At AGRAVIS, the focus is on the customers

Plant cultivation

The AGRAVIS Crop Cultivation Consultation Team offers farmers professional support for sustainable use of their land. AGRAVIS is undertaking an extensive trial at several locations throughout its entire operational area to provide such support while guaranteeing regional reference. The type of trials ranges from conventional variety and product tests through to more complex crop growing trials which examine numerous issues related to efficient, resource-conserving arable farming. Some 15,000 trial plots tackle questions which farmers ask themselves during their daily work:

What is the right crop variety for my location?
How can I supply my wheat with nutrients to an optimal extent?
What sowing density can I use to optimise my maize crop?
Which crop protection strategy is best for the conditions on my land?
How can I prevent resistances?

You can find further information in the Page flip book of the 4th AGRAVIS Sustainability Report

Feedstuff

Ecological footprint of AGRAVIS pig feed

The AGRAVIS Eco-Efficiency Manager for Pigs is an online tool which can be used to compare different feed concepts for pigs in terms of their ecological and economic impact. The feed product is studied from its origin, i.e. raw material production, through to the living pig.

The Eco-Efficiency Manager* has been used to compare the following two feed concepts for pigs:

Yesterday's feed concept (optimisation based on metabolisable energy, constant raw protein content in all fattening phases)
Feeding the future feed concept (optimisation based on net energy, reduction in the raw protein content throughout the fattening phases with added free amino acids)

The comparison shows that the "Feeding the future" concept has significantly fewer environmental effects while keeping feed costs constant. More specifically, in this case, the reduction in the raw protein content in favour of grain and amino acids has reduced the ecological footprint of the "Feeding the future" concept. If we take feed production for 1,000 kilograms of live pig weight and the specific assumptions and formulas used in the study, this also results in ...**

... A 15 per cent improvement in soil fertility (measured by the change in the soil's carbon content)
... A reduction in marine eutrophication (i.e. nitrogen emissions into the water) by almost 18 per cent and in freshwater eutrophication (i.e. phosphorus emissions into the water) by a good 8 per cent
... Elimination of almost 24 per cent of the acidification effects
... A reduction in the climate effects (in CO2 equivalents) by a good 21 per cent

* The Eco-Efficiency Manager is an online calculation tool developed by BASF for AGRAVIS. The joint study (Mueller, B 2018: Update – Ökoeffizienz-Analyse – Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung AGRAVIS-Schweinefutter [Update – Eco-efficiency analysis – AGRAVIS pig feed sustainability assessment]. Unpublished study commissioned by AGRAVIS Raiffeisen AG dated 01/02/2018) has been critically reviewed by TÜV Rheinland.

** The percentage differences may deviate from the specified values if the formulas and underlying input parameters of the study are changed.

Innovative feed concepts such as "Feeding the future" provide environmentally friendly, sustainable feeding for pigs without increasing production or consumer costs.

AGRAVIS is willing and capable of addressing sustainability-relevant issues. We thus help to meet the requirements of modern animal farming and food production.

If you have any questions, please contact Dr Lina Sofie von Fricken (lina.sofie.von.fricken@agravis.de) or Mrs Alexandra Grimm (alexandra.grimm@agravis.de)

Advanced training for Raiffeisen Markets employees

The Terres Marketing + Consulting GmbH an AGRAVIS subsidiary, offers seminars and training to its customers, i.e. Raiffeisen Markets. The programme includes sales training events or training on pets. Comprehensive programmes such as those for Terres retail managers are also offered. These are primarily intended for managers at Raiffeisen Markets and follow an integral approach with interrelated seminar modules, such as those on leadership skills and human resources management.