Ten years of scientific excellence
AFBI held its annual Open Meeting in Hillsborough with 120 invited guests from the agri-food industry.
![Stakeholders at the recent AFBI Open Meeting Stakeholders at the recent AFBI Open Meeting](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/Group%20shot_2.jpg?itok=Ms9tSQFH)
Potato Blight Warning issued
![Blight sporulating on a potato leaf Blight sporulating on a potato leaf](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/088-1200_0.jpg?itok=QZ1fh2Hu)
Blight develops during warm, wet conditions, and ideal conditions have been formally defined as Smith Periods. A Smith Period is defined as at least two consecutive days in which the minimum temperature is 10°C or above and on each day the relative humidity is greater than 90% for at least 11 hours.
Launch of new research partnership on water quality at AFBI EREC
![WaterPro project partners at the Project Launch with AFBI Director Dr Sinclair Mayne, Mr Chris Johnston and Dr Donnacha Doody WaterPro project partners at the Project Launch with AFBI Director Dr Sinclair Mayne, Mr Chris Johnston and Dr Donnacha Doody](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/Water%20Quality.jpg?itok=uFAra7Yr)
AFBI is a major partner in this EU funded Interreg VB – Northern Periphery & Arctic project which has an overall value of approximately €2m. The project is led by the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
AFBI at Cereals 2016
Over 24,000 Farmers, 500 exhibitors as well as Agronomists and Industry professionals attended the arable industry's leading technical event in the UK at Chrishall Grange, Cambridgeshire.
Plans are already underway for 2017’s event which will focus on areas of current relevance to growers from soil and drainage, to specialist crops and specialist business advice.
AFBI Postgraduate Research addresses key issues for NI Agri-Food Sector
![Keynote speakers and prize winners pictured at the annual AFBI Postgraduate Research Symposium Keynote speakers and prize winners pictured at the annual AFBI Postgraduate Research Symposium](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/PG%20Day.jpg?itok=LLACWpSK)
Answers to these and many other key industry issues were addressed at the annual Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) Postgraduate Research Symposium.
Balancing greenhouse gas and agricultural production targets on Irish farms
![Speakers pictured at the event Speakers pictured at the event](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/Joint%20AFBI-Teagasc%20Meeting.jpg?itok=O_W11tdF)
Scientists from Teagasc and AFBI presented key results from a multi-site and multi-year experimental field trial that focussed on both grassland and spring barley.
AFBI and Teagasc hold joint forestry meeting
![Pictured L-R are Dr Ian Short, Prof Jim McAdam of AFBI, Andrew Doyle TD and Kevin O’Connell of Teagasc Pictured L-R are Dr Ian Short, Prof Jim McAdam of AFBI, Andrew Doyle TD and Kevin O’Connell of Teagasc](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/300616%20Farm%20Woodland%20Forum%20Ballyhaise%20AC%204.jpg?itok=GzOMY-ai)
Minister Doyle has the responsibility for forestry in his portfolio. The meeting gave an overview of joint role of AFBI and Teagasc in agroforestry and farm woodlands across the island of Ireland, included a session on training and education, and another on woodland management.
Levy-funded research at AFBI Hillsborough delivers for pig producers
![The modern sow is not only capable of giving birth to large litters, she is also capable of rearing large litters to good wean weights when provided with the right nutrition and when feed intake is high The modern sow is not only capable of giving birth to large litters, she is also capable of rearing large litters to good wean weights when provided with the right nutrition and when feed intake is high](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/Piggies_0.jpg?itok=B3p9zTMy)
Pig Regen used this funding to complement additional funding from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affair’s (DAERA) Evidence and Innovation Fund. This complementary funding more than doubled the scale of the programme and provided additional value to Pig Regen funding.
How AFBI science supports eel conservation in Lough Neagh
![Lough Neagh Eels Lough Neagh Eels](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline/public/images/Eels_0.jpg?itok=2mJtMec_)
The article featured the work that the co-operative is doing to establish effective conservation techniques, especially in conjunction with AFBI freshwater fisheries scientist, Dr. Derek Evans and his PhD students.
The full article can be seen here
EAAP 2016 comes to Belfast
![Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre, Belfast Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre, Belfast](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline/public/images/EAAP%2027.06.15-%20Europes%20largest%20animal%20science%20conference%20is%20coming%20to%20Be..._0.jpg?itok=b8sdAmPU)
The event will take place in the Waterfront Conference and Exhibition Centre, Belfast from the 29 August to the 2 September 2016 and will bring together world-leading experts from over 66 countries to discuss the key role of livestock in providing a sustainable food source for a growing global population.
The event is a once in a lifetime opportunity for Northern Ireland and offers the local agri-food industry a unique opportunity to discuss cutting edge advances in the area of livestock science and production.
Register here
Meet the Scientist - Dr Adrian Allen
![Dr Adrian Allen Dr Adrian Allen](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline/public/images/Adrian%20Allen_2.jpg?itok=8AxRAX5w)
I am a Senior Scientific Officer in the Molecular Unit of the Bacteriology Branch. My research interests are around population genetics and its application to bovine TB and brucellosis research – specifically bacterial evolution, epidemiology and host resistance. I am involved in efforts to better understand the population genetics of badgers across the island of Ireland at a national and local scale. I also run AFBI’s forensic cattle DNA profiling laboratory.
I am a Fulbright Scholar and you can see my ResearchGate profile here