• Productivity and Efficiency Analysis in Organic Farming
• Development of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)
• Economic and Environmental Impacts of the EU’s Agri-Environmental Policy (Greening, Second Pillar)
• Sustainability of Land Use Systems
• Economics and Structural Change in Organic Farming

• Scientific Advisory Board on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources (WBBGR) at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Home Affairs (BMLEH)
• Austrian Society for Agricultural Economics (ÖGA)
• European Association for Agricultural Economics (EAAE)

Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Rostock since 2020

2019–2020: Research Associate at the Thünen Institute of Rural Development, Braunschweig

2010–2019: Research Associate at the Chair of Agricultural Policy, University of Göttingen

2005–2009 Ph.D. in Agricultural Sciences (Dr. sc. agr.) at the Chair of Agricultural Policy (Prof. Dr. S. von Cramon-Taubadel); dissertation topic: Efficiency Analysis in Organic Farming—Status Quo, Empirical Analysis, and Agricultural Policy Conclusions

2002–2004: Master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences (MSc) at Georg-August University of Göttingen

1997–2002: Degree in Organic Agriculture (Dipl.-Ing.) at the University of Kassel/Witzenhausen

2025

• Zinngrebe, Y.; Cardona Santos, E.M.; Brand, U.; Hauck, J.; Hickmann, T.; Hagedorn, G.; Henn, E.V.; Lakner, S.; Lam, D.P.M.; Mehring, M.; Paulsch, A.; Schmid, S.; Tschersich, J.; Zedda, L.; Wittmer, H.: How can the National Strategy on Biological Diversity 2030 contribute to transformative change? Natur und Landschaft 2025, DOI: 10.19217/NuL2025-01-03
   
• Sponagel, Ch.; Thompson, A.; Paetow, H.; Mupepele, A.-Ch.; Bieling, C.; Sommer, M.; Klein, A.-M.; Settele, J.; Finger, R.; Huber, R.; Albert, Ch.; Filser, J.; Jansen, F.; Kleemann, J.; Schreiner, V.; Lakner, S.: Pathways for biodiversity enhancement in German agricultural landscapes, People and Nature 2025, DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70103
   
• Pe'er, G.; Kachler, J.; Herzon, I.; Hering, D.; Arponen, A.; Bosco, L.; Bruelheide, H.; Finch, E.A.; Friedrichs-Manthey, M.; Hagedorn, G.; Hansjuergens, B.; Ladouceur, E.; Lakner, S.; Liquete, C.; Lopez-Hoffman, L.; Pinto, I. S.; Robuchon, M.; Selva, N.: Role of science and scientists in public environmental policy debates: The case of EU agrochemical and Nature Restoration Regulations, People and Nature 2025; DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70064
   
• Koch, M.; Lakner, S.; Hass, A.; Huber, J.M.; Plieninger, T.; Westphal, C.; Schueler, St.: Factors influencing farmer participation in bottom-up collaborative agri-environment-climate measures., Journal of Rural Studies 2025, DOI: 10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103804
   
• Huber, J.M.; Hoffmann, S.; Schüler, St.; Lakner, S.; Koch, M.; Westphal, C.; Hass, A.L.; Plieninger, T.: Farmer motivation to participate in cooperative agrienvironmental and climate measures, Earth Stewardship 2025, DOI: 10.1002/eas2.70011
   
• Meyer-Jürshof M.; Theilen, G.S.; Lakner, S.: Digging into Complexity: The Wicked Problem of Peatland Protection., Advanced Sustainable Systems 2025, DOI:10.1002/adsu.202400380

2024 

• Lakner, S.: Welche Rolle spielt die Agrarpolitik im Hinblick auf den landwirtschaftlichen Strukturwandel?, RdL 11/12 2024, pp. 305-313.

• Lakner, S.: Wie eine effektive Reform gelingt. DLG-Mitteilungen Sonderheft, 2024, pp. 4-7.

• Meyer-Jürshof, M.; Theilen, G.S.; Lakner, S.: Digging into Complexity: The Wicked Problem of Peatland Protection. Advanced Sustainable Systems 2024, 2400380, DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202400380 (Open Access)

• Robinson, D.M.; Lakner, S.; Otter, V.: Are German pastures greener for Chinese dairy foreign direct investments?, International Food and Agribusiness Management Review 2024, DOI: 10.22434/IFAMR2022.0052 (Open Access!)

• Sommer, P.; Lakner, S.; Nordt, A.; Tanneberger, F.; Wegmann, J.: Deriving a justified budget for peatland rewetting – Applying the German coal phase-out as a blueprint. Land Use Policy 2024, 147, 107363, doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2024.107363

• Röder, N.; Krämer, Ch.; Grajewski, R.; Lakner, S.; Matthews, A.:  What is the environmental potential of the post-2022 common agricultural policy?, Land Use Policy 2024, 144, 107219 doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2024.107219 (Open Access!)

• Zinngrebe, Y.; Berger, J.; Bunn, Ch.; Felipe-Lucia, M. R.; Graßnick, N.; Kastner, Th.; Pe’er, G.; Schleyer, Ch.; Lakner, S.: Prioritizing partners and products for the sustainability of the EU’s agri-food trade, One Earth, 2024, 7 pp. 674-686. doi.org/10.1016/j.oneear.2024.03.002

• Lakner, S.; Röder, N.: Die Gemeinsame Agrarpolitik der EU: Flaggschiff-Politik oder ewige Reformruine? Wirtschaftsdienst, 2024, 104(3), pp. 159-164. DOI: 10.2478/wd-2024-0047

• Lakner, S.: Streit um den Agrardiesel - Was steckt hinter den Protesten? Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, 2024, 56(03), pp. 10-13.

2023

• Bethge, S.; Lakner, S.: Farmers’ Attitudes toward the Future of Direct Payments: An Empirical Study from Germany, GJAE, 2023, 72(1), DOI: 10.30430/gjae.2023.0268.

• Lakner, S.: Impact of the Ukraine War on the EU Agricultural Policy [Auswirkungen des Ukrainekrieges auf die EU-Agrarpolitik]. Wirtschaftsdienst, 2023, 103 (13), pp. 42-49, DOI: 10.2478/WD-2023-0066

• Knauber, L.; Lakner, S.; Plieninger, T.: Implementation and support models for implementing the Habitats Directive – Interview finding using Lower Saxony, Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia as examples [Umsetzungs- und Betreuungsmodelle der Fauna-Flora-Habitat-Richtlinie Ergebnisse von Interviews am Beispiel von Niedersachsen, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt und Thüringen] Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung, 2023, 55(5), pp. 30-37, DOI: 10.1399/NuL.2023.05.03

• Hering, D.; Schürings, Ch.; Wenskus, F.; Blackstock, K.; Borja, A.; Birk, S.; Bullock, C.; Carvalho, L.; Dagher-Kharrat, M.B.; Lakner, S.; Lovrić, N.; McGuinness, S.; Nabuurs, G.-J.; Sánchez-Arcilla, A.; Settele, J.; Pe’er, G.: Securing success for the Nature Restoration Laws. The EU law would complement many others, but challenges loom. Science, 2023, 382(6676), pp. 1248-1250, DOI: 10.1126/science.adk1658

2022

• Pe'er, G.; Finn, J.A.; Díaz, M.; Birkenstock, M.; Lakner, S.; Röder, N.; Kazakova, Y.; Šumrada, T.; Bezák, P.; Concepción, E.D.; Dänhardt, J.; Morales, M.B.; Rac, I.; Špulerová, J.; Schindler, S.; Stavrinides, M.; Targetti, S.; Viaggi, D.; Vogiatzakis, I.N.; Guyomard, H.: How can the European Common Agricultural Policy help halt biodiversity loss? Recommendations by over 300 experts, Conservation Letters, 2022, 15,6, doi.org/10.1111/conl.12901 (Open Access)

2021

• Mupepele, A.-C.; Bruelheide, H.; Brühl, C.; Dauber, J.; Fenske, M.; Freibauer, A.; Gerowitt, B.; Krüß, A.; Lakner, S.; Plieninger, T.; Potthast, T.; Schlacke, S.; Seppelt, R.; Stützel, H.; Weisser, W.; Wägele, W.; Böhning-Gaese, K.; Klein, A.M.: Biodiversity in European agricultural landscapes: transformative societal changes needed, Trends in Ecology and Evolution, 2021, 36(12), pp. 1067-1070. doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2021.08.014

• Beber, C.L.; Lakner, S.; Skevas, I.: Organizational forms and technical efficiency of the dairy processing industry in Southern Brazil; Agricultural and Food Economics, 2021, 9(1) pp. 23.

• Candel, J.J.L.; Lakner, S.; Pe'er, G.: Europe's reformed agricultural policy disappoints; Nature, 2021, pp. 650.

2020

• Tanneberger, F.; Appulo,L.; Ewert, St.; Lakner, S.; Brolcháin, N. Ó.; Peters, J.; Wichtmann, W.: The Power of Nature-Based Solutions: How Peatlands Can Help Us to Achieve Key EU Sustainability Objectives; Adv. Sustainable Syst. 2020, 2000146, doi: DOI: 10.1002/adsu.202000146

• Pe’er, G.; Lakner, S.: The EU’s Common Agricultural Policy Could Be Spent Much More Efficiently to Address Challenges for Farmers, Climate, and Biodiversity; One Earth 2020, 3, doi: org/10.1016/j.oneear.2020.08.004

• Lakner, S.; Zinngrebe, Y.; Koemle, D.: Combining management plans and payment schemes for targeted grassland conservation within the Habitats Directive in Saxony, Eastern Germany, Land Use Policy, 2020, 97, 104642, doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2020.104642

2019

• Pe'er, G.; Zinngrebe, Y.; Moreira, F.; Sirami, C.; Schindler, S.; Müller, R.; Bontzorlos, V.; Clough, D.; Bezák, P.; Bonn, A.; Hansjürgens, B.; Lomba, A.; Möckel, S.; Passoni, G.; Schleyer, C.; Schmidt, J.; Lakner, S.: A greener path for the EU Common Agricultural Policy - It's time for sustainable, environmental performance; Science, 2019, 365(6452): 449-451; doi: 10.1126/science.aax3146 => Summary, => Reprint, => Full text

• Seidel, C.; Heckelei, T.; Lakner, S.: Conventionalization of Organic Farms in Germany: An Empirical Investigation Based on a Composite Indicator Approach; Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Wildlife, 2019, 11, doi: 10.3390/su11102934. (Open Access!)

Frühere

• Lakner, S.; OppermannR.:  A CAP-Reform Model to strengten Nature Conservation - Impacts for Farms and for the Public Budget in Germany, in: Austrian Journal of Agricultural Economics and Rural Studies, 2018, 27(17), pp.129-137, doi: 10.15203/OEGA_27.17, (Open Access!)

• Lakner, S.; Kirchweger, S.; Hoop, D.; Brümmer, B; Kantelhardt, J.: The effects of diversification activities on the technical efficiency of organic farms in Switzerland, Austria and Southern Germany, Sustainable Agriculture, Food and Wildlife, 2018, 10(4), 1304; doi:10.3390/su10041304, (Open Access!) 

• Lakner, S.; Breustedt, G.: Efficiency analysis of organic farming systems - a review of concepts, topics, results and conclusions, German Journal of Agricultural Economics, 2017, 66 (2), pp. 85-108.

• Zinngrebe, Y.; Pe'er, G.; Schüler, S.; Schmitt, J.; Schmidt, J.; Lakner, S.: The EU's Ecological Focus Areas - explaining farmers' choices in Germany, Land Use Policy, 2017, Vol. 65 (June 2017): 93-108, doi: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2017.03.027. (Open Access!)

• Lakner, S.; Brenes-Muñoz, T.; Brümmer, B.: Technical Efficiency in Chilean Agribusiness Industry - a Metafrontier Approach, Agribusiness, 2017, 33(3), pp. 302-323, doi: 10.1002/agr.21493.

• Pe'er, G., Zinngrebe, Y.; Hauck, J.; Schindler, S.; Dittrich, A.; Zingg, S.; Tscharntke, T.; Oppermann, R.; Sutcliffe, L.; Sirami, C.; Schmidt, J.; Hoyer, C.; Schleyer, C.; Lakner, S.: Adding some green to the greening: improving the EU's Ecological Focus Areas for biodiversity and farmers, Conservation Letters, 2016, 10(5): 517–530, DOI: 10.1111/conl.12333. (Open Access!)