Faroe Islands – Jens Ivan í Gerðinum

Advisor at the Agricultural Agency and secretary for InterNorden

Jens Ivan has a sheep farming background and has represented the Faroe Islands in several farming related programmes and projects in the nordic region.

Country Presentation: The Faroe Islands

21st October, 10:00–10:30

Iceland – Eyjólfur Bjarnason

Advisor at RML, sheepfarmer and chair of the Icelandic sheep farmers association

Presentation: Icelandic Subsidy System for Sheep Farming

21st October, 10:30–11:00 

22nd October, 09:45–10:15

Norway – Borghild Hillestad

CEO, Norwegian Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers (NSG)

Borghild Hillestad has a strong background in animal breeding, genetics and organisational leadership, with experience in research, industry and agricultural policy.

Through her role at NSG, she works closely with the development of Norwegian sheep and goat production, including breeding programmes, strategic development, and the economic and political framework conditions for small-ruminant farming.

Presentation: The Norwegian Sheep Model

21st October, 11:00–11:30

Greenland – Henrik Frederiksen

Country Presentation: Greenland

21st October, 11:30–12:00

Finland – Milla Alanco-Ollqvist

Advisor, ProAgria South-Botnia

Experienced sheep and goat consultant specialising in production, nutrition, breeding and animal welfare. Combining extensive industry expertise with practical farming experience, she helps livestock producers improve farm performance, sustainability and long-term genetic development through tailored advisory services and training.

21st October, 12:45–13:15

Sweden – Annelie Carlsson

Project Leader, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Annelie is an Animal Science graduate with extensive experience in sheep production. She has practical experience running a Texel sheep breeding flock and has worked as an advisor to small-scale sheep farmers. She currently works at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), where she conducts research on sheep and lamb production and teaches courses in sheep production.

21st October, 13:15–13:45

Denmark – Bente Østergård

Chair of the Danish Sheep Breeding Association

Bente lives on a small farming property of 7 hectares in Brønderslev, Northern Jutland, Denmark.

She runs a pedigree flock of 25 Texel ewes. Her main breeding goal is to produce healthy lambs on pasture.

Finland – Juha Kantanen

PhD, Professor, Natural Resources Institute Finland

Presentation: Ancient Sheep of Northern Europe: Genomic and Isotopic Insights

21st October, 14:45–15:30

Jacob Vestergaard

Minister of Trade and Industry

Welcome

22nd October, 09:00–09:15

Finland – Kisun Pokharel

Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke)

Kisun Pokharel is a Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), specialising in animal genomics and bioinformatics. His research focuses on understanding the genetic basis of traits important for the conservation, adaptation and sustainable utilisation of locally adapted native breeds and species.

Presentation: What Makes Finnsheep Highly Prolific? Insights from Functional Genomics

22nd October, 09:15–09:45

Sweden – Mikaela Jardstedt

Researcher at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences

Mikaela's research focuses on sheep and lamb production, beef cattle production, farm management and agricultural economics.

Presentation: Farm Business Development Programme is a web-based business development tool for small-scale beef and sheep farms, designed to strengthen farmers’ leadership, management, and entrepreneurial skills. Developed by farmers, researchers, and advisors, it helps analyse and improve farm performance, profitability, and sustainability. A pilot project involving lamb, beef, and suckler cow producers is currently testing the concept during 2025–2027. Following evaluation and refinement, the programme will be made publicly available.

22nd October, 10:30–11:00

Norway – Tom Idar Kvam

Chair of the Norwegian Sheep Breeding Council at the Norwegian Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers

Tom Idar Kvam is an experienced sheep farmer from Luster in Western Norway.

He runs a flock of approximately 200 Norwegian White Sheep (NKS) at the innermost part of the Sognefjord, an area characterised by high mountains, glaciers and excellent outfield grazing conditions.

Through his farming operation and his role on the breeding council, he contributes to the development of Norwegian sheep breeding, with a focus on profitability, productivity, animal welfare and sustainability.

Presentation: Breeding for Performance and Profitability

22nd October, 13:30–14:00

Faroe Islands – Sigert Patursson

Sheep and dairy farmer. Chair of the Faroese Farmers Association and Chair of the Faoese Dairy Coop

Presentation: Meat production, legislations, challenges and solutions

22nd October, 14:00–14:30

Iceland – Jóhannes Sveinbjørnsson

Sheep farmer and Professor at the Agricultural University of Iceland

Presentation: Diverse Sheep Meat Production Systems in Different Countries—What Are the Driving Factors? Examples from the Nordic Countries, the UK and France

Norway – Anders Schanche Rettedal

Chair of the Board, Norwegian Association of Sheep and Goat Farmers (NSG)

Anders Schanche Rettedal is an experienced sheep farmer from Mosterøy in Western Norway.

He runs Utstein Gard and Klostergarden, where sheep production, farm-based food production and direct sales are key parts of the business. Through both his farming operation and his national role in NSG, he has broad insight into Norwegian sheep farming, agricultural policy and the economic framework conditions for livestock producers.

Presentation: Norwegian Subsidy System for Sheep Farming

22nd October, 15:30–16:00

Norway – Lise Grøva

Researcher at NIBIO (Norwegian Institute of Bioeconomy Research)

I am an animal scientist and researcher at NIBIO and my work focuses on the connection between rangeland resources, grazing livestock, and the farmers who steward these landscapes. Now, a main focus is on how digital tools and emerging technologies can support the future of rangeland grazing. This is also the focus in the European network project Digi-Rangeland. Link: https://digirangeland.eu/

Presentation: DIGI-Rangeland: A European network on new tech solutions and future perspectives on rangeland farming

22nd October, 16:00–16:30