NewsJoint Statement – EU Commission request on "Optimising genetic potential for resilient and diverse production systems"
06-03-2023 FABRE TP, alongside Plant ETP and EATIP, and supported by the Animal Task Force, have requested the EU Commission to consider an additional partnership by presenting a Joint Statement to optimise genetic potential for resilient and diverse production systems under the strategic plan 2025-27 of Horizon Europe. These three European Technology Platforms (ETPs) represent key research and private stakeholders in developing novel and resilient varieties of plants, livestock, fish, shellfish, insects, and algae for sustainable agri-food systems and the circular bioeconomy, in line with the EU Green Deal. FABRE TP Session at EAAP 2022
07-09-2022 One more year, FABRE TP took part in the EAAP Annual Meeting, taking place in Porto (Portugal) in September 2022. FABRE TP hosted a Challenge Session called: "Animal farming 4.0: the role of Big Data in animal breeding". FABRE TP sets the Research Priorities on Animal Breeding and Reproduction for Horizon Europe
FABRE TP released a document highlighting and providing inputs to the Research Priorities within the Animal Breeding and Genetics field. Animal Breeding and Genetics play an important role towards efficient and sustainable food production in Europe by improving traits relevant to sustainability, animal health and welfare and many others. In the document FABRE TP addresses the priorities to reach the goals set in the Farm to Fork Strategy and Green Deal, in order to make our food systems more sustainable. "Animal breeding and genetics are a part of the solution to ensure the transition towards a more sustainable EU food sector. Genetic improvement was a key factor in the last 50 years, adapting animals to the current farming systems that we have today; and this has led to huge progress in terms of efficient use of natural resources and high quality and quantity. More recently, other traits like animal health and welfare, greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to a larger diversity of farming systems have been added to breeding goals and breeding programs." Read the full document here:
European Technology Platforms representing the Agri & Aqua Food sector call for a more ambitious budget for Horizon Europe.
24th June 2020 In trying to provide the right framework for an economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic European Heads of State and Government agreed earlier this week on the Union’s budget for 2021-2027. Whilst the Council decision provides a clear direction for a rapid decision later this fall, the reduced fund allocated to the Research Program Horizon Europe are a concern. Investment in Research and Innovation (R&I) are fundamental to improve food security and the sustainability of EU food systems and ensure its transition in line with the Green Deal objectives.
EAAP-FABRE TP Session on ''Gene editing: Can we afford (not) to use precision technologies in livestock breeding?''
FABRE TP session on Genome editing was held on 28 August during EAAP 2019 in Ghent, Belgium. We welcomed speakers to discuss the techniques, opportunities and boundaries of Genome Editing in animal breeding, as well as current and potential future legal framework and ethics. The large gap between the consumers' needs and animal genetics was mentioned by almost all of the speakers. Focusing on consumers’ perception and trust is very important, as animal breeding is a part of the food chain. New animal breeding technologies (NABT) are counted as GMOs by society, and farmers have concerns about applying NABT as they are unsure about their acceptance by consumers. Resistance to animal diseases is among the most important opportunities for genome editing techniques, as increasing disease resistance is directly related to animal health and increasing animal welfare. It was also mentioned by the speakers that according to the outcome of the animal welfare researches, consumers would be more supportive to gene editing if it can help to prevent animals suffering, to improve animal welfare, to eradicate diseases in livestock and reduces the usage of antibiotics in livestock. Engaging consumers, stakeholders and society in research issues right from the onset carry a lot of importance. It was underlined that innovation works better when scientists produce knowledge and collaborate with society. The importance of a safe and modern regulatory framework was underlined to clean the pathway for commercialization. Regulations are running behind the innovations and the speed of governance should be tuned in with the speed of innovation. Legislative modernization is necessary for non-transgenes, a global view is needed and identifiable risks need to be regulated. Most importantly, political support is crucial to make regulation better adapted to GE. The timing is now right to explain what animal breeding is and the importance to speak as one common voice as an industry. EFFAB/FABRE TP should continue, moving further coordinating actions at EU level. Also, breeding companies have to take part in the debate on their activities. The breeding sector is the most competent source to explain what animal breeding is and the tools that breeders use or could use in the future for a more sustainable livestock sector. Read more about the FABRE-TP session in our newsletter #MeattheFacts: European livestock voice sets to balance the debate around livestock production
23/09/2019 The livestock sector is today at the epicenter of public debates in Europe and beyond. These debates are now mainly dominated by interest groups who spread myths and radical views about livestock farming. Ever increasing on social media and in the press, these myths and opinions end up portraying a picture that is in stark contrast with the reality experienced and lived every day by thousands of European farmers and professionals on the ground. These debates have strong impacts on the views of European consumers on the role of animal products in their lifestyle choices and they push the livestock sector into an extremely defensive corner of society. This negatively affects the EU livestock farming model and policy framework, increasing the challenges faced by our farming communities to ensure their economic viability, generational renewal and their capacity to adapt to societal and environmental demands. Read the full press-release. FABRE TP Vision Paper Aqua Breeding
15-07-2019 "The contribution of Breeding and Genetics to increased sustainable aquaculture production in the EU - input to Horizon Europe from the R&D and industry sectors" The paper aims to give input to important research topics within the field of aquaculture breeding and genetics for Horizon Europe. Aquaculture Breeding and Genetics can contribute to efficient and sustainable aquaculture in Europe by genetically improving the stocks that are produced in the EU for important traits. The Vision Paper was also presented during the EATip AGM in Brussels on June 17th, where EATiP fully endorsed the points and topics discussed in the FABRE TP Vision Paper for aqua breeding.
ATF Vision Paper 2019
15-07-2019 FABRE TP, being part of the ATF board and representing the industry bodies, is proud to have contributed to the ATF vision paper 2019. The Vision Paper; towards European Research and Innovation for a sustainable and competitive livestock production sector in Europe, provides a common framework and a scope for suggested priorities for R&I within Horizon Europe towards a resource efficient, sustainable, competitive and safe livestock production sector in Europe. This Vision Paper provides an overview of the role of R&I in up-scaling the contribution of a diversity of European livestock farming systems towards sustainable agri-food systems and to the delivery of services to society. Go to the ATF website to see all the ATF publications
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EventsFABRE TP Session at EAAP 2022
15-03-2022 As in previous years, FABRE TP will be participating in this year's EAAP in Porto, Portugal, from the 5th to the 9th September 2022. The theme of this year is "Farming for carbon neutral livestock production systems: putting science into practice". FABRE TP will be hosting a Challenge Session on "Animal farming 4.0: the role of Big Data in animal breeding". FABRE TP organises this challenge session to engage with research, academia, and the private sector in a discussion on the growing role of Big Data in livestock production and the challenges for breeding companies and research. We are looking forward to seeing you! FABRE TP session at EAAP 2021 24-08-2021 Like previous years, we will be participating in this year’s EAAP in Davos, Switzerland from 30 August – 3 September 2021. In the context of the 2021 EAAP topic “Scientific solutions to different demands on the livestock sector”, FABRE TP will be hosting the session “Breeding for the future: technology finds application in new phenotypes”. The session will be held on the morning of 1st September both in person and online. The FABRE TP session at EAAP is a challenge session that aims to engage in discussion with research, academia, and the private sector. This year we will engage on how we can use the available technologies to produce new phenotypes and improve livestock and aquaculture breeding. Speakers for the session will join from Hendrix Genetics, Utrecht University, Wageningen University, Oxford University, Nofima, INRAE and D4Dairy. Note to attend the session, registration is needed. Registration is still open here. We hope to see you! EU Research and Innovation Days - Virtual Event
22-24 September 2020 The programme of the EU Research and Innovation Days - Virtual Event is now published. You can check the programme here. The registration link will follow soon. World's Poultry Congress 2021
8- 12 August 2021 in Paris, France The poultry sector has major assets to meet the expectation of the world population, provided that it can anticipate changes needed for sustainable production systems. The WPC2021 should bring a major contribution to these challenges for the benefit of the world population. The program features object-oriented sessions integrating various approaches to address a complex challenge, and specialized sessions corresponding with the scope of WPSA working groups. In addition, 11 plenary talks will address major issues for the poultry sector as a whole. More information can be found on the World's Poultry Congress website. Star Gazing into the Galaxy of Animal Genetics and Genomics
19-20 October 2020 in Ames, Iowa, USA This conference will explore and discuss the challenges and opportunities that the future provides in animal genetics and genomics. In particular the conference will explore new technologies and the data they offer, their impacts for animal improvement and animal source foods in the developed and developing world and the role scientists play in public acceptance. Talks will be followed by meaningful discussion and audience participation. We encourage students, academics, and industry personnel to attend. For more information visit their website. The 6th International Conference of Quantitative Genetics
13 - 18 June 2021 in Brisbane, Australia The 6th International Conference of Quantitative Genetics (ICQG6) will bring together researchers in agriculture, human health, natural species and evolutionary genetics from across the world united in their interest in understanding and translating the contribution of genetic variation of quantitative traits. They will present and discuss state-of-the-art results, theoretical developments and new methodologies with application across a broad range of both species and traits. The rapid technological advances of the last decade have meant that it is now possible to conduct quantitative genetic analyses on an unprecedented scale and to generate data that can address old, but previously unanswerable questions. More today than ever before, quantitative genetics approaches are relevant across species whether in natural populations, model species, crops, livestock or humans. ICQG6 provides an opportunity for cross-fertilisation of ideas in methods across their applications. For more information visit the ICQG6 website. International Congress on Animal Reproduction
28 June - 1 July 2021 in Bologna, Italy The 19th International Congress on Animal Reproduction will be held in 2021 in Bologna, Italy. The congress focuses on animal reproduction, including physiology, pathology and reproductive technologies. More information can be found on the ICAR website. 12th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production (WCGALP)
3 - 8 July 2022 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands WCGALP is the conference to share knowledge and to interact on innovations in the area of genetics applied to livestock production. The congress is organised every four years and attracts around 1400 delegates from around the world. With many Dutch animal breeders present at previous conferences, Roel Veerkamp and Yvette de Haas, with support of representatives of the Breed4Food partners, PCO Congress by Design, Rotterdam Partners and Wageningen Academic Publishers, put together an offer to organise the conference on 3-8 July 2022 in the Doelen in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. More information can be found on the WCGALP's website. |