On 22–24 August 2025, a general assembly of National Coordinators from various European countries cooperating within the European Regional Focal Point ERFP – an organization working to conserve livestock genetic resources in Europe – was held in Innsbruck, Austria. The ERFP is an important platform for cooperation and exchange of experience between European countries for the conservation of livestock genetic resources, in line with the FAO Global Plan of Action.
The meeting was divided into three parts:
- a meeting of the ERFP Board,
- general assembly – lecture and discussion part,
- a visit to the Hoch-Alm farm in the Alps, where Tuxer and Tyrolean Grey cattle, Haflinger horses, and Blobe goats are grazed, among others.
The lecture part began with a presentation on the state of animal genetic resources in Austria. Next, the ERFP secretariat and the chairs of the ERFP Working Groups (in situ, ex situ, and information and documentation) presented their annual activity reports, summarizing the implementation of the tasks arising from the Global Plan of Action and the results of the Ad Hoc meetings.
The discussion touched upon the topic of transboundary breeds, which are found in more than one European country. A FAO report on the results of the 20th Session of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, held in March this year, was also presented. The FAO recommends the development of a new breed threat index based on data from the international DAD-IS system and the continuation of updates to this data.
The Institute was represented at the meetings by Ewa Sosin, PhD Eng. (National Coordinator and Chair of the ERFP ex situ GR) and Beata Smulska, MSc, acting as assistant to the National Coordinator, both from the Department of Farm Animal Biodiversity and Horse Breeding.
Ewa Sosin, PhD Eng. was elected to the ERFP Board, which further strengthens Poland’s role in international activities for the conservation of animal genetic resources.
We warmly congratulate her on her success!
