Key Takeaways
- The summit welcomed over 250 participants, including livestock producers, animal health and nutrition providers, feed companies, investors, retailers, and innovators.
- The focus areas for innovation include disease prevention, targeted investments, professional training, and resilient production models.
- A One Health approach emphasizes the need for ongoing partnerships and research, particularly in disease detection and prevention.
- The summit discussed the importance of innovations in reducing enteric methane emissions and the role of farmers in making informed choices.
- The event highlighted the potential for high returns in animal agtech investments, contradicting the notion of lower returns in the sector.
The Animal AgTech Innovation Summit 2023 recently concluded in Amsterdam, bringing together a diverse group of over 250 stakeholders from various sectors. The summit served as a platform for busy networking, insightful discussions, and the creation of new partnerships, aiming to address the pressing challenges in animal agriculture technology.
Healthier and Resilient Animal Production Systems
Dr. François Caya, Chief of Staff at WOAH, France, emphasized the need for innovation in several key areas. These include disease prevention through effective vaccines and innovative practices, targeted investments in R&D for disease control, quality training for meat and dairy production professionals, and ensuring resilience in current production models. He stressed that tackling these issues requires cross-sectoral cooperation and expertise sharing.
One Health Approaches
Stephanie Armstrong, SVP & Cluster Lead Northern Europe at ZOETIS, UK, highlighted the importance of a One Health approach. She pointed out that the last few years have significantly changed antibiotic usage, advocating for a shift towards more preventative therapies and vaccines. She believes this will significantly impact the One Health approach, which aims for the well-being of people, animals, and the environment.
Enteric Methane Emissions
Sanne Griffoen-Roose, Director of Sustainable Farming at FRIESLANDCAMPINA, Netherlands, discussed the role of farmers in choosing innovations to reduce enteric methane emissions. She mentioned that enough data and insights are available to calculate emissions, making it easier for farmers to make informed decisions.
Funding an Ecosystem of Innovation
Spencer Swayze, Managing Director at PAINE SCHWARTZ PARTNERS, USA, talked about the investment landscape in animal agtech. Contrary to the belief that the sector offers lower returns, he cited examples of successful exits and big successes for families and private equity firms. He emphasized that investing in animal agtech can be highly successful with proper capital formulation and milestone achievement.
Delegate Insights
The summit also provided a platform for delegates to share their experiences and takeaways. One of the delegates from the WORLD ORGANISATION FOR ANIMAL HEALTH mentioned that the summit was an excellent way to connect with the industry and was optimistic about the global regulatory framework adapting to new technologies and ways of supporting animal health and welfare.
Image provided by Animal AgTech Innovation Summit
