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Farming forward with European Dairy

9 Sep 2026, 10 a.m.
Koeweidehof, Koeweidestraat 25, 1785, Merchtem Belgium
New Venise

About

The European Milk Forum is pleased to invite you to the event Farming forward with European Dairy on a modern dairy farm near Brussels.

The event will offer a unique opportunity to discover how digitalisation, robotics, AI and innovative sustainable farming practices are already transforming dairy production across Europe. 

Combining expert insights, real-life farmer experiences and an immersive farm visit, the programme will showcase practical solutions for building a resilient and future-ready dairy sector. Participants will also gain insights into the role of dairy in healthy and sustainable diets.

The programme will conclude with a lunch reception, offering an opportunity to continue discussions with speakers, experts and dairy stakeholders from across Europe.

Programme
(event in English, translation possible to Dutch & French)

09.30 Arrival, coffee

10.00 Welcome & Keynote speech
Laurent Damiens (President of EMF) 
Damien O’Reilly,
Moderator (ICOS, Irish Cooperative Organisation Society)  
Jan de Keyser 
(Head of Agri & Food BNP Paribas Fortis): Building a resilient future for livestock farming in Europe

10.40 Ensuring sustainable diets in Europe
Pierrick Girard (European 'Pathways' Programme), Presenting the Foodbasket7 tool, an interactive tool that helps consumers build a balanced, healthy and sustainable weekly diet.

11.00 The technological revolution
Laurence Depuille (Idele), Exploring how advances in robotics, sensors, digitalisation and AI are transforming European Dairy farms. 
An expert presentation followed by dairy farmer’s stories of solving challenges with new technologies/divers technology tools.

Farmers: Bart d’Hertefelt from Belgium and farmers from Ireland and Germany.

11:40 Adding value to data
Fanny Tenenhaus-Aziza (CNIEL), highlighting how collective approaches to data management, interoperability, digital sovereignty and responsible use of AI can support competitiveness, resilience and sustainability across the dairy value chain.

12:00 Closing remarks 
Benoît Cassart (Belgian farmer, Member of the European Parliament (Renew Europe) and Co-Chair of the European Parliament’s Intergroup 
 on Sustainable Livestock)

12.20: Farm visit

13h-14h: Lunch reception/networking

We look forward seeing you there. 

This event is co-financed by the European Union and organised by dairy organisations from Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland and France,
as part of the EMF YOGHURT Project 101138112.

Calendar

9 Sep 2026, 10 a.m.

Location

Koeweidehof, Koeweidestraat 25, 1785, Merchtem Belgium

Contact

EMF
Elke Unger
France