Through its representation in relevant Bundestag committees and its influence on political parties, specifically the CDU, the DBV controls the design of agricultural, food and environmental policy in Germany. According to NGO "Lobby Control", the DBV has repeatedly prevented or diluted government initiatives to protect consumers, animals and the environment. According to German Bundestag, beside the DBV board, 35 persons lobbying for the Farmers Association interests are registered at the German Federal parliament in Berlin by 2025.
According to a case study by NABU, the German partner of BirdLife, from 2019, since the turn of the millennium, the DBV has built up its networking structures and the overall options for industrial agriculture have been strengthened.
The DBV network covers many areas of agricultural policy and agribusiness.
Overall, a relatively small group of DBV actors in agribusiness and agricultural policy share the key strategic positions. These multi- or multiple-position holders primarily come from the top ranks of the German Farmers' Association and its regional associations.
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This inevitably leads to conflicts of interest. The business objectives of the agricultural sector often differ from the interests of farmers.
