March 22nd, 2006


The First IFOAM International Conference on Animals in Organic Production


Announcement and Call for Papers

The First IFOAM International Conference on Animals in Organic Production
Announcement and Call for Papers


University of Minnesota Continuing Education and Conference Center, St. Paul, MN, USA
August 23rd- 25th 2006

Introduction

Organic livestock production is growing rapidly throughout the world, and sales are anticipated to increase dramatically in the coming years. Although organic livestock production has made significant advances over the last several decades, navigating complex regulatory frameworks and dealing with challenges facing the sector such as securing high levels of health and welfare in organic livestock systems need to be addressed on an international level. In addition, the organic movement needs to take advantage of and share the vast knowledge about organic livestock management practices that has been accumulated, from feed supply to market management.

This conference will focus on important issues concerning organic livestock and animal husbandry. It will concentrate upon health and food safety in organic livestock production systems, marketing trends, innovation in organic livestock production systems and livestock breeding strategies. Key figures from around the world will present the diversity of organic livestock systems, including opportunities and challenges on the horizon.

The conference will include keynote speeches by Fred Kirschenmann, Senior Fellow, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Dr. Temple Grandin, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University and Dr. David Wallinga, Director, Food and Health Program, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, among others

Representative list of conference topics

Livestock standards and regulations
  • Meeting organic livestock standards around the world
  • Livestock conversion issues
  • Prevention and treatment of diseases
  • Feed
Trends and opportunities in organic livestock production
  • Statistics on organic livestock
  • Consumer demand
  • Markets - terms and definitions; market structure and analysis; quality assurance; processing and distribution; and trends in consumer markets
  • Price comparisons
  • Economic studies
  • Establishing market niches
  • Increasing profits
  • Barriers to organic livestock production
  • Organic dairy marketing failures in the United Kingdom
Animal health and food safety in organic livestock production systems
  • Current inspection and certification systems for animal health and welfare
  • Farm level practices on animal health and quality aspects of organic livestock production
  • Parasite control with minimal medicine inputs
  • Animal stress minimization

Best practices for the production and management of various animal species

Livestock breeding


Call for Papers
Papers are invited on all conference topics. Case studies and practical experiences from the field are strongly encouraged. Organizers anticipate a variety of papers and presentations, ranging from those that are scientific and technical, to those that are practical and/or policy oriented. Single-spaced, one to two page abstracts and presentation proposals should be submitted by April 18, 2006, along with a CV of a maximum of two pages.

Abstracts and CVs should be sent to jriddle@hbci.com with the subject line “Abstract IFOAM Conference Animal Production.” Abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Committee. Authors will be notified by May 15, 2006, if their abstract has been accepted, and will be invited to submit a final paper.

Authors whose papers are accepted for presentation will receive free conference registration.

Submissions from people in developing countries are also strongly encouraged.

Conference Registration
The conference registration brochure is available on the IFOAM website:
http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/pdfs/Animal_Production_Web.pdf

Online registration will also become available, but you may register via fax using this registration form.

University of Minnesota Continuing Education and Conference Center, St. Paul, MN, USA
August 23rd- 25th 2006

Introduction

Organic livestock production is growing rapidly throughout the world, and sales are anticipated to increase dramatically in the coming years. Although organic livestock production has made significant advances over the last several decades, navigating complex regulatory frameworks and dealing with challenges facing the sector such as securing high levels of health and welfare in organic livestock systems need to be addressed on an international level. In addition, the organic movement needs to take advantage of and share the vast knowledge about organic livestock management practices that has been accumulated, from feed supply to market management.

This conference will focus on important issues concerning organic livestock and animal husbandry. It will concentrate upon health and food safety in organic livestock production systems, marketing trends, innovation in organic livestock production systems and livestock breeding strategies. Key figures from around the world will present the diversity of organic livestock systems, including opportunities and challenges on the horizon.

The conference will include keynote speeches by Fred Kirschenmann, Senior Fellow, Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture, Dr. Temple Grandin, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University and Dr. David Wallinga, Director, Food and Health Program, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, among others.

Representative list of conference topics

Livestock standards and regulations
  • Meeting organic livestock standards around the world
  • Livestock conversion issues
  • Prevention and treatment of diseases
  • Feed
Trends and opportunities in organic livestock production
  • Statistics on organic livestock
  • Consumer demand
  • Markets - terms and definitions; market structure and analysis; quality assurance; processing and distribution; and trends in consumer markets
  • Price comparisons
  • Economic studies
  • Establishing market niches
  • Increasing profits
  • Barriers to organic livestock production
  • Organic dairy marketing failures in the United Kingdom
Animal health and food safety in organic livestock production systems
  • Current inspection and certification systems for animal health and welfare
  • Farm level practices on animal health and quality aspects of organic livestock production
  • Parasite control with minimal medicine inputs
  • Animal stress minimization
Best practices for the production and management of various animal species

Livestock breeding


Call for Papers
Papers are invited on all conference topics. Case studies and practical experiences from the field are strongly encouraged. Organizers anticipate a variety of papers and presentations, ranging from those that are scientific and technical, to those that are practical and/or policy oriented. Single-spaced, one to two page abstracts and presentation proposals should be submitted by April 18, 2006, along with a CV of a maximum of two pages.

Abstracts and CVs should be sent to jriddle@hbci.com with the subject line “Abstract IFOAM Conference Animal Production.” Abstracts will be reviewed by the Program Committee. Authors will be notified by May 15, 2006, if their abstract has been accepted, and will be invited to submit a final paper.

Authors whose papers are accepted for presentation will receive free conference registration.

Submissions from people in developing countries are also strongly encouraged.

Conference Registration
The conference registration brochure is available on the IFOAM website:
http://www.ifoam.org/events/ifoam_conferences/pdfs/Animal_Production_Web.pdf

Online registration will also become available, but you may register via fax using this registration form.

Sponsorship Program
Companies and organizations are invited to participate as sponsors of the first world conference on organic livestock production. The sponsors will receive a host of benefits according to the level of sponsorship.

Sponsorship Levels
Platinum Sponsor – 20,000 Euros (US$24,000)
Gold Sponsor – 10,000 Euros (US$12,000)
Silver sponsor – 5,000 Euros (US$6,000)
Bronze sponsor – 1,000 Euros (US$1,200)
Exhibitor – 500 Euros (US$600)

Further Information
For further information about the conference, including opportunities for sponsorship, contact Neil Sorensen, Manager, Communications and Events, at n.sorensen@ifoam.org

Conference Coordinator
Jim Riddle
Coordinator for Organic Outreach
University of Minnesota
31762 Wiscoy Ridge Road
Winona, MN 55987
Ph/fax: 507-454-8310
Cell: 507-429-7959
Email: jriddle@hbci.com

IFOAM Special Announcement, Responsible: Angela B. Caudle, Contact: Neil Sorensen

Head Office Contact
Charles-de-Gaulle-Str. 5
53113 Bonn, Germany
Tel: +49-228-92650-10
Fax: +49-228-92650-99
Email: headoffice@ifoam.org
http://www.ifoam.org

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