IFAH Europe_Roxane Feller Sec Gen Photo courtesy IFAH Europe
 Roxane Feller, secretary general of International Federation of Animal Health-Europe.
Photo courtesy of IFAH-Europe.
 
BRUSSELS, BELGIUM — TheAgri-Food Chain Coalition(AFCC) appointed Roxane Feller, secretary general of International Federation of Animal Health-Europe (IFAH-Europe), as its new chair. The Agri-Food Chain Coalition (AFCC) is a joint initiative representing 11 leading industry associations across the agri-food chain, working toward sustainable, solution-orientated and innovative policies that benefit the E.U. and beyond.  Feller will lead this multi-stakeholder group throughout 2017 to enhance understanding of the European agri-food chain sector’s important role and contribution to an innovative and sustainable Europe.


In 2017, the AFCC said it will continue to build an agenda, based on its vision paper of 2014, to create a greater recognition of the role of research and innovation in providing a secure and safe food supply in a sustainable manner, and to encourage the E.U. to put innovation at the heart of its agri-food policy.

“The AFCC has been working to increase awareness of the fundamental role of innovation in agriculture at E.U. level, but what we still need is a change of mind-set to fully embed a pro-innovation attitude and consequent policy approach,” Feller said. “Only then will we unlock the full potential of our innovation capacity and generate the desired benefits for farmers, industries, consumers and society at large.”

The AFCC also launched its new website, https://agrifoodchaincoalition.eu, to enhance its visibility, and provide all information about the AFCC’s goal and scope, and a quick access to relevant news and events.

“2016 has been an important year for the AFCC and the new website and communication efforts will allow the coalition to better present its challenges and opportunities,” said Garlich von Essen, secretary general of the European Seed Association (ESA). “Together, the AFCC associations account for more than 30 million jobs and some 3.5% of the EU’s gross value added.”

Speaking on behalf of AFCC members, Roxane Feller said, “Mr. von Essen has been a fantastic leader for all of us. I would like to thank him for his personal commitment to making the AFCC a thriving coalition. I will work together with all the coalition members to advance our common agenda in 2017, and to enhance the recognition of the European agricultural and food sectors’ key role and societal impact.”

AFCC said its members represent agricultural input industries such as suppliers of machinery, seeds, fertilizers, crop protection, animal health, feed and biotechnology-based products, the agricultural trade, European farmers and their cooperatives and the European food and drink manufacturing sector. Together, these industries account for about 30 million jobs and 3.5% of the EU's gross value added.

AFCC members include:
  • The European Liaison Committee for Agricultural and Agri-Food Trade (CELCAA)
  • European Agricultural Machinery Association (CEMA)
  • COCERAL
  • Copa-Cogeca
  • European Crop Protection (ECPA)
  • EuroBio
  • European Seed Association (ESA)
  • European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation (FEFAC)
  • Fertilizers Europe
  • FoodDrinkEurope
  • International Federation for Animal Health Europe (IFAH-Europe)