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From January 16 to 25, 2025, the International Green Week took place in Berlin – one of the world’s leading trade fairs for food, agriculture and horticulture. For the third time, LIFEstockProtect was represented with its own stand and offered a platform for discussing the challenges and solutions at livestock protection.
livestock protection In focus: technical discussions and practical knowledge
With over 2,000 expert discussions, the stand provided an opportunity for direct exchange with farmers, representatives of agricultural ministries, the EU Commission, agriculture and environment ministers, hunting representatives, sheep associations and NGOs. It became clear that year-round grazing is essential for many regions – it not only secures agricultural livelihoods, but also contributes to the preservation of valuable cultural landscapes. The return of predators poses new challenges for many farms. This makes it all the more important to find practicable and effective solutions that enable grazing and nature conservation in equal measure.
A particular highlight was the almost hour-long presentation of livestock protection and herding dogs, which attracted over 2,500 visitors. This not only demonstrated how grazing animals can be protected, but also taught hikers and other recreational visitors how to behave correctly in grazing areas – especially when dealing with farm animals, shepherds and their dogs.
International interest in European livestock protection strategies
The LIFEstockProtect stand was also followed closely at a global level: Official representatives from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Turkey and the USA learned about livestock protection measures in Europe and discussed their applicability in their home countries. The focus was particularly on the balance between agriculture and wildlife management as well as the importance of well-functioning conservation measures for the future of pasture farming.
The EU Commission also invited presentations to its stand to discuss with the public how grazing can be safeguarded in the long term despite the return of predators.
Livestock guarding dogs as a crowd puller
Of particular interest were the livestock guarding dogs, which were not only presented at the stand, but were also shown in the fair’s large presentation ring as part of the presentation of endangered domestic animal breeds. Their role as reliable helpers for livestock farmers was impressively conveyed.
Promoting young talent: school visits and educational work
The younger generation was also inspired: Six Berlin schools visited the stand as part of their project weeks and learned about the challenges posed by predators and modern herd protection measures. In this way, the importance of reconciling traditional grazing with protective measures was communicated at an early stage.
Over 5,000 information brochures distributed
The great interest was also reflected in the information material – a total of over 5,000 brochures on herd protection strategies, the use of herding dogs and rules of conduct in grazing areas were distributed.
📅 The Green Week 2025 was once again a complete success – LIFEstockProtect is looking forward to continuing the dialog around livestock protection and securing pasture management in the future!
Discover more from LIFEstockProtect: Herdenschutz Österreich, Bayern und Südtirol
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