On 24 September, a delegation from the Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania (CARL) attended the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture (Dolnośląska Izba Rolnicza) in Poland. CARL was represented by Chair Algimanta Pabedinskienė, Vice-Chair Andžej Kulevičius, and Director Sigitas Dimaitis.
The anniversary celebrations began with Holy Mass offered for the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture, farmers and the farming community. This was followed by an official ceremony marking the Chamber’s 30th anniversary, which brought together representatives of Polish agricultural self-government, partners and guests.
The Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture had been preparing for its 30th anniversary for several months. The anniversary marks three decades of agricultural self-government representing the interests of farmers in Lower Silesia.
Cooperation that matters to farmers in both countries
Congratulating the Polish colleagues, CARL Chair Algimanta Pabedinskienė emphasised the importance of cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish agricultural self-government organisations.
CARL and representatives of Polish agricultural self-government are connected by much more than geographical proximity. Common challenges in agricultural policy, farmers’ competitiveness, production costs, generational renewal, market conditions and the future Common Agricultural Policy require farmers’ organisations from different EU Member States to understand each other’s challenges, exchange experience and work together to represent farmers’ interests.
“Lithuanian and Polish farmers are united not only by being neighbours, but also by very similar concerns and a shared responsibility for the future of agriculture in our countries. This is why it is particularly important for us to know one another, to engage in dialogue and to cooperate. Today, many decisions that affect farmers’ everyday lives are made not only in Vilnius or Warsaw, but also in Brussels. The stronger we are in our own countries and the better we are able to work together at European Union level, the more effectively we can represent farmers’ interests. I hope that our cooperation will continue to grow – from closer ties and exchanges of experience to joint initiatives aimed at safeguarding the future of European farmers,” said CARL Chair Algimanta Pabedinskienė.
To mark the anniversary, the CARL delegation presented the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture with a symbolic gift – a framed historical photograph commemorating the Centenary of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania. This year, CARL is celebrating 100 years since its establishment, making the gift a symbol of the relationship between two organisations with long-standing traditions of agricultural self-government.
CARL Centenary Medals awarded to Ryszard Borys and Henryk Kowalik
During the anniversary ceremony, A. Pabedinskienė presented two long-standing representatives of Polish agricultural self-government with medals commemorating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania.
A CARL Centenary Medal was awarded to Ryszard Borys, President of the Board of the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture. He continues to hold this position during the Chamber’s current 2023–2027 term. R. Borys actively represents Lower Silesian farmers in meetings with Polish agricultural institutions, while the Chamber under his leadership raises issues of importance to farmers, including agricultural land, markets, production costs, support measures and other agricultural policy matters.
A CARL Centenary Medal was also presented to Henryk Kowalik, the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture’s delegate to the National Council of Agricultural Chambers (Krajowa Rada Izb Rolniczych). H. Kowalik also served in this capacity during the Chamber’s previous term and was elected to continue his work for the 2023–2027 term. He also chairs the Trzebnica County Council of the Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture.
Both recipients are prominent representatives of agricultural self-government in Lower Silesia: R. Borys leads the regional Chamber of Agriculture, while H. Kowalik represents the interests of Lower Silesian farmers at the national level within Poland’s system of agricultural chambers.
Congratulating their Polish colleagues on the 30th anniversary, the CARL delegation wished them continued success in bringing farmers together, strengthening agricultural self-government and further developing cooperation between Lithuanian and Polish farmers’ organisations.
The Lower Silesian Chamber of Agriculture, celebrating its 30th anniversary, and the Chamber of Agriculture of the Republic of Lithuania, marking its centenary this year, have different historical timelines, yet they are united by the same principle – farmers themselves must have a strong voice in decisions that shape the future of agriculture and rural areas.