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At the same time, French livestock farming is in great difficulty, both at the farm level and in the downstream industries, particularly those of primary processing. The causes of these difficulties are multiple. In a context of strong heterogeneity of the dimensions of farms and downstream industries, of heterogeneity of soil and climate contexts, of increasing production costs of livestock farming, of questioning animal production in terms of the necessary preservation of the environment (diffuse pollution linked to livestock farming and greenhouse gas emissions by ruminants) and of animal welfare, In addition to health considerations, livestock farms are struggling to generate sufficient income to invest, modernise and innovate, while the workload remains high, particularly in comparison with arable farms. Agricultural production is at best stagnant (milk), while it is decreasing for the majority of meats. Downstream companies (transport, slaughter and processing), often small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), also have very low margins and are unable, due to a lack of financial capacity, to carry out the required modernisation and innovation efforts. The sectors evolve in a context of exacerbated European competition where certain basins have been able to benefit from less strict regulations (labour costs in Germany, for example), and of excessive specialisation on mass products where the variable "price of the final product" remains the key element of competitiveness.

Faced with this widely shared observation, various bodies have taken up this issue to establish their roadmap. At European level, we can mention the work of the ATF (Animal Task Force). The strong tensions facing French animal production, and also European production to varying degrees, must lead us to revisit our research programme in the light of what will be the future of livestock farming and the use of their products.
The search for progress requires a change in the way research is conducted by (i) bringing together all the players to improve the clarity and efficiency of the national research, development, training and innovation system and (ii) developing inter-sector and inter-disciplinary approaches with a forward-looking vision. Indeed, all sectors are concerned by the numerous controversies on livestock farming, but also by economic and market issues, the effects of climate change, the attractiveness of professions and the sustainability of farms.

The aim of the GIS Avenir Élevages is to coordinate and direct a national multidisciplinary research and research and development programme aimed at, on the one hand, renewed knowledge of the major physiological functions of the animal and their interactions, for an informed selection on the efficiency and adaptive capacities of animals, and, on the other hand, the development of new, more resilient animal production systems that meet the objectives of environmental performance, economic efficiency and social acceptability.

The GIS Avenir Elevages has the following missions :

• Imagining the future(s) of livestock farming in France: Developing a shared and forward-looking vision of the challenges facing livestock farming and ways to make progress,
• Bringing together all the French R&D and F players and making the national system clearer
• Ensure the link between national, European and global dynamics
• Promote livestock farming in national and European calls for tender (in conjunction with the ATF): participate in the development of research agendas, coordinate responses, monitor
• Co-constructing and transferring innovations in livestock farming: innovative themes, from understanding processes to innovation in the field,
• Develop and communicate a balanced vision of livestock farming based on knowledge to feed the dialogue with public authorities and society,
• To be a recognised source of expertise for institutions and stakeholders (sectors and society): production of position papers.

To this end, the GIS Avenir Elevages works in particular to support the emergence and preparation of projects that can be presented to various types of funding, and to help set up and finance certain projects, particularly new ones or those not covered by the calls for projects.

Work areas