Breeders' association · Germany · national
No direct farmer membership
The national umbrella of Germany's state sheep breeding associations, founded in 1934. It deals with issues regulated at federal and EU level, while the state member associations handle farmers' day-to-day concerns and contact with state governments. It draws up common rules for herdbook keeping, performance testing, shows and training, and represents sheep keepers in politics and towards other farm organisations. It is for sheep and goat farmers, who are linked to it through their state association.
Umbrella body: its members are the state sheep breeding associations (the website lists 17, e.g. Bavaria, Lower Saxony, Baden-Württemberg, Saxony, Schleswig-Holstein). Farmers are not direct members of the VDL but of their state association. Membership is voluntary.
Farmers pay nothing directly to the VDL; the fee is set by the state association. The organisation does not publish its membership fee — please ask directly.
For information only, not legal advice. Mandatory membership is set by local law — each profile lists its source.