Land grab in eastern Germany
For agro-business, Germany's reunification in 1990 marked the beginning of a land rush. The binge of speculation has left east German farmers reeling - or even fleeing. Government policies seem to encourage the practice.
A view into the past
Cows grazing in Brandenburg: It's a picture seen ever less often in eastern Germany. Many small-scale farmers still in possession of cattle after reunification were forced to sell their farms. Large-scale landowners buying up those plots don't keep the cattle, but instead grow cash crops of corn, sugar beets and rapeseed. The result? Monoculture instead of diversity.
Corn, corn and more corn
Large stretches of the former East Germany are now coverd with corn fields, which produce high yields with relatively little labor. As a result, not only plants and animals have had to make way for the new crops, but also people. Harvested fields often offer a bleak image.
Monoculture vs. biodiversity
Corn from monoculture fields is often destined to be burned for energy in biogas plants. But monoculture has a tremendously negative impact on the local ecosystem, causing a dramatic reduction in plant diversity. Such monoculture crops are more susceptible to disease and pests, and must therefore be treated with pesticides far more often in order to ensure high yield.
No land, no sheep
Industrial-scale farming annihilates pastures for cows and sheep. These sheep have been losing space ever since the KTG Agrar company began buying up village land, driving up land prices. KTG is the largest landholder in the Uckermark, which borders Poland in northeast Germany. Within that region, the company owns 20,000 hectares, or an area twice the size of Paris.
Nostalgia
Images from a bygone era hang on a workshop wall at a Brandenburg farm. Until 1990, the farm was a link in the production chain of an East German agricultural cooperative. Large-scale land ownership not a new phenomenon to eastern Germans: The land once belonged to royal Junkers and, after 1945, was owned by East German state, which encouraged industrial farming cooperatives.
Hired help
At this former co-op in Brandenburg, large-scale agriculture is once again the norm - although today's large farms are much bigger than the co-ops of the former East Germany. However, one thing remains the same: Workers are contracted employees at large businesses, rather than self-employed farmers.
Vanishing work opportunities
The broader the plot of land, the larger the equipment: These tractors belong to the agro-industrial Odega company. As part of the system of fewer people delivering more product, sub-contractors are increasingly helping bring in the harvests. So-called "load farmers" work one field to the next, basically in tandem with the large-scale agricultural companies.
Your new landlord
Ever more land is being sold to large companies like Odega in Brandenburg, with the German government apparently supporting this. Since 1990, the government has sold or leased 1 million hectares of East German farmland to the highest bidder. Only investors and large-scale landowners can afford such high prices.
Priced out
This farmer manages enough land to support himself, but he's unable to buy or lease new land to enlarge his operation. Speculation by large-scale landowners and investors has driven up property prices and leasing rates so much that he can no longer afford to expand.
The end of a farming family
This farmer in Brandenburg still has land, but not enough. He can't make much of a living off farming anymore, and his son doesn't intend to take over the family farm. Many families have similar stories to tell: less work, locals packing up - and entire stretches of land now deserted. Ready for the next buyer.