EUROPEAN FORUM OF FARM ANIMAL BREEDERS

Their core work

EFFAB is a European industry association representing the farm animal breeding sector, acting as a bridge between animal breeding companies, researchers, and policymakers. They bring the breeder's perspective into large-scale genomics, animal welfare, and sustainable livestock production research. Their practical role in EU projects is to ensure research outputs align with real breeding industry needs — translating scientific advances in genetics, epigenetics, and functional genomics into tools breeders can actually use. They also facilitate multi-actor dialogue on socially sensitive topics like genome editing and antimicrobial reduction in animal production.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2015–2019), EFFAB focused on practical breeding efficiency — on-farm management tools, precision livestock technology, multi-breed genomic tools for beef and dairy, and the economics of animal health. From 2019 onward, their work shifted decisively toward sustainability, welfare, and the societal dimensions of breeding — genome editing acceptability, environmental impact reduction, and epigenetic inheritance. This mirrors the broader EU policy shift toward Green Deal priorities and responsible innovation in food systems.

EFFAB is moving toward the intersection of advanced genomics (epigenetics, genome editing) and societal acceptance, positioning itself as the industry voice that helps researchers navigate public and regulatory concerns around next-generation breeding technologies.

How they like to work

EFFAB participates exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — which is consistent with their role as an industry association that brings sector-wide perspective rather than leading technical research. With 135 unique partners across 32 countries in just 10 projects, they operate in very large consortia and maintain an exceptionally broad network. This makes them a well-connected hub: partnering with EFFAB means gaining access to the organized European breeding industry and its downstream networks.

EFFAB has collaborated with 135 distinct partners across 32 countries — an unusually wide network for an organization of its size, reflecting its role as a pan-European industry forum. Their connections span Western and Northern Europe's major agricultural research institutions and breeding companies.

What sets them apart

EFFAB occupies a rare niche: they are the organized voice of commercial animal breeders within EU research. While universities and research institutes bring scientific expertise, EFFAB brings industry reality — what breeders actually need, what tools they will adopt, and what society will accept. For consortium builders, EFFAB solves the "multi-actor" requirement that many Horizon calls demand, providing genuine industry representation rather than token participation.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RUMIGEN
  Their largest single grant (EUR 337K), combining genomic and epigenomic approaches for ruminant breeding with explicit attention to genome editing social acceptability.
• GEroNIMO
  Ambitious project exploring non-genetic inheritance in monogastrics — pushing breeding science beyond traditional genetics into epigenetics and prediction models.
• ROADMAP
  Unusual for EFFAB — addresses antimicrobial use reduction through sociology and economics rather than genetics, showing their breadth beyond pure breeding science.