Half of German farms need second income

About half of the farms in Germany have a second line of income to secure their revenue, including from renewable energy, forestry and room rentals.

According to the latest agricultural census for 2020 by the Federal Statistical Office, 47 per cent of about 130,800 farms with additional sources of income named the production of renewable energy as a mainstay of their business.

This is followed by forestry, at 29 per cent, and wood processing, at 12 per cent.

One in four farmers with multiple sources of income works for other farms; 18 per cent sell their products direct to consumers; 8 per cent offer short-stay rooms for tourists.