European Grassland Federation conference to be held at Aberystwyth University
Hundreds of grassland experts from across the world will be celebrating 50 years of the European Grassland Federation at a conference in Aberystwyth from 7-11 September 2014. Aberystwyth has been strongly associated with grassland agriculture and in particular the breeding of forage and cereal crops since the foundation of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station (WPBS) in 1919. The influential grassland scientist and environmentalist Sir George Stapledon was its first Director, a post he held from 1919 to 1942. Stapledon argued that grasslands were at the heart of successful agriculture, which in turn was at the heart of Britain's economic and spiritual well-being. For many years his vision was allied with the requirement to increase production from all types of grassland. Meeting bi-annually, this 25th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation is entitled ‘EGF at 50: the future of European Grasslands'. Dr Athole Marshall, President of the EGF and Head of Public Good Pla...