The International Conference on Biodynamic Research (BDRC) offers networking opportunities for researchers, farmers and other interested parties.
It serves the worldwide scientific exchange and forms the basis for newly developing collaborations. The Section for Agriculture places particular emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach in order to gather as much professional knowledge and practical expertise as possible from farms and research institutes.
3rd International Biodynamic Research Conference
The whole and its parts: researching biodynamic agriculture
From 31 August to 4 September 2025, 185 participants from 28 countries gathered at the Royal Agricultural University in Cirencester to present current research results and discuss questions in biodynamic research. Among them were representatives from science, practice, business, advisory services, and education. A total of 67 contributions were presented – a diverse program that impressively reflected the breadth of disciplines and approaches.
The atmosphere was consistently positive, festive, and inspired by pioneering spirit. Thanks to excellent organization, everything ran smoothly, allowing participants to focus fully on substantive exchange. Interaction was respectful, open, and constructive. Even where potential for conflict existed – for example, in the debate on how to deal with hybrid seed – a productive dialogue unfolded. The level of conversation was high, marked by personal dedication and objectivity both in presenting and in listening.
The conference made it clear that biodynamic research is by no means lagging behind. On the contrary, it plays a pioneering role – especially with regard to transdisciplinarity and diversity. Today, biodynamic research is both internationally connected and thematically wide-ranging.
Four main themes shaped the conference and reflected the pulse of the times: microbiome research – especially in connection with the preparations, contributions from the social sciences, the timeless question of biodynamic quality, and engagement with diverse research methods. Cyrill Rigolot, researcher at the Institut du Vivant et des Communs in France, put it succinctly: “The way we proceed methodologically will determine the future of agriculture.”
We can look back on a successful conference that fostered international networking and respectful dialogue across disciplines and approaches. The Third International Biodynamic Research Conference – jointly organized by the Forschungsring, the Biodynamic Federation Demeter International, the Biodynamic Association UK, and the Section for Agriculture at the Goetheanum – showed clearly: biodynamic research is today setting important impulses for the agriculture of the future.
In brief. A more detailed review as well as insights into the various contributions to the conference will follow in the next issue of Living Farms, the magazine of the Section for Agriculture.
The second BRDC took place online from 31 August to 2 September 2021. The conference was devoted to the topic "Growing beyond resilience".
With its inter- and transdisciplinary approach, the conference combined scientific, participative and practical research in order to discuss the concept of resilience in biodynamic and organic farming and food systems. This enabled urgent challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, loss of soil quality and human disease to be addressed and constructive solutions shared.
The conference proceedings, including over 90 contributions to the 2021 International Conference on Biodynamic Research, can be downloaded via the following link: Download Conference Contributions
The first BDRC in 2018 focused on the topic of "Research in the biodynamic farming and food industries". Over 180 participants gathered to listen to around 100 presentations and to network. The BDRC was the first conference where researchers and practitioners were able to get together to discuss biodynamic agricultur.
The conference proceedings with all the papers can be downloaded via this link: Download Conference Contributions
Biodynamic.research @goetheanum.ch