Harvest Festival in Wismar: Crown for agriculture despite the capricious weather!

Harvest Festival in Wismar: Crown for agriculture despite the capricious weather!

This year's state harvest festival of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania took place in Wismar on October 5th and 6th, 2025, under the motto “Unity of city and country”. Despite the mixed weather, the event was a complete success and attracted numerous visitors to West Mecklenburg. The presentation of the Thanksgiving crown, which symbolizes the country's fertility, was received by Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, who emphasized the state government's thanks for agriculture and rural regions. NDR reports that Agriculture Minister Till Backhaus also emphasized gratitude for the harvest despite the current uncertainties.

The highlight of the festival was an impressive parade with 95 colorful floats that led through the streets of Wismar. On Saturday, however, the planned stage program at the town hall had to be canceled due to unpredictable weather conditions. On Sunday, a Thanksgiving service was celebrated in the St. Nikolai Church, in which the regional bishop Kristina Kühnbaum-Schmidt combined gratitude with a call for responsibility and solidarity in her sermon.

Insight into agriculture

Agriculture in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is traditionally deeply rooted and is one of the region's most important economic sectors. Prime Minister Schwesig emphasized that around 4,700 companies are active in agriculture and many families are directly dependent on this sector. n-tv informs that this year's harvest was satisfactory overall, but regional differences and the challenges posed by climate change and geopolitical conflicts, such as the Ukraine war, are straining farmers' nerves. The problems manifest themselves in increased prices for fertilizer and energy.

A particularly innovative tailwind comes from farmer Andrew Schlottmann, who has developed an app that connects farmers with job seekers. This new technology could help solve the problem of skilled workers in agriculture more efficiently. At a time when around 11 million tons of food are wasted every year in Germany, conscious use of existing resources is vital.

Global challenges and local solutions

Agriculture is facing enormous challenges, as the Minister of Agriculture Dr. Till Backhaus emphasized. In Germany we throw away 78 kilograms of food per capita, which accounts for almost a third of total agricultural production. Politicians have a responsibility to create awareness of the appreciation of food and at the same time promote sustainable agriculture. The state government relies on ecological management and supports numerous funding programs that are intended to help meet the challenges of the future.

In summary, it can be said that the state harvest festival in Wismar offered a valuable platform to show gratitude and at the same time point out the importance of agriculture. While crop yields are above average this year, it is time to become aware of the global challenges and work together for a sustainable future.