The Federal Office for Agriculture and Food (BLE) in Bonn-Mehlem is a federal authority within the portfolio of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). It has a total of around 1,700 employees throughout Germany and at sea. The BLE performs a wide range of tasks in the fields of agriculture, fisheries and food: As a project management agency for the BMEL, it manages federal programs as well as national and international research projects, cooperates with various transnational bodies and is involved in EU initiatives. On land and at sea, the BLE performs control tasks and supports EU-wide price stability as a market regulation authority and EU paying agency. In addition, the authority provides data, statistical evaluations and independent information, including via its Federal Information Center for Agriculture (BZL) and Federal Center for Food (BZfE).