?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Financial+relevance+of+organic+farming+payments+for+Western+and+Eastern+European+organic+farms&rft.creator=Zander%2C+Katrin&rft.creator=Nieberg%2C+Hiltrud&rft.creator=Offermann%2C+Frank&rft.subject=+Farm+economics&rft.description=Organic+farming+in+the+European+Union+has+been+supported+widely+since+1994.+Against+the+background+of+discussions+concerning+the+design+and+level+of+organic+farming+support%2C+and+the+relevance+of+organic+payments+for+the+economic+success+of+organic+farms%2C+the+question+emerges+as+to+the+impact+of+support+payments+on+the+sustainable+development+of+organic+farming+in+Europe.+Different+databases+and+methodological+approaches+have+been+chosen+to+demonstrate+the+role+of+organic+farming+payments+for+the+viability+of+organic+farms+for+selected+Western+and+Eastern+European+study+countries.+Economic+analyses+are+based+on+national+farm+accountancy+data+(FADN)+in+the+Western+European+countries+and+on+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98typical+farms%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+in+the+Eastern+European+group.+As+a+supplement+to+the+modelling+analyses%2C+a+detailed+survey+of+50+organic+farms+was+carried+out+in+each+of+the+study+countries.+Organic+farming+payments+were+assessed+to+be+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98important%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+or+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%98very+important%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99+to+the+economic+situation+on+farms+by+the+majority+of+the+farmers+surveyed.+The+outcome+of+the+economic+analyses+shows+that+organic+farming+payments+contribute+on+average+4-6%25+of+gross+output+in+Western+European+countries+and+4-19%25+in+the+Eastern+European+countries+studied.+The+results+put+the+level+of+specific+support+for+organic+farming+into+perspective%2C+as+other+support+payments+and+market+returns+contribute+larger+shares+of+total+farm+revenue+in+all+the+countries+analysed.+Organic+farming+payments+account+for+10-30%25+of+family+farm+income+plus+wages+in+Western+European+study+countries+and+-+after+EU+accession+-+up+to+three-quarters+in+some+of+the+Eastern+European+countries%2C+thus+highlighting+the+considerable+vulnerability+of+organic+farms+to+changes+in+organic+farming+policy.+As+a+general+trend+in+both+the+West+and+the+East%2C+it+can+be+observed+that+the+policy+dependency+of+farms+has+increased+over+recent+years.+Changes+in+organic+area+support%2C+which+are+actually+under+discussion+in+some+countries%2C+must+be+carried+out+with+a+sense+of+proportion%2C+since+support+payments+will+continue+to+play+an+important+role+in+the+profitability+of+organic+farms.+Nevertheless%2C+in+order+to+reduce+dependency+on+area+payments%2C+organic+farming+support+should+follow+an+integrated+approach%2C+using+a+mix+of+support+measures+including%2C+e.g.%2C+the+improvement+of+processing+and+marketing+facilities%2C+support+for+farm+cooperation+and+activities+designed+to+enhance+demand.&rft.date=2008-03&rft.type=Journal+paper&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F13390%2F1%2FRAFS_Final_PDF.pdf&rft.identifier=Zander%2C+Katrin%3B+Nieberg%2C+Hiltrud+and+Offermann%2C+Frank+(2008)+Financial+relevance+of+organic+farming+payments+for+Western+and+Eastern+European+organic+farms.+Renewable+Agriculture+and+Food+Systems%2C+23+(1)%2C+pp.+53-61.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F13390%2F