Immediate Action Required for Wine Farming Support Program
The German government, led by Minister of Food, Rural Areas, and Consumer Protection, Peter Hauk, has announced the approval of the Immediate Program for Viticulture. This program, aimed at supporting the wine industry, includes a combination of European, federal, and national measures to address the current crisis in the sector.
The economic situation of wine-growing operations in Europe is tense, with the operating result decreasing by 68 percent compared to the previous year in the 2023/2024 financial year. Factors contributing to this include climate change, with prolonged dry or wet phases, sharply increased prices for operating materials and labor, and changes in wine consumption behavior across Europe, reflected in declining sales figures.
The Immediate Program for Viticulture includes measures for funding, such as increased financial aid for vineyard modernization, promotion of sustainable viticulture practices, and increased marketing support. It also includes country-specific approaches to directly address the current wine crisis. The legal and technical implementation of some measures was initiated at the first signs of the current crisis.
The program is not limited to the wine industry itself, but also includes upstream and downstream areas. Measures for tourism, such as new wine tourism projects and communal, integrated rural development concepts (ILEK), are part of the program to address the current dynamics of vineyard abandonment.
Minister Hauk stated that the program utilizes all possibilities provided by the European Union and the federal government. The program includes measures for funding, such as increased funding for manual wine production and the re-approval of potassium phosphonate in organic viticulture. It also includes measures for supporting crop rotation in the context of Organic Regulations.
In January 2024, Minister Hauk announced measures under the "Support Program for Wine Culture," which included the above-mentioned initiatives. He reiterated these announcements upon the approval of the Immediate Program for Viticulture by the cabinet on January 14, 2025.
For more information about the program, the contact details for the Ministry of Food, Rural Areas, and Consumer Protection are available online. The program is intended to improve cost and marketing situations and actively accompany structural change in the wine industry.
The wine industry, a significant contributor to Germany's economy and culture, is expected to benefit greatly from these measures. The program's implementation will provide much-needed support to wine growers in Baden-Württemberg and across Europe, as they navigate the challenges posed by the current crisis.
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