On 21 May 2026, Arndt Feuerbacher gave a presentation on the valorisation of biodiversity in agriculture at the 12th Joint Official Meeting (“Gemeinsame Dienstbesprechung”) held at the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of the Interior in Stuttgart. The Joint Official Meeting is organised jointly by the Ministry of Rural Affairs and Consumer Protection (MLR) and the Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy (UM) and serves as a forum for current topics in agricultural and environmental policy. Around 150 representatives from both state ministries as well as from the lower agricultural and environmental authorities, biosphere reserves, landscape conservation associations, and other institutions took part.

The presentation spanned ecological-economic perspectives on global pollinator declines through to concrete regional instruments for Baden-Württemberg. Drawing on findings from the BEATLE and HOPE research projects, the central question was how the economic contribution of biodiversity and ecosystem services can be made visible and strengthened in agriculture through appropriate incentive mechanisms.

The presentation sparked a lively discussion and a productive exchange that gave rise to new project ideas. Many thanks to MLR and UM for the invitation and the opportunity to present our research.