„ Agropuzzle ” meeting in Poland 25-31 March 2012

1. „Agropuzzle” meetingin Poland 25-31 March 2012 Presentation

2. Directions for creating of multimedia presentationBy participants of Polish mobility within Leonardo da Vinci „Agropuzzle” project

3. The aim of presentation:•To show characteristic features of running a farm and agribusiness enterprises in Poland on the basis of:1)a farm specialized in porkers run by Teresa and RajmundBulik2) a farm and fish breeding pond and agribusiness activity and gastronomy by Grazyna and LeszekKrzywniak3) factory of soil for champignons cultivation by Karol Kania and sons•To show similarities and differences between running a farm and agribusiness enterprise in Poland and other European countries viewed through observations during previous mobilitiesEach group (country) prepare its presentation in their mother tongue as well as in English for every visited place taking intoaccount: Characteristic features listed above Personal remarks and feelings not included in the chart Photos taken on the spot

4. 1.Vast area farms; so-called individual farms and specialization in terms of plants and animal production Bulik – Mr.Bulik’s farm coversarea of 260ha dividedintofamilymembers, intotwolocations.Theydealwithcropproduction as well as theyhavecattle, around 2500pigs.Annualy theysell 8000 adultpigs to be slaughtered. Krzywniak- Theplaugharea of the farm is 350 ha, theannualproduction of cattleis 2000 pieces of pigs. Annualturnover of cropsis 1000tonnes, some part isused for foodfor pigs and theother part is sold. He alsoownssomefishpondswhichareused for fishing and healsooffers a restaurant services as well as accommodation.

5. 2.Familyoriented business activity Bulik – Thecharacteristicfeatureisthatthis company is run only by familymemberswhoaretwo sons and owner’sbrother. Theownerdealswithpaperwork and documents and his son work on this farm. Theyalsohave to hireup to 6 seasonalworkers. Krzywniak– Theownerrunsthis business with his wife and his son, healsohirestwoworkershere.

6. 3.Vocational education of company owners and their children connected to Komorno Secondary Agricultural School Bulik – Mr. Rajmund Bulik, theowner, is a graduate of Komorno AgriculturalSchoolwheretheyreceivedtechnicaleducation, his two sons alsoreceivedtechnicalvocationaleducationin Komorno. Thanks to itthaycan run a farming business as well as theyentitled to aplying for European Union grants and funds for modernizing and improvement of the farm. Krzywniak– He isfocused on agribusinessactivity, all of themreceivedtechnicaleducationintheAgriculturalSchoolin Komorno. Jacek Krzywniak, theowner’s son isabout to get MA inAgronomyinWroclawUniversity. Thanks to thisfactthe son cantakeoverthe business becausewithoutthisqualificationshaving and running a farming business isimpossiblein Poland.

7. 4.Acquiring of funds from European projects aimed at development and modernization of farms and enterprises (in close relation to agricultural education) Bulik – He gotEuropean Union funds for improvingthepavementin his premises, hepurchasedsomemachines and tools and finallyheacquiredsomearable land thanks to thissubsidy. Additionaly, a farmer whoownagrable land gets a susbsidyworth of approximately 200euros a year for a hactare. Krzywniak–therestaurantwhichisgoing to be openedin May was builtwith 49percent support of fundscomingfromEU.Healsogets a susbidy to his agrable land. He was not entitled to anysupport nor subsidydue to thefact of running a farming business. Kania and sons-They company was given a financial support for creation of pelletfactorymadefromripe straw . Theystartedproduction on November 2011.

8. 5.Cooperation with raw materials’ suppliers and recipients of farm goods, both animal and vegetable Bulik – PigletsaretakenfromDanemark, thecropsare sold and moneyisused for buyingfood for piglets, orhetriesexchangegoods ( crops for pigllets’ food). Thematurepigsare sold indirectly to many countriessuch as Ukraine and Russia and even Japan Krzywniak– He has a signedcontractwith one recipient for his pigs and infarmingactivityhesearches for thebestpossiblerecipients

9. 6.Any marketing activities aiming at acquiring raw material (straw) and cooperation with recipients of final product (soil for champignons and pellets) Kania and sons –Mr. Kania buysrawmaterialsuch as white straw fromfarmerswho live in radius of 120km bothin Poland as well as inthe Czech Republic. He alsoselects his customers, hepreferes long-standing cooperation, watchescloselynewclientsin order not to spoil his reputation. He alsotakesthemushroomseeds (mycelium)fromPolish and French partners. He distributesthesoil for champignonsproduction to Polish partners becausethetransportationcannottakemorethan 12 hrs. Additionally, heopened a newfactoryaimingatproductioin of pellletswhichareecologicalmeans of heating made of straw. He does not have to make big commercialsbecauseheiswell-knownamongchampignonsproducers.hehas his ownfleet of cars , trucks and otherfarmingvehiclessignedwith his logo.

10. 7.Showing significant production connections with foreign markets Bulik – He prefers foreign markets, especiallyDanish one becausetheycanprovidehimwithnumerouspigletsatonce (aroundthousand). As for sellingadultpigs, theysearch for non-Europeanmarkets as theyofferthehighestprice. Kania and sons - He importssomematerialfrom France, hebuys straw fromfarmerswhichhavefieldsclose to his company. Majority of his products areshipped to Poland but some products are sold to foreign markets (heis to start selling products to Ukraine)

11. 8.Development of side activities such as fish breeding ponds, agritourism and restaurants Krzywniak– He hasbreedingponds for fish, healsobuilthuts for anglerswhoarewilling to spend a nightat a lake. Thereisalso a newlybuiltrestaurantthatcanprovidefood for as much as 200 customers. He aimsatorganisingweddingceremonies, birthdays and anniversaries and othermeetings.

12. 9.The use of natural climatic and soil qualities in running a farming company within given area Bulik –thesoilisverylowquality, hard to plaugh so hemustfocus on specificplants. Thanks to fertilizingthesoilhecan plant barley, wheat and ripe, corn and beetroot. The problem for the company isthatitislocated on an areathatisfrequentlyflooded by river. Krzywniak– He alsohaspoorqualitysoil so hemustdevotemoremoney to cropsproduction, fertlizing , and healsodealswithoftenfloodsthere. Kania and sons – He decided to builtthisfactoryinthislocationdue to thefact of having high quality straw thatcan be gatheredthere. In my country -

13. 10.The use of landscape qualities in running a farm and agricultural company Krzywniak– Therurallocationenabledsetting of a company therearesmallponds and lakesencircled by smallheights and woods. Thisislocated far awayfromanycities and is not pollutedwithfumesfromfactories.

14. 11.The use of high quality straw as a side product of crop production Kania and sons- Opolskie region isknown for cropsproductionwherethesideproductis straw which was not usedinlargequantitiesinfarming, the company decided to start soil for champingnionsproduction as well as pelletsproductionwhichareused as biofuels for electric plants . The straw musthaveproperhumididty and ismadefromwheat and rye and itsmixture. In my country -

15. 12.Reduction of unemployment in the local area due to creation of new workplaces (recently) Kania and sons – The company employs 230 workers and insummertimehealsohiresaround 70-80 additionalstaff. Theywork 24-hours a day, such a big number of employeesreducesthenumber of unemploymentrateinthisarea.

16. 13.The use of the abundance of straw to biofuels’ production Kania and sons - Theproduction of pellets as a biofuels was commencedinNovember 2011 and its target isthe Czech Republic and Polishpowerplants

17. 14.Proecological meaning of pellets production Kania and sons - Burning of pelletsproduces far less smoke and fumesthannon-ecologicalburning of coalor oil. Thereis no differenceintheprice of pellets and oil as far as energeticvalue of thosefuelsisconcerned.

18. Youropinionaboutvisitedplaces 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

19. Thankyou