On 8th December 2002 Podlasie Agricultural Chamber (PIR) pursuant to the amended Act on agricultural chambers, assumed a new organisational form and began its second term. On march 2004 14 Pioviat Councils were created in the following poviats: Augustów, Białystok, Bielsk Podlaski, Grajewo, Hajnówka, Kolno, Łomża, Mońki, Sejny, Siemiatycze, Sokółka, Suwałki, Wysokie Mazowieckie, Zambrów. In those cities also Poviat Council Offices were created. In each poviat a Chairman of the Council and Delegate were chosen ; they became members of the General Assembly consisting of 28 members.
The last election took place on 4th February 2007. On the basis of the election new authorities of PIR were chosen. The Board was appointed, consisting of: Tomasz Gietek- chairman, Bogumila Roszczyk-Parzych – Vice-chairman , Zbigniew Dembowski, Witold Grunwald and Ryszard Łapiński – members of the Board and Piotr Ślepowroński delegate to National Council of Agricultural Chambers. Also The Auditing and Budget Committee was appointed, as well as two problem committees: Committee for Agricultural Production and Marketing, and Committee for Development of Rural Areas.
PIR Board executes its tasks with the help of an office located in Porosly 36D, near Białystok, managed by Miss Barbara Wasilewska, the Director. In 2004 PIR started to actively fulfil its obligations and statutory tasks, consisting in particular of:
The Chamber concentrates on continuing previously undertaken tasks. It cooperates with Podlaskie Regional Parliament, Podlaskie Voivodeship Office, Agriculture Restructuring and Modernisation Agency (ARiMR), Agriculture Market Agency (ARR), Podlaskie Voivodeship Agricultural Consultancy Centre (WODR) in Szepietowo and other agriculture- related organisations. Represantives of the Chamber cooperate with poviat and voivodeship Employment Councils and Steering Committee, and participate in consultations connected with “Assumptions for National Development Plan for 2007-2013″.
Podlaskie Voivodeship, where the Podlasie Agricultural Chamber acts, is located in north-east of Poland. Its area is 2018,0 thousand ha and it is inhabited by 1208,6 thousand people. It is divided into 14 land poviats, and there are three towns: Bialystok, Łomża and Suwałki, with poviat rights. The Voivodeship consist of 13 urban gminas, 23 urban-rural gminas and 82 rural gminas. In neighbours on three other voivodeships: Warmińsko- Mazurskie, Mazowieckie and Lubelskie, and to the east it borders on Belarus and Lithuania. Podlaskie Voivodeship is an area of uncontaminated nature. It is called “The Green Lungs of Poland”. Its assets are the most picturesque landscapes in the country, the cleanest air and enclaves of natural environment untouched by human hand. Large potential of the region consist of forests, jakes, rivers and swamps rich with unique fauna and flora makes ecotourism a progressive business here.
Almost 32% of the Voivodeship is protected in one way or another, which places Podlasie in the leading edge in the country. There are 4 national parks: Białowieża National Park, Biebrza National Park, Narew National Park and Wigry National Park, 3 Landscape Parks: Łomża Landscape Park of the Narew Valley, Knyszyn Landscape Park and Suwałki Landscape Park, 85 nature reserves and 15 areas of protected landscape. It is the habitat of animal species unique in Europe, like European bison, Polish little horse, wolf, lynx, wood grouse and black grouse.
Agriculture in Podlaskie Voivodeship has a unique character. The soil, and natural and ecologic conditions are harsh. Vegetation period is the shortest in Poland, temperature falls are the largest, soils are of low bonitation class and full of stones, periodically there is water deficit. Despite such unfavourable conditions, agriculture is a domineering branch of economy in the Voivodeship, and the largest percentage of people live in rural areas. Over 120 thousand farmsteads are registered whose average used area is approximately 13 ha. Agriculture is almost entirely connected with the private sector (97% of all farms; this is quite a lot of compared to the other regions of Poland). What is Characteristic of agriculture here is the fact that the average size of arable lands per farmstead is 9,58 ha (compared to the 5,76 ha in the country).
In 2004 arable lands constituted approximately 1149,8 ha (56,8% of all farming lands). Of this, plough lands constituted approximately 738 thousand ha, and meadows and grazing land were approximately 400 thousand ha. Orchards constituted 5008 ha. Agriculture in the region is characterised by constant changes both in ownership structured and in the directions of land utilisation.
A large asset of our Voivodeship is the largest area of grasslands in Poland, which determines the direction of farming. Since 1995 there has been a constant increase in milk purchase, which is a result of the chosen direction. Apart from the size of grasslands- in Podlasie they constitute 35,4% of arable lands (of which 13% are grazing lands and 22,4%- meadows)- milk production is stimulated by strong position of dairies. Podlaskie Voivodeship is a leader in Poland as far as milk production is concerned; also it has the highest indicator of milk production to the area of arable lands or the number of inhabitants. There are 688,4 thousand pieces of cattle in Podlasie (including 375,8 thousand cows). Among crops cereal constitutes 80,2%- of which 50,5% is basic cereal (wheat 8,9%, and rye 17,7%). Potatoes constitute 8,9 of all crops, whereas forage crops- 8,3%. Sugar beet is grown in approximately 2000 farms.
In Podlasie take place various cyclic events promoting agriculture. Among the biggest is Exhibition of Farm Animals in Szepietowo, usually at the last weekend of June. The exhibition is visiting every year by over 50 thousand people and participating by approximately 250 companies from all Poland. The participants are farmers from Podlaskie Voivodeship and producers of farming machines and equipment, fodder and pesticides, and agriculture- related organisations.
During the exhibition there take a place auctions of stallions, mares and heifers. The most beautiful animals are awarded championships and vice- championships in various categories. The exhibition takes place under the auspices of the Minister of Agriculture an Rural Development and Podlaskie Voivode.
Framers also meet during: National Strawberry Days in Korycin, Honey Feast in Kurowo (The Narew National Park), National Cucumber Days in Kruszewo, Podlasie Corn Days in Szepietowo, Potato Day in Mońki, Garden Fairs in Szepietowo and many other events.