Austrian farmers' union

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The Austrian Farmers 'Union is one of the most important sub-organizations of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP) alongside the ÖAAB , the ÖWB and the Austrian Seniors ' Union .

History of the Austrian Farmers' Union

The beginnings of the farmers 'union are the political farmers' associations that have arisen in individual federal states since the late 19th century:

In November 1919 the "Austrian Reichsbauernbund" was founded, which existed until 1938. As a “summary of all Christian farmers' organizations in Austria”, this agrarian professional representation saw itself as a party-political organization whose “public political activity is built into the framework of the Christian Social Party .” In the 1920s, on his initiative, the interests of farmers ( chambers of agriculture , presidential conference) set up.

In 1945 the Austrian Farmers' Union , made up of the nine regional organizations, was re-established as a sub-organization of the ÖVP. Due to its membership (1920 approx. 220,000 members, 1948 approx. 405,000 members, today more than 300,000 members) and its anchoring in the ÖVP, the farmers' union has exercised a significant influence on agricultural policy in Austria since its foundation (price policy for agricultural products, agricultural law ). From the 1950s to the 1970s, with the participation of the Farmers 'Union , social security for farmers was expanded (subsidy pensions, pensions, health and accident insurance, child benefits also for farmers' children).

Organization and activity

The Austrian Farmers Association is the umbrella organization of the nine regional farmers' associations - Burgenland farmers' association, Carinthian farmers' association, Lower Austrian farmers' association, Upper Austrian farmers' and part-time farmers' association, Salzburg farmers' association, Styrian farmers' association, Tyrolean farmers' association, Vorarlberg farmers' association and Viennese farmers' association - which in turn have full association rights . Members of the regional farmers 'associations are automatically also members of the Austrian farmers' association . Another independent organization within the Bauernbund is the Austrian Young Farmers ' Union headed by Federal Chairman Franz Xaver Broidl. The young farmers organize the annual harvest festival in Vienna and are also responsible for the young farmers' calendar.

The aim of the farmers' union is to ensure extensive rural agriculture and thus the function of the rural area as a recreational area, living, working and economic area for all Austrians, also beyond the agricultural sector. The activities of the farmers' union include public relations, the organization of events and initiatives. He is also the editor of the Austrian farmers' newspaper .

Numerous functionaries of the Bauernbund were and are active as politicians of the ÖVP (or before 1938 the Christian Social Party and the Fatherland Front ) in state and federal politics, including Josef Stöckler , Rudolf Buchinger , Andreas Thaler , Florian Födermayr , Engelbert Dollfuß , Josef Reither , Josef Kraus , Eduard Hartmann , Karl Schleinzer , Alois Derfler , Leopold Figl , Josef Riegler , Wilhelm Molterer , Jakob Auer , Hermann Schultes and Stephan Pernkopf . Furthermore, functionaries of the farmers' union are represented in legislative bodies and interest groups, in social and cultural-political institutions, in business and administration.

President

Directors

Principles of the Austrian Farmers' Union

On November 28, 1992, new statutes of the Austrian Farmers' Union were passed in St. Pölten . The commitment to a democratic, free and independent Austria, to the rule of law and to federalism can be found in these principles .

  • The Bauernbund is committed to Christian-humanistic values ​​and traditions.
  • It sees itself as a strong representation of the farmers' interests.
  • In addition, the Bauernbund advocates all those issues that are important for people in rural areas - across confessional, class and professional boundaries: from the preservation of home as a culture and living space, life in the villages, to on equal opportunities in infrastructure, economy, social policy and in training and further education. The aim is to ensure that rural agriculture and the function of rural areas as a recreational area are sustainable.
  • The farmers' union is committed to the eco-social market economy : To protect property and to improve the income situation in agriculture by creating fair economic conditions, to secure ecological diversity, to protect the foundations of life, soil, water and air through sustainable management and to achieve a just social one Compensation.
  • Rural agriculture is seen as a "life economy for society". In addition to the provision of food and energy, according to the guiding principle of the farmers' union, “farm services for the preservation of the cultural landscape that are provided for the general public must also be compensated accordingly”.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gernot Stimmer: Elites in Austria, 1848-1970. Vol. 2 (= Ernst Bruckmüller, Klaus Poier, Gerhard Schnedl, Eva Schulev-Steindl [Hrsg.]: Studies on Politics and Administration . Volume 57 ). Böhlau, Vienna 1997, ISBN 978-3-205-98587-7 , pp. 691 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
  2. ↑ Bauernbund homepage from the Austrian farmers' union; [1] Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  3. ↑ Young farmers homepage from the Austrian Young Farmers' Union; [2] Retrieved October 23, 2018.
  4. ↑ orf.at: “Farm handover” at the top of the farmers' union . Article dated August 26, 2017, accessed August 27, 2017.