Alltech summit to profile latest thinking

Malcolm McLean, Donaghmore, exhibited the supreme champion Relough Dartboard PLI £623 at Holstein NI's 29th annual spring show and sale. Adding their congratulations are sponsor Mark Forsythe, Danske Bank; and Tom Kelly, Drogheda, judge. Picture: Julie Hazelton

“Recent media attention has focused heavily on issues such as climate change, hunger and obesity, and antimicrobial and pesticide use,” said Cathal McCormack, country manager of Alltech Ireland.

“There has never been a greater need for our industry to deliver a strong message about the wealth of positive opportunities in agriculture, especially in terms of sustainability and human health.”

Industry experts will tackle the bigger issues that confront Irish agriculture on the plenary stage on Friday, March 15, while species-specific sessions on Thursday, March 14, will give attendees an opportunity to explore topics within their particular fields of interest, including ruminant, pig, poultry, crop science and ag-tech.

Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech President and CEO.

Alltech President and CEO Dr. Mark Lyons will be joined at Friday’s plenary session by Mairead McGuinness MEP, vice president of the European Parliament, and Patrick Wall, professor of public health at University College Dublin (UCD).

Dr Lyons will offer attendees unique insights into global agriculture and share educated advice about tackling shifting trends in the industry.

McGuinness, who has a background in agricultural economics, works to influence the future shape of agriculture and rural development policies, global development policy, the environment, public health, and food safety and security.

Professor Wall’s research interests include food safety, nutrition and managing lifestyle-related disease through behavioural change.

The Thursday species sessions will focus on scientific and research-based learning. During the ruminant session, attendees will hear discussions about solving the environmental puzzle surrounding beef and dairy production from such speakers as Dr Carolyn Opio of the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organisation; Adam Henson, farmer and TV presenter with BBC’s Countryfile; and Chris Kerston of the Savory Institute in the United States.

Getting a gut feeling for antimicrobial-free pig farming is the theme of the pig session, which will include presentations from Mark Cigan from Genus R&D in the U.S.; Leigh Marques of Quantum Genetix, Canada; and UCD’s Dr. Seamus Fanning.

Key industry speakers for the poultry session, which will explore the exploitation of birds’ genetic potential through immunity, include Ben Huntington of Avara Foods in the U.K.; Eilir Jones, international poultry consultant; and Richard Turner of St. David’s Poultry Team in the UK.

Growing toward a pesticide-free future is the overarching theme of the crop science session, featuring talks by Pedro Palazo from Ideagro, Spain; Cody Eubanks of JR Simplot in the US, and Professor Adrian Newton from the James Hutton Institute in Dundee.

The summit will take place in Dublin’s Convention Centre. For further information and contact details with regard to registration, contact Alltech Ireland on 003531 825 2244.