Historical Development of the Division of Organic Farming

The establishment of the Division of Organic Farming (IfÖL) is based on a student initiative going back to the 1970s. In 1996, the Division was officially founded. Today it is one of three divisions belonging to the Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems. The Milestones:

1975/76
Starting point for courses on organic farming at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences organised by the Student Working Group Ecology.

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’ urging, Federal Minister for Science Dr. Erhard BUSEK allows the instalment of a guest professorship for Organic Farming.
  • This guest professorship for Organic Farming is installed at the Institute of Agronomy and Plant Breeding. The vacancy is filled by Dr. Jürgen Heß from the University Bonn. The courses offered 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 upon overwhelmingly by 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 urging 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 in order 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
In the course of 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.