The agri benchmark network

How do global markets for beef change if new free trade agreements are sealed? What are the cost and income drivers on horticultural farms worldwide? How is the competitiveness of oilseed and grain production developing? How do producers manage to adapt to climate change and reduce their greenhouse gas emissions? Can more animal welfare be achieved in pig production without losing competitiveness? What are the main issues confronting rice producers in Asia?

These are the kind of questions that agri benchmark addresses. agri benchmark is a global network of agricultural economists, advisors and producers. We use internationally standardised methods to compare production systems, their economics, framework conditions and perspectives for the most important agricultural goods and markets across the world. The Thünen Institute of Farm Economics has been leading the network for almost twenty years.

Using standardised methods and cooperating with advisors and producers, the expert network makes international data and information comparable and assessable for everyone. Based on typical production systems and farms we analyse
  (a) how agricultural goods are produced
  (b) what are the costs and returns
  (c) which general conditions affect production
  (d) how production is likely to develop

The unique depth and quality of data guarantees accurate information and effective support for decision-making. This helps institutions, policy-makers, producers and agribusinesses to address the challenges of global agriculture.

At present, the agri benchmark Network comprises more than 60 countries, mainly in the cash crop, pig farming as well as beef and sheep farming sectors. The development of the horticulture and the fish and seafood sectors continues.