FEFANA and EPA established a cooperation agreement to collaborate for the promotion of probiotics for animal nutrition. The two associations have recently joined their forces with the aim to generate, develop and share their know-how and information on probiotics with feed chain stakeholders.
EPA has been created to specifically support the generic promotion of probiotics in feed. Through several initiatives they inform and update the scientific communities, veterinarians, nutritionists and the relevant industries about the benefits of probiotics in animal nutrition. FEFANA represents the interest of Specialty Feed Ingredients at large, and involves the majority of probiotic operators in its membership. The activities of the association are mainly focused on regulatory aspects impacting the specialty feed ingredients industry; joining forces with E.P.A. organisation to strengthen promotion of probiotics toward the feed chain partners is amongst major strategic interest.
Today the main ambition of this joint group is to better position the probiotics in the national, European and International arena being a pivotal source of information, combining and strengthening their activities, and providing common outcomes based on knowledge sharing.
The joint group will work on a series of communication activities along the year on topics already identified and related to subjects perceived as important and/or innovative for probiotics. A website is under construction to become a reference and an information source to those interested to follow-up developments related to probiotics.
The traditional Jules Tournut Probiotic Prize, created by EPA in 1999, will also be granted in November 2012 during the Eurotier in Hannover, Germany, to reward researchers for their innovative works in the field of probiotics in animal nutrition.
The joint group will operate within the FEFANA structure and make sure that their activities fit to the Specialty Feed Ingredients Industry overall objectives. Gérard Bertin, EPA Secretary General, will take care of the management of this joint group, with support and involvement of the FEFANA staff.
Building on their different assets, the associations aspire to a fruitful cooperation to better inform relevant stakeholders about the role and importance of probiotics in animal nutrition.