Key facts
- Austria's farming sector is noted for its success in intergenerational renewal.
- Key factors contributing to this success include family-run farms, strong public support, professional training, and consumer engagement.
- Farmers like Josef Quehenberger and Johanna Wallinger highlight the rewards of hard work and authentic, natural production methods.
- Cooperative shops facilitate direct-to-consumer sales, ensuring added value remains local.
- Public support, including training and business advice from the Salzburg Chamber of Agriculture, is crucial.
- A regional product label enhances market potential and consumer recognition.
Austria's agricultural sector is experiencing a notable revitalization, characterized by a successful intergenerational renewal of family-run farms. This success is attributed to a combination of diligent work by farmers, robust public support, high-quality professional training, and an engaged consumer base that values local produce.
Josef Quehenberger, a farmer in Abtenau near Salzburg, represents this new generation, having transitioned from a sales career to take over his family's tenth-generation farm. He raises sheep, cows, and turkeys, and also produces gardening pellets from sheep wool, emphasizing the hard but rewarding nature of his work and his pride in bringing the farm into the future.
Similarly, Johanna Wallinger, who settled in Abtenau 30 years ago, runs a thriving farm with 200 goats and cheese-making facilities. She believes Austria has significant potential for natural, consumer-proximate farming. Her farm, like many others in the region, contributes to a local cooperative shop where around 60 producers market their meat, cheese, yogurts, vegetables, and herbs directly, eliminating middlemen and keeping economic benefits within the community.
Public support is identified as a critical driver. The Salzburg Chamber of Agriculture, with its 35,000 members, offers young farmers essential training, legal and business advice, subsidy navigation, and product promotion assistance. Rupert Quehenberger, the Chamber's president, acknowledges the universal challenges of bureaucracy and market competition but stresses that Austrian farmers can only compete through quality and recognizable products.
To bolster market potential, Salzburg authorities have implemented a coveted label certifying the local origin of agricultural goods. Günther Kronberger, Managing Director at Salzburg Agrar Marketing, notes that this label covers approximately 2,800 products and 170 restaurateurs, with certified kitchens processing a significant volume of meals daily using regional ingredients.
Furthermore, training for future farmers is a priority. Austria has about 70 agricultural training schools, with Winklhof Farming School near Salzburg seeing a surge in applications over the last five years for its program catering to students aged 14-17. School directors aim to equip students with both professional and personal life skills. Experienced farmers, like Johanna Wallinger, also emphasize the importance of a positive outlook to inspire the next generation.