The merger negotiations between Loimu and the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists have progressed rapidly

Preliminary discussions on the possible transfer of the labour market advocacy and member services of the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists to Loimu were already under way in 2024. The Boards of Delegates of both organisations discussed the matter in January 2025, and the Board of Delegates of the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists made the final decision to start merger negotiations on 25 April 2025.

The merger negotiations have been intense during the summer and early autumn, and the preparations for the merger agreement are already well under way. The aim is to approve the merger agreement during the autumn and join the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists as a member association of Loimu, as well as joining the current members of the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists to Loimu as of 1 January 2026. After the merger, the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists will focus on food industry advocacy work. 

Loimu is growing and strengthening

The merger would significantly strengthen Loimu’s advocacy work. Loimu has approximately 17,000 members, of whom nearly 11,000 are full members. The Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists has a total of approximately 5,700 members, of which approximately 3,600 are full members. After the merger, Loimu would have about 22,700 members and Loimu would continue to be the ninth largest union in Akava. 

The structure of the membership of the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists differs from Loimu’s membership structure, particularly with regard to the small proportion of employees working at a university (4%). A significant proportion of Loimu’s members (approximately 20%) work at universities. The merger would significantly increase the number of Loimu members who work in the food industry. 

The members of the Finnish Association of Academic Agronomists include approximately 1,000 students. The students study agricultural, food, nutrition, consumer and environmental sciences at the University of Helsinki’s Viikki campus and nutrition sciences both at Viikki campus and at the University of Eastern Finland’s Kuopio campus. The merger expands Loimu’s student activities at Viikki and Kuopio campuses, both of which have Loimu’s student associations.