Germany's farmers are having a tough time, with farm-gate prices for their produce in a radical slump. Organic produce and wine-growing are the only bright spots in an otherwise difficult agribusiness environment.

Over the past year, German farmers have experienced the dark side of global markets, as farm-gate prices for their products have crashed, with a global oversupply facing weakened demand.

One major factor was that Russia imposed an embargo on imports of European Union food products in August 2014. It was Moscow's tit-for-tat response to EU economic sanctions against Russia, imposed in connection with the geopolitical competition for influence over Ukraine.

Another factor was that the EU dropped its system of dairy quotas in April of this year - leaving European dairy farmers fully exposed to the vagaries of global supply and demand. It's a move they may have cause to regret.