Milestones

There have been a number of milestones in FiBL’s more than 30-year history.

Milestones		Number of staff members (Switzerland, Germany, Austria)
2010	February: Founding of FiBL International in Nuremberg, Germany
2009	Agroscope, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich, and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture organise the 10th Scientific Conference on Organic Agriculture at the ETH in Zürich. The Research Institute of Organic Agriculture together with FAO and ICROFS launch ORCA (Organic Research Centres Alliance), a global research consortium dedicated to organic agriculture. The goal of this alliance is to build a cooperation between research centres in the global South and the North with the ultimate goal of further developing organic agriculture in the tropics and sub-tropics. New projects are launched to develop a climate neutral agriculture and to reduce and / or eliminate concentrate feed in milk production (supported by Coop Sustainibility Funds).	160
2008	The websites www.bioaktuell.ch and www.bioboerse.ch are created as an additional consultancy tool.	149
2007	FiBL President Otto Stich retired from his position due to old age. His successor is organic farmer Martin Ott; Inauguration of the new building housing laboratories and offices.	143
2006	FiBL Manual on Genetic Engineering; Dossier on safety and quality of organic products; Flyer on arguments for organic farming becomes a bestseller.	134
2005	Organization of the 1st ISOFAR Conference (Adelaide, Australia, 21–23 September 2005); New institute location established at Witzenhausen (Germany); BioNet project approved in Austria.	135
2004	Establishment of FiBL Austria; Co-founder of Research Institute for Organic Agriculture in the Czech Republic; New institute location established at Kassel-Witzenhausen (Germany); Purchase of FiBL vineyard.	133
2003	Coop supermarket chain supports new projects in the fields of food quality, organic seed, and livestock health.	128
2002	Third service contract with the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW) and Federal Veterinary Office (BVET); Further increase in subsidies from Swiss Federal Government; Financing of FiBL Germany through projects of the German Federal Organic Farming Scheme (Bundesprogramm ökologischer Landbau); www.oekolandbau.de goes online; Publication of DOK Trial in Science.	113
2001	Entry into Internet platforms.	88
2000	Establishment of FiBL Germany e.V.; Organization of the 13th IFOAM Scientific Conference in Basel;	64
1999	FiBL inspection services are divested into the independent public limited company bio.inspecta AG.	77
1998	Second service contract with the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW); Increase in core funding; Extension of projects in the East and South (e.g. Cuba).	73
1997	New institute location: Frick/Aargau.	62
1996	President of the Foundation Council: Dr. Otto Stich, a former member of the Swiss Federal Council	58
1995	Publication of “zB” magazine ceases; First project in Eastern Europe (Bulgaria).	46
1994	First four-year service contract with the Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW): increase in core funding;	36
1993	Contribution to conceptual work on Swiss Ordinance on the Orientation of Direct Payments in Agriculture (Art. 31b of the Swiss Agricultural Act).	32
1992	Accreditation as inspection and certification body by Swiss Federal Government and EU; Reorganization of Bio Suisse; Financial crisis as a result of cutbacks by Federal Office for Agriculture (BLW).	35
1991	Publication of “bioaktuell” magazine for practitioners; Conversion projects in Germany.	31
1990	New Institute Director: Dr. Urs Niggli; New President of the Foundation Council: Dr. Martin Schüpbach.	27
1989	Increase in financial contribution from Swiss Federal Government.	22
1988	Lecture series on organic farming at the ETH Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich.	22
1987	Agricultural policy guide; Conversion study for Zug Canton.	20
1986	Slurry aeration trials; Production of organic seed (vegetables).	20
1985	First financial research subsidy from the Swiss Federation.	16
1984	Financial crisis and crisis of confidence: many employees leave FiBL. First courses in organic farming at the cantonal agricultural colleges.	16
1983	Application for an increase in research subsidies from the Swiss Federal Government failed. Publication of the “zB” magazine.	16
1982	Co-founders of Bio Suisse.	15
1981	New Institute Director Dr. Henri Suter; Advisory service for Migros-Sano organic vegetables producers; Canton of Zurich is first canton to support advisory service.	14
1980	Publication of the organic standards for Switzerland and IFOAM; FiBL Knospe (Bud) logo becomes the Swiss organic label.	11
1979	New institute location at Bernhardsberg in Oberwil/Basel canton; Bolivia project commences.	11
1978	New President of the Foundation Council: Dr. Heinz Zumstein; Lecture series on organic farming at the Landwirtschaftliches Technikum (agricultural technical college); IFOAM General Secretariat (until 1981).	7
1977	Organization of the 1st International IFOAM Scientific Conference in Sissach; establishment of the advisory service.	5
1976	DOK Trial commences.	6
1975	Planning of experimental research work on the farm Bruderholzhof in Oberwil/Basel District.	3
1974	Establishment of the Institute; Director Dr. Hardy Vogtmann.	1
1973	Establishment of the Foundation; President: Heinrich Schalcher, a member of the Swiss National Council.	0