Home > Farm animal conference 2024
Date: 7–8 February 2024 Venue: Hotel Scandic Uplandia, Uppsala, Sweden Registration for streaming: Follow this link
In February, NordGen arranges a farm animal conference titled Milestones, challenges, and Nordic collaboration of livestock conservation. The purpose of the conference is to share the current status of the Nordic farm animal genetic resources, raise awareness on the importance of biodiversity in agriculture and identify challenges and possibilities in safeguarding animal genetic diversity for the future.
Wednesday, 7 February
10.00 – 12.00 Small exhibition and display of student posters at the hotel.
12.00 Lunch at the restaurant of Scandic Uplandia
Session 1: Introduction
13.00 (start of streaming day 1) Peter Kullgren, Swedish Minister for Rural Affairs (video greeting) Lise Lykke Steffensen, Executive Director, Nordic Genetic Resource Centre (NordGen) Opening of the conference
13.15 Gunnar Rundgren, independent Author and Debator How can native farm animals play an important role in a sustainable food system?
13.35 Roswitha Baumung, Animal Production Officer, FAO 40 years of DAD-IS, the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System
13.55 Mervi Honkatukia, Section Leader, NordGen Four Decades of Collaborative Nordic Initiatives in Conserving Genetic Diversity of Farm Animals.
14.15 Odd Vangen, Professor of Animal breeding and Genetics, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) Extended Overview of Efforts to Safeguard Genetic Diversity in Farm Animals Over the Past 50 Years.
14.35 Johan Widing, Farmer, Bokeslundsgården Challenges and opportunities for keeping native breeds as a farmer
14.55 Student poster pitch
15.15 Coffee and tea
Session 2: Sustainable use of farm animal genetic resources
15.45 Peer Berg, Professor of Animal Breeding and Genetics, NMBU Challenges and opportunities in in situ conservation – the use of optimal contribution selection.
16.05 Egill Gautason, Assistant Professor of Genetics and Breeding, Agricultural University of Iceland Conservation and utilization of native Icelandic dairy cattle
16.25 Johan Ekroos, Associate Professor of Agroecology, University of Helsinki Nature biodiversity in agricultural environment. How do farm animals fit in this scheme?
16.45 Discussion moderated by Lise Lykke Steffensen, NordGen
17.00 – 17.20 Student poster pitch
Approximately 17.20: End of streaming day 1
19.00 Dinner celebrating 40 years of Nordic collaboration on farm animal genetic resources at the restaurant of Scandic Uplandia
Thursday, 8 February
Session 3: Towards the future
09.00 (start of streaming day 2) Lise Lykke Steffensen, Executive Director, NordGen Welcome
09.05 Ian Mayer, Professor of Fish Reproductive Physiology, NMBU Innovation in germplasm cryopreservation for improved animal breeding and the conservation of livestock biodiversity: A European perspective.
09.25 Sophie Aagaard, Boardmember, SAVE Denmark Establishing Denmark office and keeping live breeds – sustainable use for the future.
09.45 Anna Johansson, Associate Professor, Swedish university of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Native farm animals safeguarded for the future and used in a sustainable way: challenges and opportunities for academia.
10.05 Coffee and tea
10.35 Morten Kargo, Senior Researcher in Aarhus University, Senior Advisor Viking Red in VikingGenetics Challenges and opportunities for the industry
10.55 Håkan Thunon, Director of the Swedish Biodiversity Centre at SLU. The road towards a Swedish/Norwegian nomination of Fäbodkulturen to UNESCO World Heritage List
11.15 Panel debate and discussion. Closing remarks. Moderated by Lise Lykke Steffensen
approximately 11.45 End of streaming day 2
