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Founding of a European Consortium for Organic Animal Breeding (Eco-AB)
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By Wytze Nauta, Louis Bolk Institute, The Netherlands
Animal breeding in practical organic farming is getting limited attention although research projects on organic animal breeding are and have been carried out in several counties including Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and United Kingdom.
Rules for organic breeding are limited and animals from conventional breeding programs are widely used. Many organic farmers have to find out themselves which animals fit best at their farms.
Also, current research programs are more or less focusing on management, health, feeding and food quality while to our opinion, selective breeding should be included to optimize production and genetics in organic systems.
Likewise technologies used (like IVF, embryo transfer, AI) in conventional breeding programs may not be entirely satisfactory in organic systems. Thus, according to the principles of organic farming described by IFOAM, the organic production chain should be more closed, also for breeding.
Setting up an association for organic animal breeding
To work on the development of organic animal breeding an European association with the name: 'European Consortium for Organic Animal Breeding' (Eco-AB) will be set up, parallel to the already existing European Consortium for Organic Plant Breeding (Eco-PB).
The goal of Eco-AB is to stimulate organic agriculture through animal breeding directed at the needs of organic farming systems. For this Eco-AB will work on:
- Initiation of organic animal breeding programmes
- Support of organizations and individuals, which will make breeding information and material available to European farmers according to the principles of organic agriculture
- Development and investigation of concepts and scientific basis of organic animal breeding
- Development and promotion of appropriate standards and practices as well as an appropriate legal framework for organic animal breeding.
To further pursue its goal, Eco-AB may also provide a forum for e.g.
- Exchange of knowledge and thoughts among its members
- Information of the public
- Resentation in parliamentary and administrative rule-making.
Eco-AB has to become the official body for matters that include or affect animal breeding in organic farming and become a discussion and advising body for such matters.
To celebrate the birth of Eco-AB, a start-up workshop will be held the day before the Joint Organic Congress in Odense. At this workshop we will give more information on the goal and activities of Eco-AB and we will also have some presentations on recent research on organic breeding from different countries (see program pdf).
Membership
Eco-AB is a foundation where institutes and private bodies can become a member. At this workshop it is also possible to sign up for membership. The fee for Full membership (institutes, companies) will be €1000,- per year. Support membership will cost €100,- per year. Statutes of Eco-AB will soon be published at a website.
The fee for the workshop is €100,- per person. For participation please fill in the participation form (word).
The preliminary board:
- Wytze Nauta (Louis Bolk Institute, The Netherlands)
- Peter Lovendahl (DIAS, Denmark)
- Ton Baars (University of Kassel, Germany)
- Jo Conington (SAC, UK)
- Günter Postler (AGRLL, Germany)
- Beat Bapst (FiBL, Switzerland)
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