Previously guided by values of ecological and social transformation, a new search for direction within agriculture reveals a bigger change in the times. At the 2026 Agriculture Conference at the Goetheanum, members of the Economic Circle of the Section for Agriculture offered a platform to discuss practice-based research and exchange ideas about successes and failures in production, processing, and trade.
In 1924, when Rudolf Steiner gave his Agricultural Course, most food was still produced, processed, and traded using traditional methods. Since then, an industrialized food industry has become the norm. Over these same years, biodynamic agriculture emerged, followed later by organic farming, which spread widely, especially in the 1970s and 80s. In many countries in Europe—such as Germany, Switzerland, and Austria—the organic sector achieved significant market and land share, marking a period of success and growth.
For several years now, this trend has been disrupted by COVID-19, war, inflation, and geopolitical tensions. A new “wave” in society is sweeping over the organic and sustainability sector. Security policies, supply chain sovereignty, and economic pressure are gaining in importance, while ecological goals are losing ground. Political programs such as the EU’s Green Deal also represent a different, more technocratic understanding of “green,” as a result of which organic farming is no longer automatically perceived as the leading force behind sustainable transformation. The current situation can be described as a profound change in the times, particularly in the areas of agriculture, food, and the sustainability economy.
Against this backdrop, we see three possible future directions:
- Further industrialization and a stronger presence in supermarkets,
- a return to a narrowly defined biodynamic core, or
- a stronger connection to traditional, artisanal, regional forms of processing and marketing.
This new search for direction expresses a bigger change in the times: the previous leading values of ecological and social transformation are increasingly being questioned or even reversed.
Social scientist Ingolfur Blühdorn argues that the project of ecological and democratic social transformation—supported by an empowered citizenry—has effectively reached its limits. Now, democratic, ecological, and emancipatory developments are in decline worldwide. The fact that agreed ecological goals are not being politically upheld is also evident in international agreements (e.g., the 1.5-degree target) and the phase-out of nuclear power.
This development leads to regulation and bureaucracy, which places a particular burden on small businesses, and to political counter-movements that roll back environmental regulations. The protests by farmers in Europe highlight this tension. It’s clear that the current form of ecological transformation is no longer working.
Despite this sobering analysis, there is a positive perspective, namely, as French sociologist Bruno Latour has argued, to no longer understand the Earth as a dead object but as a living being. Only on this basis can a new social and economic order emerge. Today, this idea is no longer a marginal phenomenon, but part of recognized social science debates. The Earth as a Living Being was the theme of last year’s Agriculture Conference.
Our focus is on three main themes:
- Overview of farms currently under severe economic and structural pressure
- Analysis of the regional market and trade situation
- Classification in a global context.
Ueli Hurter, Demeter Germany, March 2025
Examples such as De Kollebloem farm in Belgium show that strong communities form the basis for agricultural life and social purpose. Everything on the farm is organized communally: the team of employees, the sale of products through a CSA, and volunteer work. The farmers, gardeners, and shopkeepers form a cooperative and lease the land from a foundation set up specifically for this purpose. This ensures the farm’s long-term future. In view of the strong pressure from industrialized agriculture in Flanders, price negotiations and cooperation are consciously understood as a practice in trust, meeting each other, and a gesture of mutual welcome. The farm is an example of how agriculture means community and that city and countryside, producers and consumers, work and culture can be connected.
Another example, Vilicus Farm in Montana, in the northwest United States, illustrates the opportunities and limitations of large-scale regenerative agriculture. On around 6,000 hectares, Anna, Doug, and their team practice diverse crop rotations, promote biodiversity, cultivate the soil, and integrate cattle farming to complete the ecological cycle. The farm operates in an extremely open, sparsely populated area where profitability is heavily dependent on distant markets, but short-term contracts and unstable purchasing conditions increase economic risks. To address this dilemma, the concept of Community-Supported Stewardship Agriculture (CSSA) was developed, which recognizes ecological services as valuable and is supported by backers. In addition, so-called “supply circles” are intended to enable long-term partnerships along the entire value chain and combine ecological responsibility with economic viability. The farm exemplifies the fact that even the best agronomic practices are not sustainable without new market relationships and long-term cooperation, while also highlighting the potential of large-scale regenerative agriculture.
In trade and market relations, long-term contracts and transparent communication are presented as ways to achieve fair prices, for example, at Odin in the Netherlands. The focus is on the organic quality of the products and, even more so, on building trust, transparency, and long-term partnerships with producers, as in the case of bananas. This is achieved through five-year contracts, investments in irrigation, new varieties, and miniplantations, as well as the involvement of consumers in true-cost campaigns that calculate the real costs of growing bananas and reflect social standards.
Or take NaturaSì in Italy. Transparent campaigns explain the actual costs to consumers, while scientific studies quantify the ecological and social effects of biodynamic agriculture and translate them into economic values. NaturaSì shows that fair prices and long-term partnerships not only benefit farmers but also help to change market structures and make regenerative agriculture economically viable.
In the processing and scaling of products, Lucas Didden demonstrates how industrial and artisanal approaches can be combined with the bakery of Vital Speisehaus AG. The collaboration with Swiss wholesaler Coop enables high fixed costs to be covered while small-scale customers continue to be supplied.
Ralf Kunert from Naturamus trades worldwide. Whether organic macadamia nuts in Kenya, lanolin from Argentina, or castor oil and mangoes in India, key elements include long-term relationships with producers, transparent pricing, and diversification to reduce dependencies and build resilience. Biodynamic agriculture is understood not only as an ecological practice, but also as a social and cultural one that requires education, relationship-building, and local autonomy.
Andrea Valdinoci from the World Goetheanum Association draws a historical and philosophical parallel with Daniel Nicol Dunlop. He saw global economic collaboration as a presupposition for peace and a viable future.
Translation Joshua Kelberman
Title image Laura Summer, “Resolution.” Motif for the 2026 Agricultural Conference.
