An enormous amount of white gold: The agricultural cooperative Höhen eG in Höhenland produces 4.9 million liters of milk every year. However, this is offset by low income. Result: the cooperative from Märkisch-Oderland stops milk production – employees have to go, the cows are sold.
In GDR times, the system (built in 1973) as an LPG was one of the most modern in the Eastern Bloc. Today 1000 dairy cows live in the stables. But in June it’s over, the cooperative wants to concentrate only on plant production in the future.
“Investments of between eight and ten million euros are needed to meet animal welfare levels three and four,” says board member Nicole Winkelmann (35). Means: more space for the animals, cow brushes and other investments. The milking parlor from 1995 also urgently needs to be renewed.
“The milk price has been stagnating for 20 years,” complains Winkelmann. Co-CEO and manager Enrico Richter (32): “We get an average of 30 cents per kilogram of milk.” One liter corresponds to 1.03 kilos.
“People will soon be getting twelve euros minimum wage. In summer I order 16,000 liters of diesel for our tractors every week. Who is going to generate that?”
The main customer is Müllermilch. The company supplies various brands and discounters. Richter: “We are the only industry in which customers dictate prices.”
38 people, mainly animal farmers and farmers, are still working for the agricultural cooperative. 18 of them will have to leave the farm this summer when milk production is stopped. Instead of animal feed, rapeseed, cereals, sunflowers and peas are to be grown on the 2,300 hectares of land.
Farm manager Enrico Richter has been working on the farm for 17 years. “I feel like a castrated farmer without the animals.”