The first Grüne Woche got off to a rough start. The two tethered balloons of some considerable size floating above the exhibition halls in Berlin at the opening ceremony on 20 February 1926 were buffeted to and fro by wind and rain. And the reactions in the press the following day were very mixed. The Berliner Morgen-Zeitung, for instance, complained that, given that it was supposed to be an agricultural show, the Grüne Woche – for which the idea had come from a member of staff in the tourist office – was short on machinery and animals. However, the journalist conceded, [...] it is a good start and we wish it every success, even if this success will not consist of bringing town and country together, as was much touted in the official welcome addresses.

Today, we know that this wish for success has been fulfilled. The Grüne Woche has become one of the world’s leading trade fairs in the area of food, agriculture and horticulture, its appeal today extending far beyond Berlin. For many years it has been a huge attraction for exhibitors – most recently over 1500, from more than 50 countries. And they have been joined by more than 300,000 visitors from all over the world. Many congratulations on this success!

Behind the figures lies a turbulent history, with brighter and darker chapters, ruptures and new beginnings. We have just seen a few impressions from this history, but I would like to invite you to continue this journey through time just for a little while – because it tells us much about our present. When the Grüne Woche was launched in the mid-1920s, Berlin was Europe’s biggest industrial centre, a restless, vibrant metropolis, the heart of the still young first German republic, which was then enjoying a brief moment of respite. It was a time of great hopes and expectations.

And, as we have heard, that was true of the trade fair as well: even 100 years ago, bringing town and country together was an ambitious aim.

And even 100 years ago, much was at stake: societal cohesion, harmonisation of living standards, identity. Just as it is today. Nurturing dialogue between town and country, mediating between different worlds, countering the centrifugal forces that had absolutely no sympathy for the fragile first German democracy – this was no easy task.

But it was also an age of new beginnings, in politics, art and culture. Science, too, was burgeoning. One in three of the 36 Nobel Prizes for natural sciences awarded between 1919 and 1933 went to a scientist from Germany. Technical advances were bringing unimagined changes to people’s lives and working environments: electricity was arriving in homes and factories, radio was becoming a mass medium. Here in Germany, cars were coming off the production lines – as they had been in Detroit for ten years already. The Lanz HL 12 went into production in Mannheim in 1921. This was the forerunner of the legendary Bulldogs, which drew attention with what was at the time an amazing performance – from Mannheim to Berlin in 396 hours non-stop. Two years before the Grüne Woche became a showcase for all that was to bring innovation and prosperity to the agricultural world of tomorrow. And, irrespective of all the changes, that has remained a trademark of this fair of which you can be proud!

At the same time – this is something we should also remember – large swathes of the population were still suffering under abject poverty and social inequality.

Progress reached town and country at differing rates, created winners and losers, and instead of bringing the two closer, the Industrial Revolution forced town and country further apart. Cultural geographer Werner Bätzing describes this process thus: The city now stands for progress, innovation, good quality of life and attractiveness, the countryside by contrast for stagnation, poor quality of life and boredom. And this rather condescending view of rural life persists to this day – including in our debates about equality of living standards.

It is very important to me that we take a different view of rural areas. As you know, I myself grew up in a village in Lippe, in Eastern Westphalia. Indeed, it is still the case that more than half the people in our country live in rural areas rather than urban centres. And yet despite this, these rural areas do not get the attention or the appreciation they deserve. Yes, people’s experience of life there (in rural areas) is different from in the big cities. But these areas, too, are efficient and modern; here, too, art is produced; here, too, knowledge is built; here, too, we see valuable engagement for others – from the volunteer fire service to cooperative village shops, from the German Countrywomen Association to local alliances for democracy and diversity.

Today I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who is engaged heart and soul in organisations like these for their dedication and commitment. Respect and recognition for the agricultural sector, for those who work in it and for rural areas as a whole – that is important to me! And that is why I made a conscious decision to revive a lost tradition: for the past nine years, the harvest crown has again been presented to the Head of State each year. But the farmers do not travel to Berlin for this. As Federal President, I go – every autumn – to the rural regions of our country, in north and south, in east and west, to accept the harvest thanksgiving crown – made by the local countrywomen – following a church service.

One of my particular priorities as Federal President has always been to pay regular visits to rural regions throughout Germany. And every time I have been impressed by the innovative drive and the wealth of ideas to be found outside the metropolises and conurbations. Not least when it comes to modern agriculture. For example, I well remember a visit to Müncheberg in the Märkisch-Oderland district. What I saw at the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research there was fascinating. Planting was organised using satellite-based ground analyses; crops were planted that can withstand even continuing climate change; autonomous robots were used for plant protection and drones for pest control. I am convinced that the future of agriculture is being written in places like that – and it is smart in the very best sense.

It cannot be emphasised often enough: innovation is at home in the countryside, too. New things are produced in the countryside, too. Rural areas, too, are the future! This is something I try to make clear in my talks all across the country, also on my Ortszeiten trips, when for three days I deliberately move my official seat to small towns far from the big cities, so as to hear people’s concerns and worries, their hopes and dreams.

And on each of these visits I am thrilled by their energy, their ideas, their engagement.

When I’m out and about, however, I also hear about the difficulties, hardships and challenges faced by people working in the "green" occupations, agriculture, forestry or horticulture. In Stendal, for example, local fruit growers talked about the terrible damage caused by frost and hail – and also about how much trouble it is to get support from government in situations like that. I am convinced that we have to cut our excessive red tape in order to keep farming an attractive career, particularly in the case of smaller farms.

In many areas of agriculture, technological advances can help to overcome challenges – for instance if automation can make up for the lack of workers. But when it comes to rules and laws, regulations and directives, there is also a need for political decisions, for negotiation and compromises – also with partners around the world, in international bodies and institutions.

You all know that international cooperation has not become easier recently. It is therefore all the more important that in future we Europeans continue to take a strong and united stance and play a part in actively shaping agricultural cooperation at the multilateral level. This is one reason why an agreement like Mercosur is so important. I am aware that some farmers in Germany are sceptical about this agreement. Nevertheless, given the economic and political developments of our time, I am convinced that, now in particular, we need new alliances and new partners. I am delighted that so many Agriculture Ministers and representatives of international organisations are here in Berlin. A very warm welcome to you all!

The agricultural sector is fundamentally important for each and every one of us, especially in view of the global challenges and crises of the recent past. It may already appear consigned to the distant past, but it was only during the COVID-19 pandemic, when we had to fear empty shelves in the supermarket, that many of us again realised that behind the packets of sugar and flour, behind cooking oil and bread, there is a supply and production chain that is valuable, that must be reliable, that must not break. And that starts with the cultivation of the necessary raw materials.

However, it is also true that our farmers are managing an ever trickier balancing act between consumer prices and producer prices. And often they lose in the price wars for the cheapest supermarket offer.

More and more small farms are having to give up, and that is a development that must worry us. They in particular need support from government so that our agricultural sector remains diverse and competitive. And many of them are also uncertain about what is going to happen with the European Common Agricultural Policy.

In short, agriculture is dealing with huge challenges – and it will continue to do so. One of the biggest is the impact of climate change, which we in Europe are increasingly feeling. Already in Germany we are seeing more and more frequent heavy rainfalls, heatwaves, droughts, dry rivers, forest fires. We must learn lessons from this, adapt to what can no longer be averted; above all, however, we must do everything possible to meet the climate targets. In this context, agriculture and forestry are at once drivers and the driven. They feel the impact especially early and especially directly. For that reason alone, it makes sense to act accordingly. But here, too, intelligent political solutions are needed.

These hundred years of the Grüne Woche trade fair cover a period in which our planet’s ecological equilibrium has shifted hugely. The agricultural sector has changed fundamentally during this period as well, especially since the 1960s, as a result of the "Green Revolution" with the advent of technology, its international interdependencies, the growing conflicts of interest – not least between organic, conventional and industrial agriculture.

The good news is that, on a global scale, the modern agricultural industry has the potential to end global hunger. At the same time, however, it is no longer possible to overlook the damage done by reckless farming practices: monocultures, overfertilisation and pesticides destroy the soil and harm biodiversity; intensive livestock farming in particular accelerates the greenhouse effect. This is the problem facing the agricultural sector: it needs to find ways to operate efficiently while remaining sustainable. But to do so it is dependent on support, from policymakers, from the scientific community, from society as a whole.

What we need to keep reminding ourselves of is this: the question of who has enough to eat and how food is grown, processed and traded is always also a question of fairness, of security and power, of access to, but also of protection for resources such as soil and air, and especially water.

Often enough, economic pressures clash with theoretical principles, energy security in the tank clashes with food security on the plate, and the desire for cheap food clashes with the need to produce more sustainably. A whole host of conflicting goals. So, how do we deal with this?

Our democracy is characterised by the fact that questions like this are discussed in a free public discourse. And discourse needs forums for exchange, for encounters. The Grüne Woche is one such place. I know that when we are talking about the future of agriculture and food, we are also talking about the self-image of entire regions, of deeply rooted traditions, of ways of life and livelihoods. But even debates on such matters must be voiced in a way that reflects the values laid down in our constitution.

This is another reason why the Grüne Woche is so important: for a hundred years, it has brought together apparent opposites – global and local, innovation and tradition, rural life and big city flair. That it has successfully grown and meshed with this city and our country is thanks not least to the many people in the agricultural sector, food industry and horticultural sector who are committed to this trade fair. Thank you all! And I am quite sure that it will remain a place where major issues of the future are discussed: how do we want to live? How do we want to eat? How do we handle our resources responsibly?

I wish you inspiring discussions and many new ideas on all of these issues. May you have many interesting encounters and insights at the 2026 Grüne Woche! And there is something else that should not be missing from your big anniversary fair: much fun and enjoyment!

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