Schmitz-Hübsch is the first fruit-growing company in Germany to be sustainably certified with the FAIR'N GREEN seal
The Schmitz-Hübschfruit farm in Bornheim-Merten (NRW) is the first fruit grower in Germany to be sustainably certified with the FAIR’N GREEN seal.. Fair and Green e. V. thus gains a member in another agricultural sector.
The Schmitz-Hübsch fruit-growing business is the oldest German fruit-growing business with plantation cultivation and is currently managed by Roland Schmitz-Hübsch in the 4th generation.
The farm has been growing apples, pears and sweet cherries in the foothills between Cologne and Bonn for more than 125 years. In 1989, the farm switched to integrated production so that its fruit can be grown in a way that conserves resources and promotes beneficial insects. To increase biodiversity in the orchards, the farm has been developing new concepts in cooperation with the Rhineland Cultural Landscape Foundation since 2014 and has been a pilot farm in NRW for ecological diversity in orchards in cooperation with the Klein Altendorf campus and the University of Hohenheim since 2017.
For farm manager Roland Schmitz-Hübsch, the next logical step was to participate in the “FAIR’N GREEN” sustainability project as a pilot farm for fruit growing in Germany since 2020. After the project, which was carried out together with the University of Bonn, was completed in 2022, the farm is now fully certified.
“Our apples, pears and sweet cherries grow on the best soils, protected by the foothills since 1896. We have been committed to resource-conserving and environmentally friendly cultivation for years and now want to take a holistic view of the issue of sustainability in our fruit farm together with FAIR’N GREEN, evaluate it and develop it further so that future generations can also grow fruit here,” explains Roland Schmitz-Hübsch on his motivation to have his farm certified as sustainable.
FAIR’N GREEN is an internationally recognized sustainability label that has been used successfully in viticulture since 2013. For fruit growing, the 220 criteria of the questionnaire have been adapted so that the sustainability assessment can also be used optimally for this agricultural sector. As part of the certification process and subsequent consultations, short and long-term goals are set that encompass the 4 pillars of sustainability.
The Schmitz-Hübsch fruit farm already has a very good operational eco-balance thanks to the generation of its own energy via photovoltaic systems, the use of electromobility and heat recovery in the cold stores. In the area of sustainable water management, the company works with a rainwater storage basin, fully automatic irrigation control using soil sensors and economical drip irrigation. The 11,000 m² biodiversity area with robust orchard trees and regional seeding as well as the 3,000 m² flower strips along the orchards are also worth highlighting. The farm also has a high level of social commitment, which is reflected in the opening of the Museum of Fruit Growing in the former fruit canning hall and also in regular tours of the farm for school classes.
“We are delighted that more and more businesses are joining our initiative in order to exchange ideas with like-minded businesses and further improve their sustainability. In addition to extending certification to the upstream and downstream value chain of viticulture, further development in other agricultural crops was the next logical step. With FAIR’N GREEN, we want to be the point of contact for sustainable and committed businesses – which is why we cordially invite all interested parties to join us for a joint exchange.” reports Florian Reinert, board member of Fair and Green e. V.
About FAIR’N GREEN: FAIR’N GREEN is a certification standard that was developed for viticulture. In addition to the key environmental aspects, the underlying system also covers economic and social issues as well as the entire value chain. After certification, companies receive continuous counselling to guarantee lasting improvement effects. Over 170 companies from 11 countries have already been certified or are in the process of certification. The first companies from upstream and downstream areas of the wine value chain, such as label printing or the specialised wine trade, have now also been certified as Certified Partners. FAIR’N GREEN is thus pursuing the goal of making the entire value chain sustainable.
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