From the pasture to the tractor of the future: the BMLEH in Hall 23a

It's not easy to deliver a lamb. Despite the guidance of a young vet, it takes a lot of tact and sensitivity to correctly assess the position of the animal and help it out of the womb. This is because mother animals often give birth to more than one young. In Hall 23a, visitors to Grüne Woche can try their hand at obstetrics. The project, run by the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover Foundation, aims to raise awareness among farmers and animal owners of possible complications and is part of the exhibition organised by the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Regional Identity (BMLEH).

The lamb birth is one of many hands-on activities awaiting guests in the hall. Numerous organisations provide insights into their work and raise awareness of a wide range of topics, such as the benefits of biodiversity, through various activities. Struwelpeter, Brauner Sommer and Goldforelle are the names of some old salad varieties that thrive in a bed. Compared to common supermarket products, they have many advantages, such as being resistant to snails and having their own unique aroma. Scientists are currently working on how to bring them back into cultivation.

Emergency supplies

Resilience is also the focus of the Food Security Initiative stand. It aims to raise awareness of the need to stockpile supplies for extreme situations, such as prolonged power cuts or flooding. This is because it can take up to ten days for the state to start providing supplies. Citizens should therefore have enough food at home to last for this period, including bread, vegetables, fruit, cheese and meat. The Ministry's stock calculator can help with planning.

The initiative ‘Too good for the bin!’ provides tips on how to easily avoid food waste in everyday life and explains what the best-before date means.

For anyone who includes fish in their diet, researchers from the Thünen Institute offer helpful guidance on labels and different types of fishing and farming. An eye-catcher at the stand is a model of the fisheries research vessel Walther Herwig III. Among other things, it studies fish stocks in the North Sea, Baltic Sea and North Atlantic.

Those who want to better understand the work of the Friedrich Löffler Institute can try their hand at taking and examining samples using test tubes. The institute is involved in the prevention, diagnosis and control of animal diseases such as bird flu and foot-and-mouth disease.

For many, the highlight is the ONOX1 electric tractor. It offers a glimpse of how farmers will be able to travel sustainably in the future using energy they generate themselves.