) is funded by the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection of Baden-Württemberg from 01/2022 to 12/2024. Project partners include the Naturland Association of Baden-Württemberg, several departments of the University of Hohenheim, and many partners from agricultural production and marketing.
Zweinutzungshuhn – wie schmeckt das? Sensorische Beurteilung von Hühnerfleisch und Eiern von vier Zweinutzungshuhn-Genetiken
(2023) Gebhardt, Beate; Maute, Jutta; Kiefer, Lukas
Research into the sensory properties of meat and eggs from dual-purpose chickens has so far been a niche from a scientific point of view. In cooperation with the EIP-Agri project "ZweiWert", students at the DHBW Heilbronn therefore tasted, analysed and evaluated several dual-purpose chicken genetics in the integration seminar "Dual-purpose chickens: How to communicate the added value" in summer 2023. The genetics “Coffee" from the Ökologische Tierzucht (ÖTZ), "Sundheimer" from the Öko2Huhn project, "RegioHuhn" and "Lohmann Dual" as well as a control group from a classic laying or fattening line were assessed. The aim was to find out how different dual-purpose chickens taste and whether there are sensory differences or special features in meat and eggs Sensory attributes, including appearance, taste and smell, were recorded using a multi-methods assessment sheet. In short, the results of this explorative study show that dual-purpose chickens taste better. However, according to the testers judgement, there are differences not only between the different genetics, but also between the individual parts - breast, drumstick, wings or broth. The sensory profiles of the four dual-purpose chickens tested are varied and do not allow a clear sensory "ranking". The meat from Lohmann Dual apparently corresponds best to consumer preferences, while their eggs (cooked) are the least appealing. Overall, however, there is a consistent sensory superiority of the dual-purpose chickens over the specialised fattening or laying breed. These results - should they be confirmed in further studies - could contribute to increasing consumer acceptance of dual-purpose chickens and addressed in market communication to their further spread. The EIP project titled "Building Value Chains for Dual-Purpose Chickens in Baden-Württemberg" (ZweiWert) is funded by the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas and Consumer Protection of Baden-Württemberg from 01/2022 to 12/2024. Project partners include the Naturland Association of Baden-Württemberg, several departments of the University of Hohenheim, and many partners from agricultural production and marketing.