Norwegian conservation work

The task of conserving Norwegian farm animal genetic resources began formally by establishing the Committee of Farm Animal Genetic Resources in 1986. Norwegian Centre for Genetic Resources was established in 2006, and has now the operational responsibility, as an administrative body under the Norwegian Ministry for Food and Agriculture. The Committee is working as an advisory organ for the Centre, and consists of representatives from breeding associations and organizations, national authorities within agriculture, environment and science, as well as the Directorate for Cultural Heritage. NordGen has the status as observer.

The Centre for Genetic resources has as its main task to produce a strategy plan, and subsequently follow up the practical efforts described there. Furthermore the Centre provides secretarial functions for the Committee, acts as an advisory body for the authorities and provides necessary information material as well as work as a networking agency within this field.

Norwegian Centre for Genetic resources for farm animals:

1. Work as a national resource- and competence centre within farm animal genetic resources, and for their sustainable management and development.
2. Categorize and monitor threathened breeds
3. Define criteria for breeds worthy of conservation
4. Contribute to sustainable breeding practices being followed, both by providing advisory services as well as increasing competence and consciousness about the principals for sustainable animal breeding.
5. Provide information to the public as well as certain target groups of the importance of genetic diversity within farm animal breeds.
6. Implement measures for particularly threathened farm animal breeds.

Norway

Responsible authority:
Committee for farm animal genetic resources

Norwegian Genetic Resource Centre
Box 115
N-1431 Ã…s
Phone: +47 64 94 90 55
Website

Leader of the committee: Odd Vangen
Tlf: +47 64 96 51 44
E-mail: odd.vangen@umb.no
National coordinator: Nina Sæther
E-mail: nina.sather@skogoglandskap.no

"Wild sheep" a brand of the breed Old Norse Sheep, kept on moor lands in the western coastal cultural landscapes of Norway