EFFAB - European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders

As we close up the year, we would like to thank our community for following and supporting us throughout 2025.
We look forward to continuing this work together in the year ahead.
Wishing you a happy holiday season and a successful New Year.
The EFFAB’s team

🇭🇺 Thank you to everyone who joined us in Budapest for AI VETS 2025!

Great to bring together experts in animal insemination and reproduction 🐖🐄 for two days of exchange, innovation 🧬 and collaboration 🤝.

See you next year in Ireland 🇮🇪!

#AIVETS2025 #AnimalHealth #GeneticProgress

🌊Last week at #EAS2025 in Valencia, FABRE TP/EFFAB joined aquaculture experts from across Europe!
SG Ana Granados presented on sustainable breeding & genetics:
🐟 Boost R&I investment
🦪 Bring research advances to the field

Full paper on Aquaculture Research priorities👇https://fabretp.eu/publications

Heading to #EAAP2025 in Innsbruck 🇦🇹?

Join us at the FABRE TP & EAAP Genetics Commission Challenge Session on the future of EU animal breeding sector 🇪🇺

With speaker:
🎤 Andreia Amaral – on challenges & opportunities for academia careers 💡
🔗 Agenda 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

📢 Save the date!

At #EAAP2025 FABRE TP & the EAAP Genetics Commission will host a Challenge Session on the future of EU animal breeding 🇪🇺

EFFAB’s own Geena Cartick & Ebba Eriksson will talk about the need for long-term support for #FarmAnimal breeding innovation 💡

🔗 Agenda 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

At this year’s EAAP Annual Meeting, FABRE TP & the EAAP Genetics Commission will host a Challenge Session on the future of EU animal breeding 🇪🇺

With invited speakers:
🎤 Gabor Meszaros (Boku University)
🎤 Sabine Scully (Teagasc)

🔗 Full agenda 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

📣 Save the date!

At this year’s #EAAP Annual Meeting, FABRE TP & the EAAP Genetics Commission will host a Challenge Session on the future of EU animal breeding 🇪🇺

With invited speakers:
🎤 Ana Sofia Santos, Animal Task Force
🎤 Olori Victor, Aviagen

🔗 Access the full agenda 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

📣 Save the date!

At #EAAP2025 FABRE TP & the EAAP Genetics Commission will host a Challenge Session on the future of EU animal breeding 🇪🇺

The session will be chaired & facilitated by our own @anagrch.bsky.social & Luca Fontanesi!

🔗 Full agenda! 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

@eaap-animalscience.bsky.social

🌍 It's #WorldConservationDay!
At EFFAB, we believe responsible animal breeding supports biodiversity, animal welfare & sustainability, environmental, social & economic. 🌱
Let’s care for our planet together!
🔗 Learn more about our vision on sustainability here: www.effab.info/wp-content/u...

The next question is for Jelte Wiersma of CEMA:

👉 "How can we create a friendly environment for technology that respects animals and address societal concerns?"

@croplifeeu.bsky.social @copacogeca.bsky.social

#100Questions #FarmersHorizon

Last week Garlich van Essen of Euroseeds asked EFFAB Director @anagrch.bsky.social

👉 "What drives animal breeding innovation?"
To move forward, #AnimalBreeders need:

✅ A strong policy framework
✅ Recognition for balancing productivity, welfare & climate goals
✅ Support for innovation adoption

Understanding behaviour in free-farrowing systems is key to improving breeding strategies.

🔍 On this, #DigitalTools make the difference.

#Breeders & #farmers need clarity and policy certainty to move forward.

📍Today, the EU Platform on #AnimalWelfare meets in Brussels.

EFFAB, represented by Johan van Arendonk, joined the panel on #pigwelfare to discuss the ongoing revision of EU farm animal welfare rules.

🐖 Pig breeding is a balanced approach focused on sow & piglet welfare.
⬇️

Understanding behaviour in free-farrowing systems is key to improving breeding strategies.

🔍 On this, #DigitalTools make the difference.

#Breeders & #farmers need clarity and policy certainty to move forward.

Busy weeks for EFFAB’s projects team!

🇪🇸 At #GEroNIMO in Santiago de Compostela:
#pig #farm visit, ethics event, #CodeEFABAR 🐷
🇳🇴 At #RUMIGEN in Oslo: future-focused #breeding & diversity workshop 🐮

👏Thanks to all partners!

💡 Learn more about our work: www.effab.info/research-inn...

🇪🇺 EFFAB was in Strasbourg during the plenary session of EP.
Director, @anagrch.bsky.social & Policy Advisor, Barbara Barbosa, discussed the role of #AnimalBreeders in EU with MEPs
They also participated Sustainable Livestock Intergroup promoted by MEPs Benoit Cassart and Maria Grapini

🎯Sustainable progress depends on collaboration and a commitment to the people at the heart of our food systems.

🔷Promoting co-creation with the leading actors, starting by listening to farmers and responding to their needs
🔷Advancing #animalbreeding strategies that reduce methane emissions, enhance disease resistance and robustness, and support climate adaptation

🔷Identifying new and better ways to empower #farmers with tools adapted to their local communities to address the challenges they face daily
🔷Combining technical innovation with social innovation to ensure a successful adoption

🌎This week, we participated in the Global Agrifood Biotechnologies Conference at @fao.org, where our Director, @anagrch.bsky.social, had the opportunity to engage in a global dialogue on #agrifood innovation.

💡Key takeaways ⬇️

🌍 Today is #WorldFoodSafetyDay!

We’re proud to show how our members contribute to safer food production.

By improving genetic traits in #FarmAnimals, #AnimalBreeders help increase disease resistance and support sustainable, nutritious food systems.

Meet our members 👉 bit.ly/4ksM928

After the EU #OceanPact launch, FABRE TP contributes with a Strategic Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for Aquaculture Breeding and Genetics.

Setting #Research priorities through 4 key pillars:
🌿 Resilience
🌱 Green transition
🤝 Social trust
💡 Innovation
Read the full document 👉 bit.ly/3ZKva36

🌍 Happy #WorldEnvironmentDay!

Today we highlight the role of farm #AnimalBreeders in building a more sustainable future through #BalancedBreeding— supporting genetic diversity, animal health & reduced environmental impact in #Livestock & #Aquaculture systems

Discover more 👉 bit.ly/446TUUP

📣 Save the date! At #EAAP2025, FABRE TP’s challenge session with EAAP Genetics Commission will tackle the future of EU animal breeding 🇪🇺 How can we attract talent & stay competitive? 🇦🇹 Join us in Innsbruck!

Find out more and view the full agenda 👉 bit.ly/4kMYBcK

📢 We are kicking off EFFAB and FABRE TP Annual Meeting 2025, with the session on #Digitalisation and Artificial Intelligence (#AI) in #AnimalBreeding and #Farming.

EU Programme Manager Çağla Kaya opens the event, introducing #BalancedBreeding in the context of digitalisation.

Today, the European Union celebrates #EuropeDay! 🇪🇺

Everyday European #FarmAnimal breeders work towards continuously enhancing European food security and sustainability via responsible and balanced breeding 💪

Discover more 👉 bit.ly/4hiACkk

EFFAB members support farmers' livelihoods in rural and coastal areas throughout Europe.

Find out more about modern farm animal breeding and #FarmAnimal breeders vision for the future of the sector 👉 bit.ly/401qPrB

#FarmAnimal breeding must be a part of the dialogue, as responsible and balanced breeding is key for sustainable livestock and #Aquaculture. Breeders support farmers by providing high-quality germinal products and breeding animals for a diversity of farming systems and local conditions.

As put by Commissioner for Agriculture and Food @christophehansen.bsky.social "The future of the livestock sector needs a long-term vision. The diversity of territories and systems need to be taken into consideration. We need livestock farmers".

Today we're excited to be at DG Agri's conference discussing their Vision for Agriculture and Food. The event is being held to collect consensus on shaping the future of farming and the agri-food sector. 🇪🇺 The role of livestock farmers is crucial for European food security.