As a yardstick for soil quality, a "Reich Standard Farm" was set up during the
Third Reich in the parish of
Eickendorf in the
Magdeburger Börde, an exceptionally rich arable region. During the Reich Soil Assessment (
Reichsbodenschätzung) following the Soil Assessment Act in 1934 a soil value of 100 was established in the leading Reich farm of
Haberhauffe/Jäger. It was the basis of comparison for the tax rating of farms in Germany. Since this farm was no longer available for comparisons within
West Germany after the
Second World War, a farm in
Machtsum near
Harsum in the
Hildesheim Börde was designated as the Federal Standard Farm. During later measurements, an even higher value of BWZ – 102.8 – was measured in Mölme, about 20 km east of Hildesheim within the municipality of
Söhlde. It is the highest value ever recorded in Germany. Another measure, the field value (
Ackerzahl), is derived from the soil value, taking account of other factors such as climate and location e.g. along the edge of woodland. == See also ==