Young organic farmer fights for her land
We like buying “organic” food because it sounds like it must be better for our health and for the environment. Admit it – buying “organic” makes us feel good.
But in Germany, young organic farmers like Julia Bar-Tal don’t feel good about the rising price of the land they need to produce the local organic products their peers want to buy.
Julia and other young farmers blame multinational and German companies for buying up land for speculation purposes. This has led to price increases – especially in eastern Germany – of up to 300 percent.
Julia helps run an organic farm collective outside of Berlin with 14 other farmers. Her farm is successful, but she says she can’t expand because the land has simply become too expensive. So she and her group have decided to fight back. She is a leader in a movement that aims to enlist the help of customers who buy organic food to stop industrial giants from bidding up the price of land.
Listen to the report by Michael Scaturro in Berlin:
Julia Bar-Tal wants to raise awareness for the landgrabbing problem among the people who buy her food (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)
Hello up there! (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)
Julia’s farm is not far from urban Berlin (Photo: Julia Bar-Tal)
