June 11-13, 2003, Tumba, Sweden
Earlier this month I had the opportunity to attend the New Dimensions in Dairy Development Conference (3D) held at DeLaval on the Hamra Farm in Tumba, Sweden. The conference hosted by DeLaval with the participation of the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations featured Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director General of the FAO as the keynote speaker (copy of keynote address).
Dr. Jacques Diouf, Director General of the FAO
Read Keynote Address here
Reducing problems of starvation and poverty – by the year 2015 – has been promised by world leaders. DeLaval has been accepted as a partner of the FAO to focus this conference on agriculture and food supply – on the imbalance between those parts of the world with issues of oversupply and potential over-consumption, compared with those struggling with problems of poverty and malnutrition.
250 participants representing farmers, processors, retailers, consumers, advisors, politicians and animal welfare specialists from 35 major dairying countries participated in the program. Discussions focused on the whole value chain of the dairy industry from cow to consumer with illustrations on how milk is produced, processed and consumed in different parts of the world under widely varying conditions.
It is our intention at milkproduction.com to draw from the conference and feature information on the dairies that were highlighted as well as material and resources generated by the participants, particularly in the area of dairy promotion.
I believe that the majority of the participants came away from this gathering with the same feeling I did: As a global industry we share common goals, common difficulties and common concerns no matter the size of our operation or where we are located. Sharing information will benefit us all.
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