Federal program for organic farming and other forms of sustainable agriculture

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The Federal Program for Organic Farming and Other Forms of Sustainable Agriculture , BÖLN for short , is a state funding program to strengthen and expand the ecological and sustainable agriculture and food industry in Germany. It initially started as the Federal Organic Farming Program (BÖL) and was opened to other sustainable forms of farming based on a resolution by the German Bundestag on November 26, 2010.

The federal program aims to strengthen organic agriculture , the most sustainable form of agriculture, and other forms of sustainable agriculture. The framework conditions and the prerequisites for equilibrium growth in supply and demand will be improved. All parts of the production chain are taken into account: from agricultural production to collection, processing and marketing to consumption outside the home and consumers. A special feature of the BÖLN is that the individual measures and projects funded through funding guidelines are closely interlinked in order to be able to use positive synergy effects.

The BÖLN is part of the federal government's sustainability strategy and is financed by the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The federal government's sustainability goal envisages expanding the proportion of organic land in Germany to 20 percent by 2030. The federal government is implementing this goal with the "Future Strategy for Organic Farming" (ZöL), in the implementation of which the BÖLN plays a central role.

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An office based in the Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) is responsible for implementing the federal program . The wide range of funding offered by the BÖLN is tailored to different target groups and includes different fields of action and activities.

The most important activities at a glance:

  • Identify research needs, initiate and oversee research projects on the topics of production, processing and marketing;
  • Prepare and pass on acquired knowledge in a way that is appropriate for the target group;
  • Support and strengthen the supply and demand of ecologically and sustainably produced products with a variety of competitions, further training and information offers;
  • Support information offers and trade fair appearances for the sector on organic farming and other forms of sustainable agriculture.

Research management in BÖLN

The BÖLN has been actively promoting agricultural research for organic farming and other forms of sustainable agriculture in Germany for over 15 years and is actively involved in shaping this. The main research areas cover a wide range of topics - they range from production to processing and marketing of the products and encompass all branches of agriculture including aquaculture, fruit, vegetable and viticulture and beekeeping.

Part of the BÖLN's claim and self-image is to consistently align its research commitment with the needs of farmers and food manufacturers. The funded research projects primarily focus on developing practical solutions. To achieve this, farmers and food manufacturers can get involved in identifying research needs.

Particular emphasis is placed on the intensive exchange between researchers, consultants and practitioners. With this, the BÖLN wants to ensure that the newly acquired knowledge and the resulting recommendations for action actually reach farmers and food manufacturers and are implemented in practice.

Information and training

The BÖLN offers a wide range of information and training opportunities on everything to do with organic and sustainable farming, logistics, processing and trading in organic products. Within the scope of the ZöL, further thematic priorities are set: sustainable value chains, a balanced diet and out-of-home catering. With a diverse range of further training courses, competitions (including the national organic farming competition, the ECHT KUH-L school student competition), the organic farming trainee program, the network of demonstration farms for organic farming and the information measure "Everyone can do organic food - eat sustainably in day care centers and schools", the BÖLN speaks differently Target groups. These are: farmers, food manufacturers, bulk consumers, consumers and multipliers.

BÖLN funds are also used to support trade fair appearances, information and sales promotion projects as well as agricultural operations before or during the conversion to organic farming. In addition, there is a wide range of information - from brochures to the organic farming information portal. Tailored to the respective target group, the Internet portal offers extensive information in the form of specialist information, teaching materials (also for vocational schools) and recipe ideas through to action ideas for children and young people.

In order to do justice to the growing media interest in all questions of food production, the BÖLN carries out intensive press work and thus ensures a transparent flow of information to all media. In this way it is possible to reach a growing group of interested parties and to inform more and more people about the special value of organically produced food.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence