Christoph Trachsel took over the family farm 17 years ago, driven by his love for animals and his desire to balance work and family life. Running the farm brings him great satisfaction, but also many challenges, particularly financial ones.
“For a farm to generate enough income for a decent living, it requires a lot of work and dedication,” says Christoph. His farm specializes in dairy cows, pig farming, and crop production, but market fluctuations can significantly impact financial stability. The years 2022 and 2023 were especially tough due to declining pork prices, leading to substantial losses and additional debt. This year, things are finally improving, allowing the Trachsel family to start repaying their loans.
Taking over the farm also meant inheriting the debts from his father’s previous investments. Liquidity issues marked the first few years, but his wife’s additional income and government loans for young farmers helped stabilize the situation. “Without my family’s support, everything would have been much harder,” he admits.
Despite facing misconceptions about agriculture, Christoph strives to educate people about its importance. Through their small village shop, he engages directly with consumers, explaining where their food comes from and how it is produced.
Over the years, the farm has seen significant improvements: an increased number of cows, the introduction of a robotic milking system, expanded cultivated land, and new facilities for pig farming. The next step is building a new facility for sows, as the existing one is outdated and no longer practical.
Although his workweek often exceeds 65 hours, Christoph makes a conscious effort to balance work and family life. Weekends and vacations are planned in advance, and the robotic milking system has provided greater flexibility. He believes that having reliable employees who can manage the farm in his absence is essential.
Despite the challenges, he remains optimistic about the future of agriculture. “People will always need food – it doesn’t produce itself,” he emphasizes. He understands that farms will need to keep expanding to stay competitive, but he is confident that young farmers, with the help of modern technology, will be able to achieve a better work-life balance than ever before.
About the Trachsel Family Farm:
✅ 52 hectares of cultivated land
✅ Dairy cows and pig farming
✅ Crops: wheat, corn, sugar beets, rapeseed, triticale
✅ 2 full-time employees + 2 apprentices
✅ Small self-service village shop
The Trachsel family lives in Nuvilly, in the canton of Fribourg. Christoph is a certified master farmer, a member of the municipal council, and on the board of Suisseporcs Romandie, while his wife Regula is a self-employed entrepreneur.
Source: Focus
