SPACE 2011: SPACE celebrates 25th edition

The French animal husbandry trade show SPACE celebrated its 25th edition this year, with a record number of exhibitors — 1,300. The show’s organizers note that requests for space this year could not be fully met, particularly in the dairy and poultry farming sectors.
While the overwhelming number of exhibitors, 700, at the event were from France, SPACE is increasingly placing itself as an international event, and welcomed ministers and delegations from around the world. Its organizers noted that while the show was unrecognizable in comparison with 25 years ago, it remained a “friendly” place to do business.
Visitor numbers on day one of the event may have been a little low in the poultry halls but the show was not without excitement. As in previous years, the event witnessed a protest from local farmers — this time from the pig industry — however, it was nothing like last year’s protests when a lockdown had to be implemented and riot police charged.
Some 100,000 visitors are expected over the course of the event, and day one saw the French Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire, absent for the last three years, attend the event. He recognized the difficult climate that France’s livestock producers are facing and, for poultry producers, promised that despite budgetary constraints there would be no restrictions on the €20 million earmarked for the next three years to help producers modernize and make their buildings legally compliant.