The factor "labor" plays a key role in agriculture in addition to other production factors such as the capital employed or land from a business management perspective. Labour input in agriculture is gradually decreasing, particularly as a result of technological progress (mechanization) and structural change (smaller farms with higher labour requirements per unit produced). Calculations by the Federal Institute for Agricultural Economics show that labor input in agriculture has decreased in recent years. A systematic survey of working time requirements in Austria was last published in 2006 by the former Federal Institute of Alpine Agriculture in Gumpenstein and the former Federal Institute of Agricultural Engineering in Wieselburg (Standardarbeitszeitbedarf in der österreichischen Landwirtschaft, Ergebnis der Berechnung der einzelbetrieblichen Standardarbeitszeiten: Handler, Stadler u. Blumauer 2006).
Objective
The aim of this project is to revise the standard working hours in Austrian agriculture.To this end, a web-based database is to be set up for the ongoing updating and future use of standard working hours in conjunction with other administrative data sets.In addition to the standard working hours for internal and external economy, the focus will also be on the collection of times for organizational work (working time for operational management).
Status of the project
As of November 2025: The study design, data collection system and model functions have been largely developed by project participants from the Francisco Josephinum Wieselburg and Raumberg-Gumpenstein agricultural colleges. Based on the data collection system, BAB has programmed an application (time recording app) for recording working hours at the companies. The necessary server resources for storing and managing the working time data to be recorded by the participating companies were created and set up, and a comprehensive test of the application's functionality was completed. In 2024, the application (app) was expanded to include user roles (system administrator, company administrator, user) and the creation of sub-activities. The software was presented and tested as part of a master class, and feedback was collected. Key requests concerned time recording by branch of business, the ability for several people to book at the same time, and faster recording of recurring activities.
In 2025, a mock-up was designed, put online and presented to potential users and their supervisors (skilled worker and master craftsman courses). All suggestions for improvement submitted were incorporated into a graphic design and feedback was again sought on this. Following positive feedback, programming of the input masks began.
Work 2026
Due to unforeseeable developments (including staff shortages at the participating institutions, the departure of the persons responsible for the project, and the BMLUK's crisis-related focus on other projects), only some of the project work planned for 2023 onwards could be implemented. In consultation with the participating institutions (HBLFA Raumberg-Gumpenstein, HBLFA Francisco Josephinum Wieselburg), it became clear that, due to the continuing tense staffing situation, the necessary human resources for the full implementation of the project would not be available in 2026 either.
On the other hand, there is a fundamental need to update standard working hours in agriculture, not least due to technological progress. This applies in particular to the orientation of the Common Agricultural Policy after 2027, the improvement of the data basis for various calculations and applications (e.g. the BAB's online application ‘IDB’, etc.), but also to the availability of educational and advisory materials. For this reason, it was agreed in 2024, after consultation with the then BMLUK as the client, to evaluate possibilities for improving the software and, if necessary, to adapt the input mask. In line with the available resources, work on the project is to continue, the software is to be presented to teachers in master craftsman and skilled worker courses, and opportunities are to be sought to encourage users to make comprehensive records.
The plan is to complete the software and put it into live operation in 2026. In addition to the programming work, a considerable amount of work is still required to create a list of all activities that can be booked in the application for each branch of industry, as well as to document the application.
Timetable
Project start: 04/2020
Project end: 12/2026
