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Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction: European Vision for 2025

FABRE Technology Platform Launched

(15/03/2006)

On 02 March 2006, the vision paper “Sustainable Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction: a Vision for 2025” was presented at the International Agricultural Show in Paris. This document is the first achievement of the “FABRE” (Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction) Technology Platform towards the creation of an animal genetics and reproduction research plan. FABRE is managed by the European breeding industry and, at the French level, will involve INRA and various professionals in animal breeding and reproduction.

Animal breeding and reproduction is a leading industry in Europe. Therefore, it must be prepared to respond to new challenges, including:

ensuring competitive production that requires few inputs, promotes animal welfare, respects biodiversity and the environment and provides nutritional quality;
opening up the various European farming systems, which are often very specialised, to markets and to greater world competition.

New animal breeding technologies, based on genetics that incorporates knowledge of the genome, will help industry face these challenges. However, some technologies raise ethical and social concerns. It is important for Europe to deal with these issues if it is to preserve its agricultural model in an increasingly globalised economy.

Research on animal breeding and reproduction for sustainability

The FABRE platform aims to identify strategic orientations in order to successfully meet the various challenges. Developing a vision is the first phase of development:

> Vision paper in English

The next step involves drawing up a strategic research agenda to identify the means for delivering the vision in terms of research and funding.
The FABRE technology platform was launched on 02 March 2006 at the International Agricultural Show in Paris, in the presence of Christian Patermann from the Research DG at the European Commission.

>> see agenda for 02 March 2006

Code of Good Practice for Farm Animal Breeding

The European project “Code-EFABAR” was also presented at the International Agriculture Show. The Code of Good Practice for Animal Breeding aims to become the standard instrument in Europe for defining and implementing good practice in farm animal breeding. Breeders who adopt the Code thus assert their commitment to respecting rigorous ethical standards. Information on the code is available in 20 languages.

>> www.code-efabar.org

FABRE Technology Platform

The French partners of the FABRE platform are INRA, France Hybrides, the Union for French Poultry and Fish Breeders (SYSAAF) and the French Union of Agricultural Cooperatives for Animal Husbandry and Insemination (UNCEIA).
Platform research is open to all organisations involved in animal breeding or reproduction in Europe, including breeding organisations, the farm animal industry, public authorities and research institutes, as well as consumer associations and animal welfare activists.

>> http://www.fabretp.org

Contacts:

> John Claxton
Unit E3, Research DG, European Commission
Tel: +32.2.299 43 75, Fax: +32.2.296 30 29
John.Claxton@cec.eu.int

> Michael H. Wappelhorst, Press and information officer
Information and communication Unit, Research DG, European Commission
Tel: +32.2.298 75 75, Fax: +32.2.295 82 20
Michael.Wappelhorst@cec.eu.int

> Anne-Marie Neeteson
European Forum of Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB)
Tel +31 26 339 15 38, Fax +31 26 339 15 39
Anne-Marie.Neeteson@effab.info

> Didier Boichard, Head of the INRA Animal Genetics Department
Tel.: +33 (0)1 34 65 21 81 or +33 (0)1 34 65 28 42
Didier.Boichard@jouy.inra.fr

> Alain Malafosse, UNCEIA
alain.malafosse@unceia.fr

> Bernard Coudurier, SYSAAF
coudurie@tours.inra.fr

> Pierre Cherel, France Hybrides
pierre.cherel@france-hybrides.com

Written by : Communications Department
Label for the news : Research example
Date of creation : 30/03/2006
Date of last update : 30/03/2006