From 23–25 September 2025, more than 200 researchers gathered in Halle for the 65th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Crop Science (GPW) under the motto “PLANETARY BOUNDARIES – Rising to the Challenges Ahead.” A special highlight at the opening was a video message from Julius Kühn – the founding father of agricultural research in Germany – who, almost 200 years after his time, gave a virtual wave to the audience.
Pre-conference Workshop
FAIRagro kicked off the meeting with the workshop “From field & lab data to innovative crop science” on 22 September. Participants received hands-on insights into how structured data collection and FAIR data management can support new research perspectives. Even in a small group, lively discussions emerged about how to better connect field, lab, and digital data.
FAIRagro Plenary Talk
Right after the keynotes, FAIRagro presented the “FAIRagro Fairness and Openness Commitment” in the main lecture hall – an open invitation to the crop science community to join the journey towards FAIR and transparent data practices.
Encounters at our FAIRagro booth
The FAIRagro booth quickly became a meeting point. Here, young and senior scientists from a wide range of institutions shared their everyday challenges with data – and took home ideas and inspiration from FAIRagro. Questions ranged from:
- How can I extract reusable data from published reports (e.g., PDFs from BUndessortenamt)?
- How do I publish software code in a FAIR way?
- Where can I find specialized datasets, e.g. on legume yields in Germany, to validate my own research?
- How can crop management data in horticulture be harmonized across different farm sizes and vegetable species?
- What are best practices for re-publishing processed datasets that combine many different sources?
These conversations not only reflected real needs but also showed the growing willingness of researchers to work with FAIR principles in their daily practice.
New connections for a strong network
Beyond the formal sessions, FAIRagro colleagues also had the chance to exchange with partners from the University of Halle, who expressed interest in joining FAIRagro as an Associated Partner – a promising step to further strengthen the network.
On the right track
The GPW 2025 made clear once again: high-quality, well-documented data are at the heart of innovative crop science. FAIRagro’s talks, workshop, and countless personal conversations showed how collaborative data management empowers researchers to join forces across disciplines and institutions – to deliver solutions for the global challenges ahead.