Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE)

The Federal Office for Agriculture and Food  (Bundesanstalt für Landwirtschaft und Ernährung, BLE) is a service agency covering a wide range of tasks in the fields of agriculture, food and consumer protection. It is a German institution under public law, directly subordinate to the Federal Government and empowered to conduct business on behalf of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection (Bundesministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Verbraucherschutz, BMELV). The BLE was founded on 1 January 1995.

The BLE covers a wide range of tasks in the fields of agriculture and the food, forestry and fishing industries. By means of various measures, it supports the stability of the markets for agricultural products such as cereals, fruit, vegetables and meat. Also, the BLE is responsible for the inspection and authorisation of cross-border goods. It checks and supervises the compliance with product quality requirements as well as the use of renewable resources. Moreover, the BLE plans which food the population needs in case of a crisis; it procures adequate supplies and has them stored.

The BLE promotes the development of rural areas and sees to diverse agricultural research projects such as development plans, measures for the transfer of knowledge and technology or projects to promote innovation. The BLE functions as office for the federal Organic Farming Programme, the eco-label "Bio-Siegel" and for several competitions like "Eat smart. Move more." Also, the BLE is the information and coordination centre for Biological Diversity (IBV).

As regards the fishery sector, the BLE supervises both sea fishing off coastal waters and the compliance with the fish quotas it manages. It issues fishing licences to the German fishing fleet and manages the fishery protection and fishery research vessels of the German federal government.

For more details on the BLE’s various tasks please visit www.ble.de.