Sustainability Excellence in Light of German Farmers' Self-Assessment: Results from a Mixed Methods Study

European agriculture is being confronted with the need to transform towards more sustainable practices. However, development paths towards sustainability differ greatly depending on the farms’ operating characteristics, management systems and starting positions, and farmers’ individual decisions play an important role in this process. A survey was conducted of conventional and organic German farmers about what they perceive to be the most outstanding, above-standard sustainability activities undertaken on their farms – their sustainability excellence. Results from a mixed methods approach show that organic farms primarily view their organic farming practices as sustainability excellence, while conventional farms mostly contribute to diverse cultural landscapes and optimise nutrient management. In future, both farming types should strengthen efforts to learn from one other.