10 Years of Flower Strips: Interview with a Sugar Beet Farmer

At Südzucker Sugar Division, promoting biodiversity is one of our focus areas within our overall sustainability strategy. To this end, we work with growers to promote ecosystem biodiversity. One example of this is the flower strips that have been planted on the edges of our sugar beet fields since 2014. This year we are celebrating an anniversary: 10 years of flower strips at Südzucker! We spoke to a farmer who was involved in this project from the very beginning.

Thomas Kolb is a farmer in the fifth generation from Saulheim, Germany, and runs a conventional farm with cereals (barley, wheat), wine growing, lucerne and around 45 hectares of sugar beet. To interview Mr Kolb, we drive to the edge of the field and stand facing an impressive backdrop: Flower strips in the foreground, beet fields as far as the eye can see and wind turbines on the horizon. Standing so close to the flower strips, you can see and hear how much is happening in between them – from bees to butterflies, there’s a lot going on here.

Südzucker: Mr Kolb, you were a pioneer from the very beginning – what motivated you personally to plant flower strips back then?

Thomas Kolb: To promote biodiversity. And, above all, to do public relations work and draw attention to the fact that there is not only plant cultivation, but that we also have to think about what we can achieve in the future in harmony with nature.

Südzucker: And then you planted flower strips – what was the feedback like?

Thomas Kolb: The feedback was both positive and negative. There are a lot of people who tell us time and again that the flower strips are beautiful. Especially the cyclists who often pass by here. But there have also been negative reactions, for example when our explanatory panels are labelled ‘EU subsidy industry’ – that’s what happens. So far there has been less feedback from farmers in the region.

Südzucker: When you walk through your flower strips and fields – what changes do you notice?

Thomas Kolb: That the insect population is significantly higher and that there are also insect species that you might not have noticed before. We also have a lot more birds, like pheasants and partridges. Now and then you can also see nests in the flower strips – including those of skylarks and the like.

Südzucker: What do you think is the most important function of the flower strips?

Thomas Kolb: Promoting insect diversity, biodiversity and public awareness. At the same time, of course, the benefits for wildlife: the partridges now have another place to retreat to, and we also see field hares and fawns from time to time.
Südzucker: Has there been any variation in surface area of your flower strips over 10 years?

Thomas Kolb: I always have relatively the same area of flower strips. I order the same amount of seed every year. Of course, sowing depends on capacity and the weather, among other things. What we see today is of course the optimum case.

Südzucker: What are your wishes for the future in terms of biodiversity?

Thomas Kolb: I would really like even more farms to take part in the programme and for us to have a lot more networking. It would be much better to promote wildlife and insects if we could create networked structures with various blows. That would be my wish going forward.

Südzucker: How could this be achieved?

Thomas Kolb: This is a subject that is always somewhat neglected and needs to be given more attention. Many farmers are already hesitant because of the cost of the seed, and they also have to put in the labour and lose part of their acreage. I think, the associations and Südzucker could promote even more directly the possibility of ordering free flower strip seed via the Südzucker raw materials portal.

Südzucker: How could biodiversity be further promoted?

Thomas Kolb: In addition to sponsoring flower strip seeds, a subsidy could also be paid for the labour involved or for the area lost as a result. Ultimately, we have to consider this – it is our business – and just make it more financially attractive. We also need to sit down with politicians and consider how exactly the funding possibilities will be combined, for example for annual flower strips.

Südzucker: Your practical tip: What advice would you give to someone who is considering the planting of flower strips?

Thomas Kolb: In any case, the preparation of the area should be the same as for a normal crop. It’s important not to use areas that are overgrown with thistles or heavily weeded. And I would say – as you can see here at the edge of my field – that at least 5-6 meters is the minimum width you should have.

Südzucker: 10 years of flower strips – your conclusion?

Thomas Kolb: I think that a lot has been done in the public arena over the past few years and that the public relations work is having an effect. However, there is still a need for greater public awareness of the issue.

We thank Thomas Kolb for the interview, his hospitality and his commitment to biodiversity.

Südzucker’s Flower Strips Programme at a Glance

Every year since 2014, we have provided our sugar beet growers with a free flower mix, specially formulated for their sugar beet fields, which they can use to create flower meadows around their sugar beet fields. We have selected different plant species with different flowering times for our flower mix to ensure the longest possible flowering period and to attract different insects.

The total number of flowering strips in all the countries in which Südzucker grows sugar beet (Germany, France, Belgium and Poland) has continued to increase in recent years. Our farmers planted around 2,600 flower strips.

Collaboration with scientists, farmers and consumers

In addition to our flower strips programme, we have established a long-term collaboration with the Institute for Agroecology and Biodiversity in Mannheim (IFAB). The aim is to understand the impact of flower strips on biodiversity. A key finding is a significant 500% increase in pollinator and beneficial insect biomass in the flower strips compared to the control area (see IFAB research 2023).

As a further step in our biodiversity roadmap, the Südzucker Sugar Division has launched the ‘Südzucker Biodiversity Alliance’. This is an alliance between our farmers, Südzucker and interested industrial customers to jointly promote biodiversity. Together with IFAB, we have developed and sounded with selected farmers a catalogue of biodiversity measures from which participating farmers can select measures to implement on their farms. Progress and results also serve as a basis for future improvements and are reported transparently by the farmers on a step-by-step basis. Participating farmers are rewarded for their efforts in addition to the normal beet price under this bilateral agreement with Südzucker.

The offer is not only aimed at farmers. Customers are also welcome to join the Südzucker Biodiversity Alliance and gain access to data, background information, marketing materials and more for their own brand and product communication.