For the recognition as a producer association for agricultural quality products it requires:

• an excerpt from the register or, in the case of associations of persons not capable of being registered, a certified copy of the contract on the foundation or conferral of legal capacity in accordance with § 22 BGB (Thuringian Ministry of the Interior and Local Government) in the case of economic associations,
• a minimum number of five founding members,
• a business concept outlining the expected economic development over the next five years (business plan), and
• proof of the application of a recognized certified quality assurance system according to Art. 16 of Regulation (EU) No. 1305/2013 for the marketed products (control certificate) and
• a stipulation that the membership in the producer association can be terminated at the earliest at the end of the third full business year (one-year notice period).
• The contract concluded between the members obliges the members to offer the products intended for marketing to the producer association in accordance with the established delivery and marketing regulations, as well as to comply with the relevant competition rules pursuant to Art. 206-210 of Regulation (EU) No. 1308/2013,
• the producer association shall, as a beneficiary, meet the conditions for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) set out in Article 2 of Annex 1 to Regulation (EC) No 702/2014, and
• the producer group is not in difficulty according to the Community Guidelines on State aid for rescuing and restructuring firms.