Sector Farm Animal's staff

NordGen, sector for Farm Animals has since February 2008 been located with the Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre, at Ås, Norway.

Dr Juha Kantanen has a PhD in animal and population genetics from 1999, at Joensuu University in Finland. He has been working with research at MTT Agrifood Research, department for Biotechnology and food science. In addition to his research he has been responsible for coordinating the national program on farm animal genetic resources in Finland. His main focus during his scientific work has been genetic variation and relationships among different cattle and sheep breeds. He has been with NordGen since April 2009, and still holds a 20 % position at MTT.

Office in Aas: Høgskoleveien 8
E-mail: juha.kantanen@nordgen.org
Phone: +47 64 94 97 90
Mobile Phone: +47 45 24 00 89

Hans has a university degree in agricultural science and has held positions such as director of the Swedish Lowland Cattle (Holstein) Breeding Association, and as a breeding coordinator and director of two of the breeding organisations whis later merged into Swedish Breeding. He has also been employed at the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

His visiting adress is:
Falkenberg, Sweden
Phone: +46 (0)346-48433
Mobile phone+46 (0)70-6929779
E-mail: hans@nordgen.org

Benedicte has a Masterdegree from the Agricultural University of Norway, with a theses on animal welfare and nutrition in laying hens in 1999. Before that she took a college degree in business administration. Since 2000 she was the director of the Norwegian Poultry Association. She has been employed in NordGen, sector Farm Animals since March 2007.

Erling has a Masters (Cand. agric) and Doctorate (Dr.agric) degree from the Agricutlural University of Norway (NLH). His dissertation from 1979 was in the field of Animal Genetics. He has a wide range of experience from research, business-related knowledge application and management of trade organizations and research institutes. Erling has experience from numerous farm animal species, ranging from cattle, sheep, fur-bearing animals to several farmed fish species. He has been employed in the position as Sector leader in NordGen since 1998. He is from January 2009 is a pensionare, but serves still in a 20 % position.