|
Extension Services for Quality Milk Production
Proceedings of an International Workshop in conjunction with the East-West-Forum
of the Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Forestry
and the "Window of German Animal Breeding" at the International Green Week
24-25 January, 1999
Foreword
The political and economic processes of transformation in the CEE-countries
have led to profound structural changes in the agricultural sector, to
a drastic reduction in livestock numbers and to reduced market supplies
with animal products. At the same time, changes in the awareness of the
consumers for the quality of animal products have developed. Thus, there
are fewer products available in the market, the quality of which frequently
does not meet the expectations of the consumers so that considerable quantities
are being imported from the world market, and, on the other hand, the available
production potentials are not fully exploited.
The dairy industry in the CEE-countries like many other livestock activities
is exposed to structural change, which partly leads to new types of production
structures, and which requires properly adapted extension and service systems.
To stabilize market supplies with highly valued dairy products is not
urgently needed from the economic view point, but it is also an important
policy goal with a view to people's health. During the International Green
Week in Berlin these problems are to be the subject of a workshop with
technical representatives of the Central and East European countries.
Two sessions deal with milk quality standards of the European Union,
quality demands of the consumers for milk and dairy products as well as
extension approaches for better milk quality. The second session mainly
deals with papers on the status of milk quality and practised extension
activities for the improvement of milk quality in the countries of Central
and Eastern Europe.
Aspects of how to organize extension, how to give advice in milking
technology as well as actual milk quality control and pricing will be dealt
with through short country statements and contributions to the discussion
from Central and Eastern European countries, and recommendations. After
the official closing of the workshop, participants will be given the opportunity
to see the "Window of German animal breeding" in hall 25 of the International
Green Week.
For the organizers:
K. J. Peters
Institute for Animal Sciences
Humboldt-University Berlin
K. Meyn
German Animal Breeders' Federation
(ADT), Bonn
| 
