Aims & background
Introduction
The 5th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM-Lucerne 2010) will be held on October 25th– 26th 2010. ABIM-Lucerne provides an annual meeting place specifically adapted to the needs of the biocontrol industry, their distributors and major users.
The aims of the meeting are to:
- discuss issues of common interest, such as regulations, promotion policies etc.,
- learn about new developments in the field of applied biocontrol and related diseases, weeds and pest control methods,
- discuss business opportunities, meet each other,
- encourage interaction between all biocontrol stakeholders: industry, distributors, majors users, public / private funded research organisations and administration,
- provide a convenient venue for meetings of national and regional biocontrol industry associations.
Who should attend the meeting
- Biocontrol manufacturers and distributors
- Consultants
- Regulators
- Researchers
Themes and rationale
Biocontrol companies are in general small to medium size enterprises. Research and development (R&D) of novel products and technologies, registration and introduction to a market consume massive financial resources. To make such products a profitable business, substantial volumes are needed. Market volume can be achieved by generating synergies amongst biocontrol companies, and networking dedicated distributors worldwide.
Furthermore the biocontrol industry has common issues (e.g. registration) which have to be discussed regularly. Up to now, contrary to the conventional chemical pesticide industry which meets annually under the auspices of the British Crop Protection Council (BCPC) in Glasgow, UK, no international “meeting point” is established where biocontrol producers, distributors, consultants as well as opinion leaders meet.
In addition ABIM-Lucerne provides an excellent opportunity for organisations to convene meetings (e.g. General Assembly of IBMA, meetings of national biocontrol industry organisations).
Keynote themes and meeting programme
- One plenary session on new developments in regulation and policy
- One plenary session on market developments for biocontrol
- One plenary session on integration of biocontrol products into IPM (case studies)
- Two plenary sessions for the presentations of research and development (R & D) results on macrobials, microbials, botanicals, natural substances and semiochemicals
- Stands and poster displays (commercial and research) during the meeting
- General Assembly Meeting of IBMA
- Meetings of IBMA Organisations
Presentations
The plenary sessions provide a platform for industry representatives and researchers to present novel products and results from applied R&D activities. Abstracts are to be submitted to the programme committee by 1st of August 2010. The programme committee will select presentations of high practical relevance and/or that are of particular interest for the biocontrol industry.
Location
Lucerne is a beautiful town in the middle of Europe which offers excellent infrastructure and good and reasonably priced accommodation. Lucerne is also within easy reach of Zurich, but also Basel or Geneva airports by train.
