Historical Development of the Division of Organic Farming

The establishment of the Institute of Organic Farming (IBIO) was from on a student initiative going back to the 1970s. The Institute was officially founded in 1996 and today it is part of the Department of Sustainable Agricultural Sciences. 

The Milestones:

1975/76
The Student Working Group Ecology organizes the first course on organic farming at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences.

1976
Students at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences under the auspices of Gerhard PLAKOLM hold the first university symposium on organic farming in Europe. 

First lecture on organic farming as a free elective course at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (Associate Lecturer Dipl.-Ing. Gerhard PLAKOLM).

From 1986 onwards

  • Gained recognition for the two-hour course as it is turned into an elective subject for the study branch Plant Production.
  • At students request, the Federal Minister for Science Dr. Erhard BUSEK allows the establishment of a guest professorship for Organic Farming.
  • This guest professorship for Organic Farming is established at the Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding. The vacancy is filled by Dr. Jürgen Heß from the University Bonn. The offered courses are extended to 12 credit hours.
  • With the significant involvement of Thomas Lindenthal, the Department of Agriculture develops a comprehensive concept for a Division of Organic Farming.
  • A Division of Organic Farming is decided with the overwhelming support of the university council of the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences.
  • Approval of an open-ended ordinariate "Organic Farming“ due to the Students’ Union’s encouragement and the support of the University Board.
  • The ordinariate is filled by university lecturer Jürgen Heß and assigned to the Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding. For the first time, positions are available for the field of Organic Farming (two positions for university assistants as well as one for a secretary and a technician respectively).

1996
Foundation of the Division of Organic Farming. Departure of Uni. Prof. Dr. Ing. Agr. Jürgen Heß to teach at the University Kassel / Witzenhausen.

1998
Univ. Prof. Dr. agr. biol. Bernhard FREYER takes up the ordinariate. Establishment of a provisional laboratory at the testing grounds in Groß Enzersdorf.

2000
During the curriculum revision, the lecture "Introduction to Organic Farming“ is turned into a compulsory subject and Organic Farming is established as an equal study branch for teaching.

2001
Establishment of a position for Organic Farming in the Tropics and Subtropics.

2025
Univ. Prof. Dr. Sabine Seidel is appointed to the chair of Organic Farming.