Hofnachfolge in Westdeutschland

In general, the findings of empirical investigations indicate that the reasons for farm take-over have not changed very in the last years. Larger full-time farms will more often be taken over and carried on than part-time or small full-time farms. The succession of older farmers, of farmers who have got a formal agricultural training and of farmers who are satisfied with their own occupational choice seems more frequently secured than that of other farmers. Farmers' descendants who finished formal agricultural training often several years ago normally will not change their occupational choice due to the Common Agricultural Policy reform. Nevertheless, a certain degree of declining willingness to take over farms in order to continue their management as full-time farms is to be observed. Even if farmer's descendants willingness to take over farms continues to decline, concerns about too few successors seem to be unfounded. It rather seems admissible to assume that it will become increasingly possible for persons from outside agriculture to take over existing farms or to establish new ones if agriculture gains competitiveness through an accelerated structural change.