Norwegian Farmers and Smallholders Union

The organization

Norwegian Farmers’ and Smallholders’ Union (In Norwegian: Norsk Bonde- og Småbrukarlag – NBS) was founded in 1913. NBS is one of two unions for farmers in Norway. Both have the right to negotiate with the government about the annual agricultural marketing agreement.

Membership in NBS is open to all farmers, without regard to the size of the holding or the production. The NBS has about 7000 members, 280 local organizations, 18 county organizations and a central administration serving the different levels in the whole organization in Oslo

Next to the Congress, the Council has the highest authority in NBS. The members of the Council is appointed by the county organizations. NBS has a board of five members that work closely together with the central administration. The administration is conducted by a Secretary General.

 NBS is publishing the magazine ”Farmer and Smallholder” (In Norwegian: “Bonde og Småbruker”). Normally there are 10 issues during the year, and 2 of them are distributed to all farmers in Norway.

 
Political principles

NBS is politically independent and not connected to any political party. The following are some fundamental views on politics, fetched from the NBS Program of Principles.

NBS will promote a development of the society leading to social and economical equality. Solidarity and equality should be basic principles in agriculture as well as in the society in general.

NBS regards as a main goal that society should develop a trade and industry, that will:

In no way harm the conditions of life or diminish the resources for future generations.
Serve as a base for safe and high quality local societies
Not be part of an international trade exploiting resources or suppressing people elsewhere in the world.

The agricultural policy of NBS is based upon three levels of solidarity:

Solidarity with the neighbour
Solidarity with future generations
International solidarity

Applied to Norwegian conditions, NBS has put forward the following objectives for the agricultural policy:

Food security and sovereignty – every country has the right to produce its own food for its own population.
Rural development – maintain settlement in rural areas, local culture, local resources and nature.
Economic and social development in agriculture