| Deutscher Bauernverband | |
| Abbreviation: | DBV |
| Status: | Eingetragener Verein |
| Formation: | [1] |
| Purpose: | Agriculture |
| Headquarters: | Berlin |
| Key People: | Joachim Rukwied (Präsident), Bernhard Krüsken (Generalsekretär) |
| Website: | https://www.bauernverband.de/ |
| Language: | German |
The Deutscher Bauernverband) (DBV - German Farmers' Association) is the largest agricultural and forestry professional association in the Federal Republic of Germany. The DBV is the most significant interest group, lobbying and professional association of farmers in Germany.[2] [3]
It is the umbrella organization of 18 regional farmers' associations.[4] More than 90% of all German agricultural operations (about 270.000, 380.000 farmers) are members of DBV.[5] [6] [7] [8] Besides its headquarters in Berlin, the DBV also runs an office in Brussels. The DBV represents conventional and ecological farming. However, the political focus is on conventional agriculture. Organic farmers are organized in the Bund Ökologische Lebensmittelwirtschaft (BÖLW).
Through its representation in relevant Bundestag committees and its influence on political parties, specifically the CDU, the DBV controls the design of agricultural, food and environmental policy in Germany. According to NGO "Lobby Control", the DBV has repeatedly prevented or diluted government initiatives to protect consumers, animals and the environment.[9] [10]
Lobbying is of great importance for German farmers because of high agricultural subsidies. In Germany, the Federal Ministry of Finance is providing subsidies (tax breaks and financial aid) of around 2.65 billion euros for the 2023 budget.[11]
According to the farmers' association, 69% of the EU CAP spending of 58.3 billion euros in 2023 is going to conditional direct payments, with only 5% to agricultural market spending and 26% to the general development of rural areas.[12] At the European level, every EU citizen pays 25 cents a day for EU agricultural policy.
German agriculture contributes around 65 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents to 7.5 percent of total emissions according to WWF. If the emissions caused by the drainage of moors for agricultural use, the degradation of grassland, the burning of fossil fuels in agriculture and the production of pesticides and fertilizers are counted, the total quantity of agricultural emissions increases by around 43 million tons, making up 14% of all German emissions.[13]
In 2020, politically right-wing farmers gathered in a Facebook group. This gave rise to the "Land Creates Connection" movement as a secession of the DBV. At the end of 2019, two associations were split and subsequently founded "Land Creates Connection – The Original", led by Maike Schulz-Broers and Klaus-Peter Weinand, and "Land Creates Connection – Germany", led by Dirk Andresen and Sebastian Dickow (until March 2020).[14]
Certain members of the group threatened politicians with violence, and on social media, they took part in inciting nation-wide farmers' protests in December 2023.[15] [16] In some cases, there were calls for the elected government to be removed by force.[17]
From 1967 to 1979, Constantin Heereman von Zuydtwyck was president of the DBV.