About us – The Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture

Food and drink and beautiful scenery – these basic needs of people are strongly connected with agriculture. Farm life and field work can be experienced by everyone and today the public observes closely all farm activities. As any other economic sector, agriculture depends on innovation and new technologies to remain competitive. Especially new technologies are often seen criticaly by citizens with no contact to rural life.

The LfL is an important companion for agriculture in Bavaria. On the following pages you will find all different kinds of information about our services and duties. We provide answers and solutions for questions about agriculture and farm management, environment and food production. Scientifically proven results form the basis for our work.

The President

Porträtfoto Stephan SedlmayerZoombild vorhanden

President Stephan Sedlmayer

Curriculum vitae
Stephan Sedlmayer was born in Wertingen and lives in the greater Munich area today. He graduated in agricultural sciences at the TUM in Freising-Weihenstephan and started his career in the agricultural administration in 1994. He worked as a consultant and agricultural teacher in Kaufbeuren for a couple of years. He changed to a job at the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry first in Berlin an after that in Munich. He was office manager for minister Helmut Brunner and minister Michaela Kaniber for more than 12 years. Since November 1st 2020 he manages the Bavarian State Research Center for Agriculture as President.

Chairmanship and Administrative Department

Portrait Man

Dr. Michael Elsinger, Vice President,

Portrait Woman

Dr. Annette Freibauer, Vice President

Portrait Man

Prof. Kay-Uwe Götz, Institute for Animal Breeding

Portrait Woman

Dr. Monika Prasch, Presidential Office

Board of Administration

The Administration Board is involved in fundamental decisions and supervises the work of the LfL. It gives advice on the five year LfL-work-program and the future strategy and appoints the members of the Scientific-Technical Board. The Administration Board has eight members. These are appointed from the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry and hold an annual meeting.

Chairman

Ministerialdirektor Hubert Bittlmayer, Department Head of the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry

Members

  • Günther Felßner, President of the Bavarian Farmers' Association (BBV)
  • Dr. Josef Krapf, independent business consultant
  • Dipl.-Ing. (Univ.) M.Sc. Florian Loibl, Technical University of Munich – Weihenstephan, TUM
  • MDirig. Friedrich Mayer, Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry
  • Dr. Albert Schmid, MR Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und Kunst
  • Dr. Eric Veulliet, Hochschule Weihenstephan-Triesdorf/University of Applied Sciences
  • Robert Winkler, Ltd. MR Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Umwelt und Verbraucherschutz

Management of the Administration Board

Dr. Monika Prasch, presidential office, manages the Administration Board.
Lange Point 12
85354 Freising
Tel.: +49 8161 8640-5806
E-Mail: Praesidialbuero@LfL.bayern.de

Scientific and Technological Advisory Committee

The Scientific-Technical Board (WTB) advises the LfL in technical matters, particularly in applied research. It incorporates the interests of science, especially the experiences and needs of practice and business into the work program of the LfL and supplies the appropriate contacts.
The chairman of the WTB is the President of the LfL. The WTB includes additionally personalities of science, companies and agriculture. They work on a honorary basis and are appointed by the Administration Board, by nomination of the Bavarian State Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry. The WTB has at least one meeting a year.

Chairman

President Stephan Sedlmayer

Members

  • Dr. Senthold Asseng
    Director Hans-Eisenmann-Forum für Agrarwissenschaften
  • Josef Braun
    Member of the managing state board of Bioland Bayern e.V. and of the overall board of LVÖ Bayern e.V.
  • Monika Deubzer
    Chairman of the Verband der bayerischen Lehr- und Beratungskräfte - Ernährung, Ländlicher Raum, Agrarwirtschaft e.V., Amt für Ernährung Landwirtschaft und Forsten Abensberg-Landshut
  • Jürgen Dietrich
    Vorsitzender Landeskuratorium für pflanzliche Erzeugung in Bayern e.V.
  • Dr. Bernd von Garmissen
    Direktor der Landwirtschaftskammer Niedersachsen
  • Susanne Glasmann
    Manager Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Bayerischen Ernährungswirtschaft e.V. (ABEW)
  • Josef Hefele
    Chairman of the Landeskuratorium der Erzeugerringe für tierische Veredelung in Bayern e.V
  • Friedrich Mayer
    MDirig. am Bayerischen Staatsministerium für Ernährung, Landwirtschaft und Forsten
  • Prof. Dr. Christoph Moning
    Vice President University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf
  • Leonhard Ost
    Chairman of the Kuratorium Bayerischer Maschinenringe und Betriebshilfsringe e.V.
  • Dr. Eva Reinhard
    Head of the Federal Department of Economic Affairs, Education and Research WBF Agroscope, Switzerland
  • Prof. Dr. Mathias Ritzmann
    Lehrstuhl für Krankheiten des Schweines und Vorstand der Klinik für Schweine/LMU Munich
  • Prof. Dr. Christina Umstätter
    Leiterin Institut für Agrartechnologie am Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institut
  • Prof. Dr. Christian Weidner
    President of the Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety
  • Georg Wimmer
    Generalsekretär des Bayerischen Bauernverbandes e.V.

Management of the Scientific-Technical Board

Dr. Monika Prasch, presidential office, manages the Scientific-Technical Board
Lange Point 12
85354 Freising
Tel.: +49 8161 8640-5806
E-Mail: Praesidialbuero@LfLbayern.de

LfL-Research and work priorities

The institutes form the basis of the LfL, developing project-oriented solutions for the future. The operational program of the LfL provides guidelines for these purposes. The departments regard themselves as service providers which support the institutes to fulfill their plans and projects. 

Additionally, they have clearly defined tasks in training and the implementation of EU and national guidelines and programs. The central departments contribute decisively to the successful work of the LfL by providing analyses and legally defined investigations. 

Research and main work areas

With their five year work program, the institutes get the basic orientation for their research projects and main work areas. In the main areas with comprehensive challenges or issues, such as climate change, animal-friendly housing systems or biogas production, interdisciplinary work between institutes and departments is essential. Thus, farm managers can profit from the solutions and information available, considering all individual aspects of agriculture and the entire agricultural system.  

Cooperation creates synergies

The LfL works closely together with the scientific institutions in Weihenstephan. These include the TUM School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan (WZW) and the Hans-Eisenmann-Zentrum (HEZ) at the Technische Universität München (TUM), the University of Applied Sciences Weihenstephan-Triesdorf and other research institutions such as the Fraunhofer Institute and the Start-up Center Weihenstephan. In addition, the LfL develops joint projects and processes together with numerous national and international research institutions. With the institutions and Chambers of Agriculture of other federal states, the LfL cooperates in multi-state projects, in joint publications and through collaborative arrangements.

Deutsche Agrarforschungsallianz (DAFA)

Logo DAFA
The LfL is member of the DAFA, a German science and research alliance. Prof. Dr. Kay-Uwe Götz, head of the Institute for Animal Breeding, represents the LfL in the executive committee. The DAFA aims to improve it´s efficiency, transparency and international reputation. The DAFAs main tasks are to identify new scientific issues and strategies as well as to build a close network between the related institutions.

DAFA Externer Link