top agrar

What top agrar does

top agrar is the flagship agricultural trade publication of Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, a privately held German media group headquartered in Münster. It serves professional farmers, agricultural enterprises and cooperatives, trade professionals, and policy stakeholders in the German-speaking DACH region through a flagship print magazine (with two-year initial subscription terms and annual billing), a content-led website (topagrar.com), iOS and Android mobile applications developed by PREPUBLIC GmbH, ePaper editions, email newsletters, and push notifications. Editorial coverage spans crop production, livestock (cattle, pigs, poultry), machinery, energy, farm management, agricultural policy, hunting and forestry, and organic farming, supported by dedicated regional editions for Austria and Southern Germany (Südplus).

The underlying platform is a web-based content publishing system with a freemium model: basic news and market data are free, while in-depth analysis, exclusive articles, ePaper, and market tools sit behind paid subscriptions including a premium top+ tier and the topagrarMarkt Pro add-on. Ancillary digital services extend the offering beyond editorial content: top farmplan (farm management/bookkeeping SaaS), the Karrero agricultural job marketplace, a digital farm office ("Digitales Agrarbüro"), and a reader Q&A feature ("Leserfragen") deepen engagement with subscribers. Revenue is diversified across subscription (print+digital), digital content sales, advertising (Google AdSense plus direct sales), and events/webinars. The product portfolio is structured around sub-brands SUS (pig farming), JAGDPRAXIS (hunting), HOFDIREKT (direct marketing), and topagrarMarkt Pro (market intelligence), with operations spread across editorial offices in Münster, Berlin, Buttenheim, and Vienna, and distribution reaching Austria and German-speaking Switzerland.

top agrar is part of the broader Landwirtschaftsverlag group, which includes subsidiaries LV digital GmbH (digital platforms), AgriDirect Deutschland GmbH (directory services), LPV GmbH (food industry media), and Deutsche Medien-Manufaktur GmbH & Co. KG (food/lifestyle media). The company is led by Managing Directors Dr. Ludger Schulze Pals and Malte Schwerdtfeger, with co-Editors-in-Chief Guido Höner and Matthias Schulze Steinmann heading the editorial function. No public listing, venture funding, or external ownership is disclosed; the entity is privately held and revenue figures are not publicly reported.

Name

top agrar

Legal name

Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH

Website

https://www.topagrar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1970

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

top agrar is the flagship agricultural trade publication of Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH, serving German-speaking farmers, agribusinesses, and policy stakeholders with print+digital subscriptions, ePaper, mobile apps, market data, and ancillary digital services such as farm management SaaS and a job marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Trade Media and Publishing

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Farm Technology Enablement & Data Integration Advisory (FMIS/ERP, IoT, Decision Support) (AFACAJAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Farm Management Information Systems (FMIS) & Digital Recordkeeping (AFABAMAD), Farm Finance, Input Procurement & Risk Tools (Budgeting, Inventory, Insurance Links) (AFAAAFAO), Commodity Market Data, Pricing & Benchmark Administrators (Commodity Indices/Assessments) (FSAFAMAJ)

Keywords

• Agricultural trade media
• Farming industry news
• Agricultural market data
• Farm management software
• Agricultural publishing

Headquarters

HQ city

Münster

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Subscription Revenue (Print + Digital): Paid subscriptions combining print magazine delivery with full digital access including website content, ePaper, and premium features. Subscription terms include 2-year initial contracts with monthly cancellation thereafter.
2. Digital Content Sales: Individual sales of ePaper editions, eMagazines, eAudios, downloads, and online access passes. Downloads remain usable after subscription ends.
3. Advertising: Display advertising on website and newsletter, including Google AdSense, Facebook ads, and direct advertising sales. Mediadaten available for advertisers.
4. Event Revenue: Revenue from webinars and virtual events on agricultural topics

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

top agrar publishes a flagship agricultural trade magazine and operates the topagrar.com website, delivering specialized news, real-time market prices, weather data, expert analysis, and practical farming guidance across crop production, livestock (cattle, pigs, poultry), machinery, energy, and farm management sectors. The offering is monetized via paid subscriptions that combine print delivery with full digital access, ePaper, premium market data (topagrarMarkt Pro), and exclusive articles under the top+ tier, alongside ancillary digital services such as the top farmplan farm management software and Karrero job marketplace.

Product overview

top agrar is a comprehensive agricultural media platform operated by Landwirtschaftsverlag GmbH. The core offering is the flagship top agrar trade magazine and website, which provides specialized agricultural news, market data, price information, and expert analysis across diverse farming sectors including crop production (Ackerbau), cattle (Rind), pigs (Schwein), poultry (Geflügel), machinery (Technik), energy, and farm management (Betriebsleitung). The platform operates as a unified media ecosystem with multiple specialized sub-brands including SUS (pig farming), JAGDPRAXIS (hunting), and HOFDIREKT (direct marketing), complemented by premium digital services such as topagrarMarkt Pro for enhanced market data, top farmplan for digital farm bookkeeping, and the top+ subscription tier unlocking exclusive content and ePaper access. Additional services include the Karrero agricultural job board, mobile applications, email newsletters, push notifications, and reader Q&A features, all delivered through a combination of print magazine, responsive website, ePaper formats, and mobile apps. The portfolio also includes regional editions for Austria and Southern Germany (Südplus) and a dedicated organic farming section.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SUS: Brand focused on pig/hog farming sector
• JAGDPRAXIS
• HOFDIREKT
• topagrarMarkt Pro

Products and services

• top agrar (flagship magazine and website) Flagship agricultural trade publication providing specialized news, real-time market prices, weather data, and expert analysis across farming sectors including crop production, livestock, agricultural policy, machinery, energy, and farm management, for professional farmers and agricultural stakeholders in the DACH region.
• SUS Specialized trade sub-brand focused on pig farming and the swine industry, covering breeding, feeding, health, and market trends, for pig producers and swine-sector professionals.
• JAGDPRAXIS Hunting and game management publication covering hunting practices, wildlife, and forestry topics, for hunters and forestry stakeholders.
• HOFDIREKT Direct marketing and farm business guidance publication under the Agricultural Direct brand, for farm operators pursuing direct-to-consumer sales and farm business management.
• topagrarMarkt Pro Premium market data platform offering enhanced agricultural market information, price tracking, and market analysis tools for professional farmers and agricultural businesses.
• top farmplan Digital farm management software for agricultural bookkeeping, farm planning, and administrative tasks, operated under LV digital GmbH and used by farmers and farm administrators.
• Heftarchiv (Digital Archive) and ePaper/eMagazin Online archive of past magazine issues with downloadable digital ePaper/eMagazin editions for offline reading, available to subscribers and individual purchasers.
• Karrero Agricultural job board and career marketplace connecting employers with candidates in the farming and agribusiness sector.
• top agrar Newsletter Email newsletter service delivering regular agricultural news updates, market reports, and topical information across selected agricultural sectors to opted-in subscribers.
• Leserfragen (Reader Questions) Interactive Q&A service allowing readers to submit questions about farming operations, regulations, and technical topics for expert answers from the editorial team.
• top agrar App Mobile application developed by PREPUBLIC GmbH for iOS and Android providing news access, ePaper reading, push notifications, and market updates on agricultural topics.

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Content Pass GmbHminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to offer advertising-free and tracking-free browsing experience. Content Pass provides ad-free subscription service integrated into top agrar's website.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• agrarheute: Flagship digital ag-news portal from dlv competing head-to-head with top agrar for German farmer attention and advertising spend.
• Bauernzeitung: German agricultural newspaper covering farming, policy, and markets, with both print and digital editions; directly competes for German farmer subscriptions.
• profi (Magazin): Specialist German magazine for agricultural machinery and tractor technology; adjacent but overlapping audience with top agrar's Technik section.

Broad incumbents

• Successful Farming (Agriculture.com): US agricultural media brand with digital, print, and market data offerings; comparable vertical ag-media franchise targeting professional farmers.
• Farmers Weekly (UK): UK-based agricultural news and market data title with print + digital subscriptions; useful international analogue for top agrar's subscription-led ag-media model.
• dlv Deutscher Landwirtschaftsverlag: Parent of agrarheute, the closest direct competitor to top agrar and Germany's other leading agricultural media group; comparable vertical (magazines, digital, events) and DACH focus.

Others

• DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft): German agricultural society running trade fairs (Agritechnica, EuroTier) and ag-knowledge platforms; not a publisher but a major organizer competing for ag events and content authority.
• Lebensmittel Zeitung (LZ): Leading German food-industry trade publication; adjacent vertical covering downstream ag value chain, overlapping advertiser base with top agrar's market section.

Regional players

• Bayerisches Landwirtschaftliches Wochenblatt: Regional Bavarian agricultural weekly with print and digital editions, also published by dlv; competes with top agrar for German farmer readership in southern Germany.
• Landwirt.com (Austria): Austrian agricultural marketplace and news platform serving the DACH region; competes with top agrar in Austria and on machinery/used-equipment listings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/topagrar

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about top agrar