For a Better Understanding of Milk Production World - Wide
IFCN stands for International Farm Comparison Network. The IFCN is a world-wide association that is linking
agricultural researchers, advisors and farmers.
IFCN can be seen as a regional farmers’ discussion or study group focusing on dairy economy with a global scope.
IFCN is a warehouse of data and tools. It can be considered a research co-operative with synergy effects. All the researchers contribute their effort and information, obtaining far more than would have been possible on their own.
IFCN is a navigation system of knowledge to give guidance to farmers, policy makers and the agribusiness in a rapidly changing dairy world.
IFCN is a scientific network. Within this network the public funded institution FAL acts as the co-ordination centre for
scientific issues. The company Global Farm GbR, with its headquarter in Braunschweig, provides the professional management for the network.
IFCN is an open scientific system for the exchange of ideas and the creation of knowledge and information. IFCN
is independent from third parties (policy makers, lobby groups, industry) and committed to truth, science and reliable results.
Milk production world-wide is characterised by three key issues which will lead to rapid changes in the future:
- Very diverse farming systems
- High dependency on politics (trade policy, quotas, direct payments, etc),
- Scope for substantial change in policy (WTO etc).
The global know-how provided by the network becomes an important production factor for successful business decisions for farmers and the related agribusiness. Moreover policy discussions (WTO, agricultural subsidies, etc) can become more fact-based which makes solutions easier to find.
Please click here for the extract of the 2004 Report (PDF).
Related Links:
International Farm Comparison Dairy website
United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization website |