Animal AgTech Innovation Summit Europe 2021

Moderator:
Aidan Connolly, President & CEO, CAINTHUS & AGRITECH CAPITAL, USA

Speakers:
Jamie Brannan, President International, ZOETIS, UK
Lukas Visek, Member of Cabinet of Executive VP Frans Timmermans, EUROPEAN COMMISSION, BELGIUM
Pekka Pesonen, Secretary General, COPA-COGECA, BELGIUM
Robert Erhard, Corporate Agriculture Specialist, NESTLE, SWITZERLAND

• What does ‘net-zero’ mean for the animal agriculture industry and who does it impact the most? How can we work together to find a scientific, reliable, and standardised tool for farmers to measure carbon, greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability?
• How are The Farm to Fork Strategy and COP26 contributing to the urgency of changing farming methods, and where do we see ourselves in 5-10 years’ time? What is holding back the industry from accelerating to where it needs to be and catching up with the rest of the agri-food industry?
• How can we ensure that net-zero carbon aligns with other important sustainability metrics and goals such as food quality, nutrition management, animal welfare and farm profitability?
• Which new technology players are emerging in response to these challenges? Where do industry leaders and stakeholders see the biggest opportunities for impact?
• What innovative projects and collaborations are successfully being trialled and modelled? What key learnings can we take from these?

Speakers:
Kerli Ats, CEO, ESTONIAN FARMER’S FEDERATION, Member, EESC, ESTONIA
Sophie Gregory, Dairy Farmer, ARLA ORGANIC, UK
David Christensen, Dairy and Beef Farmer, KINGSTON HILL FARM / ARLA, UK
Matthew Wilkin, Director, WHITE SKYE FARMS, UK

In order to provide the tools and systems that will help farmers achieve their goals, we must start at the very beginning and hear from the farmers themselves. We’ve spoken to farmers across Europe about the main challenges they face, and their experiences in adopting new technologies.

• What are your main objectives and priorities over the next 12 months? How have these shifted since the pandemic? What are your biggest challenges and concerns?
• How do you feel about the growth of on-farm data and the transition to digital? Are you seeing a clear ROI from this?
• What other new technologies coming onto the market excite you the most and where do you see the biggest opportunities to improve your operations?
• What are your concerns regarding new solutions, and what could be done to accelerate your adoption?
• What are your thoughts on government incentives such as The Sustainable Farming Incentive in the UK?
• What does the future look like for you in the next 5-10 years? How can the industry best support tomorrow’s farmers?

Moderator:
Tomas Norton, Professor, Precision Livestock Farming, KU LEUVEN, BELGIUM

Speakers:
Simon Johansen, Director of Business Development, BIG DUTCHMAN GROUP, DENMARK
Justin Gale, Global Business Manager Swine, BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM, GERMANY

• Where are today’s farmers seeing greatest impact/value through the use of digital solutions on the farm?
• How successful are sensors and monitoring solutions in enabling early disease detection and treatment? What new technological advances are emerging in this space?
• How do we get better at measuring animal welfare and signs of positive behaviour in animals?
• Which digital technologies are gaining most traction and investment? What are some successful examples of producers using PLF solutions to improve health, welfare and sustainability?
• What is needed to make PLF technologies economically available to both large- and small-scale farmers? How can the industry better communicate the ROI to farmers? Who is going to be owning and using the data?

• What is needed to sustainably scale both RAS and off-shore aquaculture to meet fast-growing market demand?
• How important is supply chain transparency to the future of the sector, and what technologies offer the greatest potential in this space?
• How can we ensure that farmers both large and small see the ROI of sustainable, high-welfare farming practices?

Moderator:
Björgólfur Hávarðsson, Innovation Manager, SEAFOOD INNOVATION CLUSTER / Senior Industry Mentor, HATCH BLUE, NORWAY

Speakers:
Ohad Maiman, CEO, KINGFISH COMPANY, NETHERLANDS
Peter Rowe, CEO, DEEP BRANCH, UK
Cecile Lassalle, Formulation and Cost Pricing Director, CARGILL, SWITZERLAND
Mike Veilings, Co-Founder, AQUASPARK, NETHERLANDS

• The majority of the carbon footprint of aquaculture comes from feed: What sustainable alternatives to fishmeal and soy are gaining most traction?
• How are biotech and circular-based solutions from waste scaling up? With changes to EU legislation on animal feed, do we see these alternatives transferring to livestock feed?
• What commercial stage are we at with aquafeed innovations such as insects, algae and single-cell proteins and can they scale fast enough for the industry to make a full transition?
• How can we accelerate their route to market whilst also considering cost, safety, policy and consumer perception? What are the main challenges and setbacks?
• How can producers work with retailers to uncover new marketing opportunities and how do marketeers see consumers reacting to insect-fed products?

Speaker:
Ambra Milani, Co-Founder, CYNOMYS, ITALY

Speaker:
David Speller, Founder & CEO, OPTIFARM, UK

• After the pandemic shed light on the supply chain risks caused by human labour shortages, how have producers, processors and other companies along the supply chain adapted, and what new technologies are emerging as a result?
• What impact could AI & robotics have on the efficiency and sustainability of livestock farming? What are the strengths and limitations of a fully automated farm? What could a hybrid model look like?
• How do we implement these technologies so that they are user-friendly, accessible and deliver a clear return on investment for producers?
• Which companies are setting good examples of applying these technologies, and what can we learn from their experiences?
• What does the digitisation of farming mean for the next generation of farmers, and how will the need for new skill-sets affect workers and traditional employment?
• What are some of the consumer perceptions and concerns around AI & Robotics?

• Which digital platforms and AI solutions are proving successful in supporting disease detection and preventing outbreaks of sea lice?
• How are new evolutions in oral vaccines and therapeutics combatting anti-microbial resistance in fish populations?
• What natural solutions are emerging in disease prevention and treatment?
• How do feed additives and medical treatments differ when farming on land vs off-shore?

Speaker:
Yasir Khokhar, CEO & Co-Founder, CONNECTERRA, NETHERLANDS

Carbon-smart farming. Neural networks. Artificial intelligence. Blockchain. Virtual reality. The world’s cutting-edge technologies have immense potential to transform agriculture and save our planet. But transformation only happens when technology is accessible and delivers on its promise to the people who use it. From empowering daily decision-making to facilitating insight-driven collaboration between farm teams and their advisors to unlocking data-driven regenerative strategies for processors, we’ll show a real case study of adoption that has a clear path to scaling.

Speakers:
John Kirkpatrick, Agricultural Manager, Poultry and Eggs, TESCO, UK
Emily Phelps, Sustainability Lead, AVARA FOODS, UK
Cliona Howie Del Río, CEO, FOUNDATION EARTH, SPAIN

• With consumers increasingly conscious about what they eat and where it comes from, how can producers, brands and retailers engage more with consumers to communicate sustainability and welfare practices?
• How can discrepancies between what consumers say they want, and their behaviour cause problems along the supply chain? Will cost always be the decisive factor for consumers?
• To what extent can health, welfare and sustainability information about products change consumer behaviour? What messages do consumers relate to most when buying animal products and in which direction is this shifting?
• With the pandemic, we saw a shift from bricks and mortar retail towards more D2C and online sales channels. How are producers taking advantage of social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok to form closer connections with their target audience?
• A traffic-light eco-scoring system is being trialled on both animal and plant-based products: What’s next on the horizon for retailers when it comes to product marketing and labelling? Are carbon and animal welfare scorings a thing of the future on all animal protein products? What are the strengths and limitations of this?
• How can we ensure that the value derived from data on welfare and sustainability feeds back to the farmer?

Shark:
Jan Meiling, Managing Director, STARTLIFE, NETHERLANDS

Start-Ups:
Simo Ellilä, CEO, ENIFERBIO, FINLAND
Nimrod Madar, CEO, FARMSEE, ISRAEL

Speakers:
Bor Boer, CEO, TERRA PROTEIN EQUITY, NETHERLANDS
Maarten Goossens, Founding Partner, ANTERRA CAPITAL, NETHERLANDS
Joost Matthijssen, Strategic Innovation Manager, NUTRECO, NETHERLANDS

• Which trends and technologies are strategic investors and VCs following, and where do they see the biggest opportunities in the animal agtech sector?
• How can investors take advantage of the shorter feedback loops in animal agriculture compared to crops?
• What learnings can we take from companies who are acquiring, merging and partnering with very early-stage start-ups? What models are proving most effective?
• Moving forwards, do we expect to see more strategic partnerships than venture capital investments?
• Why are there less exits and acquisitions in animal agtech compared to food and crop agtech? Which players are missing from the conversation?

Speakers:
Nick Davies, Group Agricultural Director, 2SISTERS, UK
Cees Jan Hollander, Global Farming Expert, DANONE, NETHERLANDS
George Tice, Executive Director for Public Policy International, ELANCO ANIMAL HEALTH, IRELAND
Gavin Hodgson, Buying Manager Meat, Fish & Poultry, SAINSBURY’S, UK

• How can farmers balance the need to reduce carbon emissions on their farms with other drivers for change, such as higher animal welfare? Are there examples of when these two goals are in conflict and how are farmers tackling this challenge?
• How is the use of life-cycle assessment (LCA) methodologies in agricultural production supporting producers to monitor and make improvements to their farm, and offer greater transparency to retailers and consumers?
• What are the latest approaches to delivering a full life-cycle and holistic view of production systems?
• How can we continue to ensure that animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and financial sustainability for the farmer go hand in hand?

Speaker:
Eli Kamhine, VP, Head of Strategy & Discovery, Mahi Technology Labs, MSD, ISRAEL

• Where do we see animal husbandry in the next 30-50 years? What do we predict will be the most consumed sources of animal protein?
• How can the livestock, dairy and aquaculture industry communicate its role as a source of sustainable protein, and a vital component of a green, circular economy?
• Which technologies and solutions will be most critical in supporting the industry to achieve these goals?

Speaker:
Stephen Wilson, CEO, GENUS, UK

• How significant are breeding and genomics to the improvement of animal health, welfare and productivity?
• To what degree is genetic selection a more promising strategy in combating infectious diseases in livestock than currently believed?
• What opportunities do transgenic and genome-editing technologies offer? What about genomics in feed crops e.g. to reduce methane content or improve digestibility/gut health?
• How does the public perception of gene editing impact the commercialisation of using genomics, and do we see legislation easing up in the EU?
• Where is R&D at the moment in genomics? What new and exciting technologies are on the horizon, and how will they change the entire agri-food industry? With long research and approval times of genomics, what impact does this have on investment and partnership opportunities?

Speakers:
Kerryann Kocher, CEO, VYTELLE, USA
Peter Kristensen, CEO, SYNOMICS, UK

Join our speakers in breakout groups to brainstorm solutions to the challenges raised during today’s sessions.

Moderator:
Laetitia Gerbe, Partner, SEVENTURE PARTNERS, FRANCE

Speakers:
Anthony Finbow, CEO, EAGLE GENOMICS, UK
Pierre-Joseph Paoli, President Additives, Ingredients & Amino-Acids, ADM ANIMAL NUTRITION, FRANCE
Annemarie Rebel, Professor Healthy and Resilient Livestock, WAGENINGEN UNIVERSITY, NETHERLANDS

• Research has shown that the gut microbiome contributes to more than just a healthy gut but the overall physiological and behaviour needs of animals. What are the next steps in exploiting the potential that feed additives can have on animal health and welfare?
• How can scientists, veterinarians and regulators work more closely with stakeholders to bring products to the market?
• Added feed solutions could means added cost: How can the value of improving digestibility and nutrient absorption be communicated at a farmer level?
• What opportunities are there for innovators and stakeholders to develop diagnostic tools to deepen the understanding of the connection between nutrition, health and welfare?

Moderator:
Emmy Koeleman, Freelance Editor, Animal Nutrition and AgTech, NETHERLANDS

Speakers:
Steve Lindsley, President, GROV TECHNOLOGIES, USA
Stéphane Roussel, Venture Partner, ECBF
Leon Marchal, Innovation Director, IFF HEALTH & BIOSCIENCE, NETHERLANDS
Steve Meller, CEO, CH4 GLOBAL, USA

• As feed remains the largest financial and environmental cost in animal production, which new feed alternatives are gaining traction with today’s producers?
• How can novel feeds such as algae or insect-based feeds help reduce the environmental impact of livestock and dairy farming? How scalable are they?
• What new innovations are emerging in feed derived from waste, and other circular economy-based solutions? How viable are new models for closed-loop farming?
• How great is the potential for indoor-grown livestock feed, and under what circumstances?
• What legislative barriers are holding us back from making advances in feed efficiency and how can governments play a more supportive role in accelerating innovation in feeds?
• Who is financing the research and development of feed alternatives and what successful partnerships are being modelled?

Speaker:
Christopher Belnap, CEO, RESILIENT BIOTICS, SWITZERLAND

Speaker:
Peter van Wingerden, CEO, FLOATING FARM, NETHERLANDS

• At last year’s summit we announced the winner of the Manure Challenge. Since then, are we seeing greater adoption of new innovations that reduce the environmental impact of manure?
• Which solutions offer the greatest potential to capture value from manure-based by-products?
• How are feed innovations reducing the GHG emissions from livestock farming?
• How are genetics and other solutions targeting methane reduction?
• What could the future of circular farming systems look like?

Speakers:
Jean-Louis Hunault, Secretary General, DIAGNOSTICS FOR ANIMALS, FRANCE
Alan Beynon, CEO, POULTRY SENSE/MSD, UK

• Where are we on the journey towards diagnostics, preventative health, and treatment? Should vaccines be the primary focus in R&D to get us to a healthier and safer food system?
• Where are the gaps in the delivery mechanisms for animal health?
• How can the industry work with regulators to allow broader use of alternatives to antimicrobials and speed up their approval?
• How are AI and other digital technologies helping in the prevention of disease and reduction in antimicrobials?
• How are animal health companies, producers and technology providers working together to develop more precise delivery of prevention and treatment solutions?

Judges:
Nicky Deasy, Managing Partner, YIELD LAB EUROPE, IRELAND
Paul Kengen, Innovation & Corporate Venturing, ROYAL AGRIFIRM GROUP, THE NETHERLANDS

Start-Up:
Rob Hannam, Director Business Development, FARM HEALTH GUARDIAN, USA

Speaker:
Barney Debnam, Director, Agribusiness Industry Solutions, MICROSOFT, USA

• Gathering data on farms is nothing new, but who should own, control, pay for and get access to the data? Where is the value in the data and how can the industry get better at aggregating, understanding, and applying it?
• How can data be shared in a precise, valuable, and secure way so that it’s user-friendly and safe for the farmer, as well as benefitting those along the supply chain?
• How can technology solutions be better integrated and interoperable so they are simpler, more affordable and applicable across different farming systems? Are there platforms that already do this?
• What are the leading examples of best-practice collaboration between big tech and producers? What impact have we seen on supply chain efficiency and transparency?

Speakers:
Justin Sherrard, Global Animal Protein Strategist, RABOBANK, NETHERLANDS
Larsen Mettler, Managing Director, S2G VENTURES, USA
Matthew Tebeau, Chief Operating Officer, PROTEON PHARMACEUTICALS, POLAND
Rajiv Singh, Partner, OPEN PRAIRIE, USA

• What are the main obstacles and concerns preventing new innovations coming to market?
• How can we tackle the ‘lack of capital’ and limited funding in animal agtech?
• Which players in the eco-system do we need to engage more for better collaboration to see these technologies evolve?
• What can the animal agtech industry learn from food and crop-agtech when it comes to technology adoption?
• What role does EU regulation/legislation and the Green Deal play in driving innovation?
• Which companies are modelling partnership success, and what lessons can be learned to help future partnerships thrive?
• What are the key takeaways from the summit and what’s on the horizon for 2022?