Club of bologna proceedings

3. Certification of agricultural machinery: 
the German experience 
In addition to Dr. Liberatori's report about the 
Italian experience with testing agricultural 
machinery, there follow some remarks about 
conditions in Germany. Since its foundation 
in 1885 by the engineer and writer Max Eyth, 
the German Agricultural Society (DLG) has 
seen itself as a promoter of progress in the 
agricultural and food sector. Right from the 
outset, the testing and approval of agricultural 
machinery were the main fields of activity 
undertaken by the DLG to promote progress. 
Looking back on over a hundred years of 
testing agricultural machines and implements, 
the DLG has continually striven to set new 
standards.
When it comes to the objective assessment of 
the utility value and the safety of agricultural 
machines, implements and equipment as well 
as tractors, the DLG is the competent, 
impartial and economically independent 
testing authority. Today, the two test centres 
in Gross-Umstadt and Potsdam-Bornim 
belong to the world's leading testing 
institutions for agricultural technology. 
As Dr. Liberatori mentioned already, farmers 
and private contractors need reliable 
information in order to plan and make 
investments in machinery or equipment. They 
must know before they buy which machine is 
appropriate for their particular circumstances - 
for instance in terms of size, type of soil, 
topography, climate zone, existing machine 
fleet, which fulfils the required functions best 
and which stands up to the tough conditions 
prevailing in practice. After all, there is 
nothing as expensive as the wrong 
investment.
In our stations, tests are not restricted to 
design characteristics. Particular attention is 
paid to practical performance - what functions 
are performed under practical conditions and 
in what way? What are the farm sizes and 
tasks for which a machine is particularly 
suitable? Are traffic and working safety 
guaranteed, are aspects of environmental and 
animal protection taken into account? 
Having successfully undergone testing, the 
machine is awarded a "DLG-approved" test 
plate. The detailed results are published in 
DLG test reports and in trade publications. 
This gives potential users the necessary 
information on which they can base 
investment decisions. 
The advantages are twofold. Firstly, 
manufacturers receive an authoritative test 
result compiled by unbiased experts. This 
leads either to "DLG approval", in which case 
the results are published with the consent of 
the manufacturer, or the findings may point 
out flaws in the product which the 
manufacturer can then rectify either during or 
after the testing procedure, thereby ironing out 
problems before the machine goes into series 
production. This is an excellent way of 

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avoiding subsequent complaints from 
customers and expensive corrections which 
have to be carried out during the guarantee 
period. DLG approval of operational and 
traffic safety are important aspects in 
connection with product liability, and they 
protect manufacturers from unjustified claims 
for damages. 
Secondly, industry profits from the 
advertising power of DLG approval, which is 
recognised by farmers to be an assurance of 
quality. 
For decades, DLG tests have received 
extensive financial support from the Federal 
Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry 
(BML). This is only logical, because effective 
and safe agricultural machines mean savings 
in macro-economic costs in many other areas. 
What are the advantages of international co-
operation? The main aspects have already 
been pointed out by Dr. Liberatori: with the 
increasing internationalisation of the 
production and marketing of tractors and 
agricultural machinery, it becomes a problem 
if a machine has to be tested in each of the 
countries where it is sold. Common testing 
activities enable both manufacturers and 
testing stations to save on investments. More 
test reports for the farmers are another very 
important point to be taken in consideration. 
We are sure that, in the future, manufacturers 
will prefer tests which are valid in more than 
one ore two countries. We therefore joined the 
Agreement between CONAMA and BLT after 
a very brief discussion time. 
A great advantage of this agreement is, in our 
opinion, that the text fills no more than 1.5 
pages. 
The main objectives are (art. 4): 
•
to support the mutual Agreement; 
•
to co-ordinate the technical upgrade of 
tests; 
•
to promote the exchange of information 
among Institutions in order to reach a 
common testing methodology and a 
common model of printed report for every 
kind of agricultural and forestry machinery 
and equipment; 
•
to verify the proper conduction of tests; 
•
to study the possibility of initiating 
common research programs for improved 
technical standards and tests; 
•
to maintain contacts with other National 
and European Institutions. 
Most of the activities towards reaching this 
agreement were carried out by CONAMA. So 
on behalf of all the members I would like to 
conclude this report by saying many thanks to 
CONAMA, and especially to the President 
and initiator Prof. Dr. Pellizzi, and to the 
general manager Dr. Liberatori, who have 
worked extremely hard to reach the point 
where we are today in what I believe is a very 
short time.