On Tuesday 17th Feb 2026, Sustainable Ruminant Genetics (SRG) officially launched its Strategic Plan which sets out SRG’s vision and priorities to transform livestock breeding and genetic improvement in Northern Ireland for the future, with a strong focus on improving the uptake and impact of genetic improvement projects to enhance farm profitability, animal health and environmental sustainability.
This official launch event was held in the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown, bringing together farmers, industry stakeholders, delivery partners and policymakers from across the ruminant sector.
The event featured presentations outlining SRG’s strategic objectives, progress to date and future plans, alongside input from across the dairy and red meat industries and from two BGP pilot farmers — one dairy and one beef — who shared their on-farm experiences of using genetics to drive performance.
A key focus of the discussion was the training and education element of the project, including the industry professionals training programme which was already underway at the time of the strategy launch.
The programme concluded with an expert panel discussion chaired by David Wright of the Irish Farmers Journal featuring SRG’s Chairperson Victor Chestnutt and CEO John Moore, CEO of the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF) Sean Coughlan, Head of Animal Genetics for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) Marco Winters and Head of Livestock Genetics and Data Branch in the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) Francis Breen, bringing together all of the key delivery and policy partners involved in the Bovine Genetics Project. SRG is responsible for delivering the project to farmers, ICBF acts as the service provider, AHDB is providing the dairy genomic evaluations, and DAERA is funding the project.
The panel provided attendees with the opportunity to discuss how improved data, technology and cross-industry collaboration can support better breeding decisions at farm level and deliver long-term benefits for the ruminant sector.
The launch event marks an important milestone for SRG as it moves into the next phase of strategy delivery, with a continued emphasis on transparency, farmer engagement and measurable outcomes. Future key milestones include the official launch of the Bovine Genetics Project (BGP) at the Balmoral Show later this year and the commencement of the Bovine Genotyping Scheme in September 2026. The accompanying communications framework aims to strengthen engagement with farmers and stakeholders, ensuring clear, consistent and accessible messaging and related training around the value of genetic progress.
Victor Chestnutt SRG Chairman “We are at the beginning of something genuinely exciting. It is essential that Northern Ireland farmers grasp the opportunities presented by SRG to help drive this project to deliver world class leading genetics forward and I have no doubt they will do so. By working together, and by making informed, data-led breeding decisions, we can build a more efficient, profitable and sustainable future for our livestock industry.”
Read the SRG Strategic Plan for 2026-2030 here
