DLG Feldtage 2026 opens in Bernburg: Grand opening highlights innovation and practical solutions for modern crop production

DLG President Hubertus Paetow together with high-ranking representatives from politics and the agricultural sector highlighted the DLG Feldtage as a key platform for knowledge transfer and practice-proven innovation in crop production – www.dlg-feldtage.de

The DLG Feldtage (“DLG Field Days”) 2026, taking place this week from 16 to 18 June 2026 at the International DLG Crop Production Center in Bernburg-Strenzfeld (Saxony-Anhalt), officially opened today. Under the guiding theme “Crop Production out of the Box”, the outdoor event brings together growers, farmers and agricultural professionals, combining practical crop production with state-of-the-art agricultural technology. Innovations, varietal diversity, new techniques and forward-looking cultivation strategies can be experienced live on trial fields and demonstration plots.

In their opening statements, Hubertus Paetow, DLG President; Sven Schulze, Minister President of Saxony-Anhalt; Michael Richter, Minister of Agriculture of Saxony-Anhalt; and Martina Englhardt-Kopf, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity, underlined the importance of the DLG Feldtage as a practical meeting place for innovation, knowledge transfer and networking – with a particular focus on resilient production systems, efficient use of resources and the contribution of modern technologies.

The event is organised by DLG (German Agricultural Society), a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing practical farming through independent, practice-oriented knowledge transfer. Its President, Hubertus Paetow – himself a practising farmer – emphasised at the opening event the importance of translating innovation into real on-farm solutions.

 “The DLG Feldtage is more than a trade fair. It is a showcase for entrepreneurial agriculture that actively seeks – and finds – answers to the pressing questions facing the sector. Here, the agricultural and food industry comes together,  not to wait for direction from policymakers, but to move forward by itself: solution-oriented, constructive and open to new ideas.”

Paetow also stressed that a forward-looking and responsible approach to innovation is particularly important in a time shaped by geopolitical tensions and volatile markets. He pointed to DLG’s guiding principle of “sustainable productivity growth”, which sees increasing yields and reduced resource use as two sides of the same coin.

“This can be a new, resilient crop variety, a precise crop protection method  with or without chemical inputs  or the use of robotics and artificial intelligence: everything that brings us closer to sustainable productivity growth can be experienced here at the DLG Feldtage as a festival of crop production and assessed for its suitability for individual farming operations.”

Paetow described artificial intelligence as: “the next chapter in the success story of modern agriculture – if used correctly.”

At the same time, he pointed to key challenges regarding its use:

“How do we avoid new dependencies on a few large technology providers? How do we ensure that innovations are not limited to flagship farms, but reach the sector as a whole? We will not answer these questions by pointing to policymakers – we will answer them as an industry, as a network, as DLG, by retaining ownership of the future of agriculture.”

Political voices: innovation, framework conditions and future perspectives

Martina Englhardt-Kopf emphasised the importance of the DLG Feldtage as a place of exchange and inspiration:

“The DLG Feldtage is a festival of crop production. The event helps to make innovations more visible and bring them into practice. More precise breeding methods, digital applications and new crop protection strategies show that agriculture is high-tech – and a real sector of the future.”

She underlined the need for improved framework conditions, including faster approval procedures and innovation-friendly regulation, to ensure that new technologies are adopted more quickly in practice.

As a partner of the event, Minister President Sven Schulze highlighted the importance of agriculture for Saxony-Anhalt:

“The Feldtage event presents what Saxony-Anhalt stands for: strong agriculture, modern technologies and young people who want to shape the future. Our farms demonstrate every day that economic success and ecological responsibility go hand in hand.”

Agriculture Minister Michael Richter placed particular emphasis on knowledge transfer and the next generation:

“The DLG Feldtage 2026 in Bernburg is a central platform for actively shaping the future of agriculture. Digital innovations are key to economic and ecological sustainability – but they must be applied in practice. For this, we need well-trained and motivated young professionals.”

DLG Feldtage: a leading international field exhibition

The DLG Feldtage – Germany’s leading field-based exhibition for crop production – take place every two years at alternating locations across Germany.

With around 320 exhibitors, the event covers the entire spectrum of modern crop production, from plant breeding and crop protection to agricultural machinery, digital solutions and advisory services.

At the Bernburg site, approximately 45 hectares of exhibition and demonstration area are dedicated to live presentations under real field conditions, enabling visitors to evaluate innovations directly for their own farms.

600 hectares of practical research and innovation

The venue itself is a key part of the concept: the International DLG Crop Production Center, covering around 600 hectares, offers ideal conditions for field trials, demonstrations and applied research.

It is a clear example of DLG’s non-profit mission to connect science and practice and to provide farmers with independent, field-tested knowledge – from practice for practice.

Bernburg: fertile soils and modern large-scale farming

Bernburg is located in the Magdeburg Börde, one of Europe’s most fertile agricultural regions, characterised by its highly productive loess soils. The region is also home to numerous large-scale, highly professional farming operations, making it an ideal environment for demonstrating modern crop production systems.

The state of Saxony-Anhalt contributes its own programme under the theme “Knowledge – Practice – Future”, featuring topics such as digitalisation, drone technology and sustainable farming.

A highlight is the “Soil Experiment Field”, where visitors can actively participate by collecting soil samples, identifying soil types and testing modern measurement technologies.

A meeting place for the future of crop production

Recognised internationally, the DLG Feldtage bring together farmers, industry, research and policymakers from around the world. As a “festival of modern crop production”, the event provides a platform for exchange, innovation and practical solutions.

At its core, it reflects the DLG mission: to support farmers with independent, practice-proven innovations and strengthen sustainable, productive agriculture worldwide.

Further information: www.dlg-feldtage.de

Media contact:
Malene Conlong
+49 69 24788-237
m.conlong@dlg.org