The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has implemented the e-Government application as of October 1 to reduce bureaucratic procedures in the ÇKS applications made by the farmer every year. The fact that farmers are able to apply for the ÇKS over e-Government without obtaining a farming certificate from the chambers of agriculture has caused a great discomfort in the Union of Chambers of Agriculture of Turkey (TZOB). It was noteworthy that TZOB, who was worried that it would lose income, threatened the farmer with ‘passive member’, which is not in the law, and called the chambers of agriculture to renew their membership in order to prevent this.
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE WATCHES TZOB'S THREATS
Although there is no definition of passive member in the definition of membership in the Law on the Chambers of Agriculture and the Union of Chambers of Agriculture (6964) and the Regulation on the Chambers of Agriculture and the Union of Agricultural Chambers, TZOB, citing the 'Member Registration Regulation of the Chambers of Agriculture', which was not prepared when it was prepared, that the farmers who do not renew their membership for the last year will be reduced to passive membership. It was also stated that farmers will not be able to benefit from government support and Social Security Organization for Artisans and the Self-Employed (Bag-Kur) registrations will be terminated.
PASSIVE MEMBERSHIP THREAT SHOCKED THE INDUSTRY
Despite being the most important farmer's organization in Turkey, TZOB, which drew criticism for not protecting the rights and interests of the farmer, threatened the farmer with 'Passive Membership' in a regulation that was not prepared when and by whom, shocked the sector although it is not in the law or regulation at this point. The fact that even TZOB, the most important professional organization of the farmer, did not hesitate to threaten the farmer in order to get membership fees, revealed the great emptiness in the sector.
THE LAW DOES NOT HAVE THE DEFINITION OF PASSIVE MEMBERSHIP
In Article 4 of the Law No. 6964 on the Chambers of Agriculture and the Union of Chambers of Agriculture, where the definition of membership is made, it is stated that there are two types of members of the chambers, principal and honorary. Principal members; “Real and legal persons engaged in farming and the state, even if they do not have legal personality, While honorary membership is defined as persons and organizations that do not engage in farming, they show close interest in the activities of the chambers and provide material and moral assistance.”
A FREAK REGULATION CAME OUT!
The "Member Registration Regulation of Chambers of Agriculture", which was added to the "Circular on the Update of Chamber Member Registrations" sent by TZOB to all agricultural chambers across Turkey last week, drew attention. Although there is no such regulation published in the Official Gazette, it is not known when the said regulation was prepared. The definition of "Passive Member", which is not in the law, drew attention in the definitions section of the regulation. In the regulation, passive membership is defined as; “Members who do not have the right to obtain a farmer certificate bearing the approval of that year because they do not fulfill their legal obligations and do not update their membership.”
“TAKE NO NOTICE OF THE PASSIVE MEMBERSHIP THREAT!”
While the experts reacted to the threat of the farmers with the definition of passive membership, which is not in the law, the farmers were asked not to come to this game. They especially draws attention to the fact that the Chambers of Agriculture do not have the right to reduce the farmer to passive membership on the grounds that they do not renew their membership by going to the chamber, and that this unlawful action will also be reversed from the court to be opened.
A THREATENING MESSAGE FROM AGRICULTURAL ROOMS TO FARMERS!
Following the circular sent by TZOB to the chambers of agriculture and the accompanying regulation, it was stated that all agriculture chambers sent a message to the farmers, stating that if they did not come to the chambers of agriculture to renew their membership, they would be reduced to passive membership and they would not be able to benefit from state support. The following was recorded in the threatening message sent from the Chambers of Agriculture to the farmers: “Attention to our farmers; According to the 13th article of the member registration regulation of the Chambers of Agriculture, our members registered to the chamber must update their memberships within each year and agricultural property and changes in production status are required to declare to the chamber. The situations of our members who do not come to the room and do not update their registration will be evaluated by the agriculture chambers, their status will be made passive and their room registration will be suspended. For this reason, our passive members will not be able to benefit from government support. In addition, Bag-Kur registrations of inactive members may also be terminated. On behalf of our members, we strongly recommend that they apply to the chamber in order to prevent future grievances.” (Birecik Chamber of Agriculture Presidency)