FEFAC, the European Feed Manufacturers' Federation, has confirmed the high-level speakers line up for the 31st FEFAC Congress, taking place on May 20 at the Hotel Intercontinental Athénée Palace in Bucharest, Romania.

This event, co-hosted by ANFNC, the Romanian National Association of Compound Feed Manufacturers, will be held back-to-back with the 13th ANFNC Annual Conference, offering a combination of high-level debate, innovation showcases, and exclusive site visits on May 19-21.

The events begin with the 13th ANFNC Annual Conference, FEED & FORESIGHT 2026 – Vision and Innovation Driving the Future of the Sustainable Feed and Meat Industry in Europe. The day will conclude with a welcome reception and festive dinner at the Romanian Athenaeum, a landmark UNESCO Heritage concert hall in Bucharest dating back to the late 19th century. This informal evening will provide delegates with valuable networking opportunities with policymakers, researchers, and industry leaders.

On 20 May, the 31st FEFAC Congress will address the central theme: "European livestock sector – QUO VADIS? Outlook to EU livestock and feed production in the Circular Bioeconomy." EU policymakers, industry leaders, and international experts will explore the challenges and opportunities on how to maintain competitiveness and resilience while delivering on sustainability and circularity ambitions via innovative feed solutions. The event precedes the European Union's anticipated report on the long-term livestock strategy, which aims to enhance the competitiveness and resilience of the EU livestock sector while reducing its climate footprint.

The first panel, "EU Agricultural Markets and EU Trade Policy Outlook: EU & Ukraine Agricultural Trade Relations in the Context of Changing EU FTA Agreements," will focus on key geopolitical drivers for EU agricultural and livestock markets and related reshaping of EU trade policy, including the evolving EU–Ukraine trade relationship, MERCOSUR implementation and ongoing US/EU trade negotiations in the broader context of the evolving EU's economic security paradigm focusing on reducing the EU strategic dependencies.

Pierre Bascou, Deputy Director General at DG AGRI – European Commission, and Cezar Gheorghe, founder of AgriColumn, will provide key insights on reshaping EU policies for the agricultural market and trade, while Sergii Kharin, Country Leader, Romania and Republic of Moldova, CORTEVA will set the scene on the competitiveness of EU grain and oilseeds production with a focus on the Black Sea area.

Panelists experts including Elli Tsiforou, Secretary General of COPA/COGECA, Vasile Varvaroi, President of ARCPA (COCERAL member), and Jim Sutter, chief executive officer of USSEC, will share their respective sector perspectives with the keynote speaker and the audience.

The second panel, "How Can Feed Additives Support the Transition to More Sustainable Livestock and Aquaculture Systems?", will examine innovation in animal nutrition and circular feed practices. The discussion will open with a setting of the scene intervention by Piotr Bonislawski, Senior Director Public Policy of Elanco, followed by keynote contributions from Koen van Dyck, Head of Unit at DG SANTE – European Commission, and Séverine Deschandelliers, President of FEFANA, on regulatory development and insights in the research pipeline.

Pieter Bastiaanssen, Managing Director (ECA) at Trouw Nutrition, NUTRECO, Silvia Sonneveld, Head of Vitamins Unit, Animal Nutrition & Health at dsm-firmenich, and Eddy Piron, Vice President Sales and Marketing at Huvepharma, will provide an overview of key market drivers for feed additive innovations and investments in the premix and feed additive production in the EU, in the context of the EU's strive for reducing strategic dependencies while increasing competitiveness of EU production systems.

The first two panels will be moderated by Rose O'Donovan, Editor-in-Chief of AGRA FACTS.

The third and final panel will explore "Opportunities and Challenges for a Circular Feed & Livestock Sector in the EU Bioeconomy", providing an outlook on how to maximise opportunities from the agrifood chain sector linked to the European Commission communication on circular bioeconomy. The session will open with a setting-the-scene intervention by Zeev Noga, Secretary General of UECBV, followed by presentations from David Carpintero, Director General of ePURE, and Jonathan Job, CEO of Duynie. Oana Neagu, Director at COPA-COGECA, Hinse Boonstra, Public Affairs Manager EMEA at BAYER, and Arturo Hernangomez, Agricultural Engineer at ANPROGAPOR, will discuss how circular bioeconomy approaches can benefit livestock farming sectors and create synergies with other agrifood chain partners.

The third and final panel will be moderated by Anton van den Brink, FEFAC Deputy Secretary General.

On May 21, two field visits have kindly been offered to FEFAC Congress delegates by Cargill (Costanza Port) and Bunge (Oilseed crushing plants).

- FEFAC

FEFAC confirms lineup of high-level speakers for 31st Congress in Bucharest, Romania

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