Nowadays more and more people are looking for healthy products with reliable quality and good flavor. Based on examinations carried out on foods, it has been found out that bio-foods strengthen the immune system, while conventional foods weaken our immune system.

This is why it is extremely important to draw our society’s attention towards healthy eating. Unfortunately our knowledge in connection with healthy foods is very low, and the willingness of knowing more is also slight. All organizations which are working on spreading the importance of bio-farming in connection with healthy life-style have a mission.

The for-profit and neo-liberal economical policy within agriculture leads to serious environmental damages. Industrial production pollutes the soil, the surface and under-surface waters, and the remains of chemicals harm the customers’ health. In contrast to this, bio-production is a completely new way of production, the main purpose of which is long-term environmental, economical and social sustainable development. The most important characteristic of this kind of production is that it doesn’t use any synthetic artificial fertilizers and chemicals. Poly-cultural farms work using original, genetically not manipulated species; the preservation and improvement of the soil’s fertility is also a major aim of them.

The products of bio-farming

The products of bio-agriculture are free from harmful chemicals, have a great taste and flavor and are easy to store. We are experiencing a significant change among customers living in developed societies – health is generally becoming more and more important for them. In the last decade we’ve registered a constant increase in the need for eco-compatible products within the European Community.

Nowadays qualified bio-farming may only be carried out around the world – including Hungary as well – keeping strict rules, which are based on the recommendations of the world organization (IFOAM) and some EU laws. Only products of certain gardens and farms may be sold as bio-products, which have been qualified by the competent authorities. The standards applied by the Hungarian Bio-Culture Association are equivalent with the EU standards, meaning that the Hungarian products having the bio-product trademark guarantee the certain quality for both Hungarian and foreign customers.

Bio-farming is present in almost all countries of the Earth; bio-farming is carried out on 26 million hectares around the world; its share of the agricultural territories keeps increasing every year.

Bio-animal husbandry

In Hungary the history of bio-animal husbandry goes back to the 1980’s. The Hungarian production can be described by the dominance of plant-farming – in 2004 only 10 percent of Hungarian farms carried out animal husbandry. However the apiaries operating since 1998 are remarkable also in a European aspect. Currently in Hungary there is bio-farming on 133 hectares, which stands for 2,3% of the country’s total agricultural territories. Almost half of the checked territories are covered by grass, meadow or pasture; on 21 % grains are produced; 15 % is fodder, and 6 % oily plants. Fruits are grown on about 2.000 hectares, and vegetables are produced on over 1.000 hectares as well. According to the most recent data, 1.842 Hungarian companies are involved in ecological farming. Most of these (87 %) are producers; besides the already mentioned apiaries, 160 companies are involved in processing, 67 in trade, 5 in importing and 10 are specialized in the collection of wild plants.

In Hungary bio-farming is spread mainly in the two Plain Reginos – the Southern- and the Northern-Plain – and in Northern-Hungary.

The products of bio-farming

The consumption of bio-products may stimulate national bio-farming. However a general change of people’s attitude is needed for this. The founder of Körös-Maros Regional Development and Organic Farming Foundation is also a bio-producer. Körös-Maros Biofarm Ltd. produces high-quality bio-milk at the biggest cattle farm of the EU. So it is not at all surprising that the Foundation puts emphasis on spreading and presenting bio-farming when creating a Visitors’ Center for the Castle of Gyulavári. Among the exhibitions there is one which shows bio-products, and several conferences, the visiting of bio-factories and other related events are also among the plans.