Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 2 March 2021

NEWS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2021 29 Event and the EuroTier and EnergyDecentral Inno- vation Award ceremony. A special highlight was the DLG-Wintertagung (‘DLG-Winter Conference’), an important annual event for German farmers, which this year was held in parallel on the DLG Digital Platform hosted by the DLG on February 11th registering over 2,500 attendees. The “EuroTier / EnergyDecentral digital” was officially opened by German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture, Julia Klöckner, who in her opening speech encouraged farmers in Germany to participate in the developments in agriculture and animal husbandry. Klöckner emphasized that it was not just technology or how to reduce workload that constitute the topics of today, but, more im- portantly, the social acceptance of livestock farm- ing and animal welfare. Klöckner also noted that the industry is undergo- ing radical change, which can, however, only be suc- cessful and sustainable if done in a proportionate manner with a view to the long-term perspectives for livestock farmers in Germany. Hubertus Paetow, President of the DLG, not- ed that animal husbandry in Germany and Europe will continue to look different in the future than in many other regions of the world. Higher demands on animal welfare and sustainability require different technical concepts. This poses significant challenges for manufacturers and farmers alike. However, it also presents opportunities for those who recognize the trends early on and implement them efficiently. 1,200 EXHIBITORS PRESENTED PRODUCTS AND INNOVATIONS More than 1,200 exhibitors presented informa- tion, in real-time, on their range of products and services using various multimedia tools. Exhibitors were also able to network and engage directly with participants via chat and video meetings. In addi- tion to offering new technologies and consulting for livestock farming, the companies’ offerings also included the upstream areas of livestock farming, such as breeding, techniques and farm input, as well as downstream areas, such as processing and distribution channels. Some 200 exhibitors at En- ergyDecentral presented innovative solutions for decentralized energy supply, e.g. for the production of biofuels, solid fuels, renewable energy such as photovoltaics, solar energy or wind power, but also technology and consulting for biogas plants. Exceptional innovations presented by exhibitors eligible for a coveted gold or silver award, were eval-