It was a very intense three-day event, full of emotions and enthusiasm for being back in presence to discover firsthand technical and technological innovations and, of course, the great heads of cattle of Cremona International Livestock Exhibition, an appointment that has been developing for 76 years to meet Italian breeders’ needs. ” It has not been that easy to organize such an event, in a moment in which restrictions to international travels are still in force – underlined Roberto Biloni, president of CremonaFiere – but we wanted to give a strong signal to the whole sector: Cremona is a crucial crossroads for global agro-livestock. The great feedback by companies and breeders is the demonstration that we did a good job. The presence of many institutional and political representatives, first of all the Italian Minister for Agricutlure, also confirms the importance of the hard work we carried out. It is therefore clear that Cremona is the ideal hub for agro-livestock”.
The centrality of Cremona as meeting point of international livestock professionals was proved also by the presence of international delegations (which was not to be taken for granted this year). Professionals from 14 Countries visited Cremona International Livestock Exhibitions looking for new business opportunities to be developed with Italian companies. ” The Exhibition days are only the tip of an iceberg – continued Massimo De Bellis, General Manager of CremonaFiere -; activities aiming at creating new opportunities on international markets run the whole year round and rely on the cooperation with several partners. During the Exhibition we favour matchmaking between exhibitors and international professionals”.
“The cooperation with CremonaFiere is very important since it offers many opportunities for our Country – said Humera Iqbal, Researcher and Project Manager of ACIAR Aik Sath Livestock Projects in Pakistan -. Pakistan is an agricultural country with a great potential. Here in Cremona we can see and learn more about technological innovations. Being here is a precious opportunity for us to discover the developments of the Italian agro-livestock market and share expertise and know-how”.
“During the Exhibition we met many institutional and sector representatives, as well as business partners- added Nuzhat Qaiser, Executive Manager and Owner of Usama Dairies, Pakistan-. I will share with stakeholders my experience here in Cremona and what I’ve seen and learned. I will cultivate these new contacts, so that our cooperation can get even stronger. The Italian agro-livestock model offers many growth opportunities for Pakistani breeders. Italy and Pakistan have many similarities, such as the importance played by the livestock and dairy sector for national economies. However, Pakistan has a strong need of technologies and innovation to optimize production and marketing of dairy products. That innovation is well represented here at the Exhibition. I really hope that the cooperation with our Countries can go on and take many steps forward, with an active involvement of women”.
Visitors of the Exhibition have for sure been attracted by the several innovations on display: among others, a special mention is deserved by the winner of the 23rd edition of the Targa Beltrami Award for innovation in agriculture, that is the company C.D. Impianti Elettrici with its “Safecow” system, especially conceived to save time and work of farm operators, while having a good impact on animal welfare.
Animals were very numerous at Cremona Exhibition this year with a top-level international livestock show: 475 registered cows from 75 Italian and international farms.
The winners of Cremona International Dairy Show 2021 are: Castelverde Defiant Gorgeous of Castelverde Marcello. Supreme Champion Heifers is FG APPLESTAR, M.E: Medal farm Ladina – Cremona, Supreme Champion Cows is Bruf del Primero Selly of Tjr Portea Società agricola S.S. Anzola D’Ossola (VB). .
This was a very much awaited appointment for all breeders who, for the first time in Europe could take part in an international Livestock Show in presence this year. Among them was also the very happy young breeder Giulio Federici who won the Young Breeder Award by ANGA (Confagricoltura young farmers association).
“One of the strengths of our Exhibition – conlcuded Biloni – is the ability to attract to Cremona diversified sectors and interests, above all thanks to a rich events programme dealing with the most topical themes of agriculture, livestock and agrifood. This enables us to be a strategic meeting point, the ideal place to develop business relations but also a hotbed of new ideas. We try to involve consumers as well, in order to give them the chance to get to know better the whole production chain: this is also a very important road to take to promote the value of Italian agrifood businesses and of their productions. The Exhibition is a strategic tool to share a vision and exchange ideas and opinions. Sustainability was one of the most discussed topic of this edition, to analyze how much agriculture and livestock have changed, what is being done and what still needs to be done. The Exhibition is here, at the service of the whole sector and of its production chain”.