An Analytical Framework for Evaluating Farmland Market Regulation: Examining the German Land Transaction Law

Abstract

Farmland market regulation and related political interventions are prominent in the current discussion, in particular, because the market faces big price increases. This discussion is often shaped by subjective and emotional perceptions. Its complexity is increased by the considerable number of affected parties and opposing arguments. The parties involved may be focused on different aspects and have different requirements with regard to farmland market regulation instruments. The objective of this paper is to present an analytical framework for more efficient observation and evaluation of the ongoing discussion. The framework was developed using information about the relevant political interventions to structure the arguments and parties. It allows for a holistic evaluation of farmland market regulation. To provide an example of how farmland market regulation can be analyzed, the German land transaction law was broken down by process, parties, and arguments. Within the analytical framework, arguments are weighted individually. As a result, the various farmland market instruments can be discussed in a structured way. Additionally, the framework provides information about the utility of the respective instruments in defined cases from different perspectives.

Keywords

• analytical framework
• German land transaction law
• policy analysis
• farmland market