Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republic

The Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republic (Czech: Asociace soukromého zemědělství ČR, ASZ ČR; also rendered in English as APF CR) is a voluntary professional and estate organization representing private farmers and family farms in the Czech Republic. It was founded in 1998 and today represents over 7.5 thousand members across the whole country. Its stated mission is to defend the economic, social, and professional interests of Czech private farmers both domestically and abroad, and it frames family farms as the base of modern European agriculture and of a vibrant countryside. The association positions itself on respect for old peasant traditions, a responsible approach to land, free entrepreneurship, and the reduction of needless bureaucracy. It promotes multifunctional and modern agriculture, local farm production, and direct farmyard sales, and says it works to help create an economically independent countryside. Its activities span national-level advocacy — defending farmers' interests in negotiations with state authorities, parliament, ministries, and other state administration bodies — as well as cooperation with leading institutions and experts in agricultural economics, for which it prepares and submits operational and conceptual proposals. A consistent theme in its proposals is minimizing state interference in free entrepreneurship. ASZ ČR operates a leading information platform at www.asz.cz, which it describes as one of the most visited agricultural portals among farmers and the general public, and it regularly distributes a magazine called 'Selská revue' to its members. The association is led by chairman Jaroslav Šebek, who in September 2026 met with Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl to discuss possible cooperation between the Catholic Church and family farms in rural areas. The association also engages directly with government ministries; in mid-September 2026 members of its board met with the Minister of the Environment to present the demands of family farms, linking their activities in the landscape to environmental care. Its public commentary addresses issues such as drought, climate adaptation, and agricultural policy, including criticism of the government's approach to farmers' interests.

The Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republic (ASZ ČR) was founded in 1998 as a voluntary professional and estate organization of private farmers in the Czech Republic. It emerged to give private and family farmers a dedicated representative voice in a sector where large-scale and cooperative farming had long dominated, and it has since grown to represent approximately seven and a half thousand members across the country. From its founding, the association has anchored its identity in the heritage of old peasant traditions and in the conviction that family farms are the foundation of modern European agriculture and of a living countryside. Its core activity has been the defense of the economic, social, and professional interests of Czech private farmers, both within the Czech Republic and abroad. At the national level, ASZ ČR representatives advocate for farmers in parliament, ministries, and other state administration bodies, and the association cooperates closely with leading institutions and experts in agricultural economics, preparing and submitting specific operational and conceptual proposals. Across its proposals it consistently defends the principle of minimizing state interference in free entrepreneurship. Over the years the association has built a substantial communication infrastructure. Its website, www.asz.cz, has become one of the most visited agricultural portals among farmers and the general public, and it regularly distributes the magazine 'Selská revue' to members. Its public agenda has expanded to include environmental and climate themes: in response to severe drought, it has commented on the Czech government's update of the National Action Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change for 2026–2030, prepared by the Ministry of the Environment. In September 2026, board members met with the Minister of the Environment to present the demands of family farms, emphasizing the close link between family farming and environmental care in the landscape. Also in September 2026, Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl received ASZ ČR chairman Jaroslav Šebek to discuss potential cooperation between the Catholic Church and family farms in rural areas. The association continues to be led by chairman Jaroslav Šebek.

• 2026

  ASZ ČR board meets the Minister of the Environment to present family farms' demands

• 2026

  Prague Archbishop Stanislav Přibyl receives ASZ ČR chairman Jaroslav Šebek to discuss church–family farm cooperation

• 1998

  Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republic founded

Voluntary professional association defending the economic, social, and professional interests of Czech private farmers and family farms, promoting free entrepreneurship, peasant traditions, and a vibrant countryside.

• Selská revue magazine

  Magazine regularly distributed by ASZ ČR to its members

• asz.cz information platform

  Leading information platform described as one of the most visited agricultural portals by farmers and the general public

1. 1Asociace soukromého zemědělství ČRasz.cz
2. 2About usasz.cz
3. 3Association of Private Farming of the Czech Republicwikidata.org
4. 4Asociace soukromého zemědělství České republikycs.wikipedia.org