agriculture and food economy in poland

AGRICULTURAL CENTRAL AND LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT INSTITUTIONS
Agricultural Circles
The National Union of Farmers, Agricultural Circles and Organisations
(KZRKiOR) is a professional union of private farmers and the national, selfgoverning
association of Agricultural Circles and Rural Housewives’ Circles (KGW),
local farmers’ unions, agricultural circles and organisations, cooperatives of
agricultural circles and other agricultural organisations associated on a voluntary
basis. Agricultural circles bring together approximately 1.2 million members and
KGW – 850 000 members associated in 25 000 KGWs.
As a social and professional farmers’ organisation, agricultural circles have a
142-year old tradition and Rural Housewives’ Circles – a 135-year old tradition.
Agricultural circles pursue their activities based on three laws: the Law of 8 October
1982 on farmers’ socio-economic organisations, the Law of 7 April 1989 on farmers’
trade unions and the Cooperative Law of 16 September 1982. There are 49
KZRKiOR regional offices operating all across the country.
As the largest socio-professional organisation, KZRKiOR has been cooperating
with other agricultural organisations from EU member states. Thus, professional
organisations and trade unions from EU member states and the then EU candidate
countries pay visits to KZRKiOR. Close contacts have also been forged with
representatives of numerous embassies. KZRKiOR organises study tours to EU
member states to get acquainted with other agricultural organisations’ activities and
the rules applicable to EU agriculture.
Resulting from the Union’s activities in the period prior to Poland’s accession to
the EU, on 3 October 2002, i.e. the 140th anniversary of the founding of agricultural
circles, the decision was taken to set up the KZRKiOR representative office in
Brussels. As the only agricultural organisation from Poland, the Union started
monitoring all decisions on Poland’s accession to the EU.
On 23 and 24 September 2000 KZRKiOR organised the Congress of European
Agriculture in Kraków. The Congress’ dominant theme was New Prospects for an
Enlarged Europe.
On KZRKiOR’s initiative, under the honorary auspices of A. KwaÊniewski,
President of the Republic of Poland, on 8 and 9 February the conference bringing
together 100 leaders of agricultural and cooperative organisations was convened.
The theme was Future of Agriculture in an Enlarged Europe. Development,
Opportunities, Threats. In September 2002 KZRKiOR was accepted as an
associated member of COPA-COGECA until May 2004. In April 2003 during the
COPA-COGECA Presidium W. Serafin, President of KZRKiOR, was elected Vice-
President of COPA. On 6 May 2004 KZRKiOR became a fully-fledged member of
COGECA and on 13 May 2004 – a fully-fledged member of COPA.
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