On invitation of the China Animal Health and Food Safety Alliance (CAFA, 国家动物健康与食品安全创新联盟), the Sino-German Agricultural Centre (DCZ) attended the 8th China Animal Health and Food Safety Conference in Chengdu from 13-14 June. DCZ Team Leader Jürgen Ritter contributed to this highly acknowledged national conference with a keynote speech in the opening session.
Over 1200 participants followed the plenary session on13 June and ten thematic panels on 14 June. An exhibition with numerous companies and industries presenting their products and approaches for animal health and food safety completed this impressive event, which addressed wide and specific aspects of the conference theme, including the risks of anti-microbial resistance (AMR), scientific use of veterinary drugs, disease prevention and control, innovations in the food industry chain, pig and cattle and hen breeding, as well as international cooperation on animal welfare.
It was in this context of international cooperation that Jürgen Ritter presented to the plenum related activities of the DCZ and introduced German and EU regulations as well as some important German agencies and institutes that are in charge of or work in the fields of animal health and welfare as well as food safety.
Practical and specific experiences in Sino-German cooperation on animal husbandry were presented in the panel on international cooperation in the presentation “Animal welfare vs. performance? – Insights from the Sino-German Project for sustainable animal breeding and animal husbandry” by Henrik Delfs, Team leader of this project.
Paul Littlefair, Director of International Affairs of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) and Lucy Oldham from Scotland’s Rural College in Edinburgh brought further insights into the development of research and international cooperation on these issues.
It is noteworthy that a section on international cooperation was included in this national conference. Besides this and more importantly, the high-level attendance of academicians and decision-makers as well as the wide spectrum addressed by the experts ranging from specific topics of technical development to behavioral and attitude changes highlights the importance of this annual event organized by CAFA and the growing attention this topic of animal health and food safety is receiving in China.
