For the sustainable and environmentally friendly use of the resources necessary for crop production, it is important to optimally use the means of production, to regulate or limit their use if necessary, and to develop alternative environmentally friendly, economically viable processes.

Comprehensive resource protection includes recording and assessing the status quo in the area through appropriate measures, such as monitoring and recording potential impacts of crop production on the environment and climate. With the assessment of the possibilities to minimise any negative impacts, recommendations for the use of production inputs can be derived and sustainable production processes can be designed. Important sub-aspects here are the examination and evaluation of the effects of the use of production inputs and the selected production processes on the protection of the resources water, air, soil, climate, but also on animals, plants, micro-organisms and their biocoenoses.

In addition to the respective evaluation of individual measures, a consideration of the entire cultivation system including the evaluation of ecotoxicological effects and subsequent risk-benefit assessment is required.