International Heritage Breeds Week
Support the survival of classic livestock breeds like Oberhasli goats, Wiltshire Wild Horn sheep, and Gloucester Old Spot pigs during Heritage Breeds Week.
Celebrate rare livestock breeds and drive direct sales at farmer's markets while positioning your brand as a conservation partner supporting sustainable, heritage agriculture.
- Farm-to-table spotlight: feature heritage breed farmers and their unique products
- Behind-the-scenes farm tours and petting zoo experiences for families
- Educational content on endangered livestock breeds and why they matter to food security
- Community fundraiser tie-ins supporting breed conservation organizations
While rare breeds have been a concern for conservationists for a long time now, the first International Heritage Breeds Week only took place in 2015. The purpose of the event was to celebrate the diversity of livestock and poultry and raise awareness of the need to protect rare breeds.
The Livestock Conservancy brought together organizations from across the industry. Hundreds of people from various groups, including farmers, the public and enthusiasts assembled to spread the word about the dangers facing rare breeds. Over time, they crafted a compelling campaign that reached millions of people, telling them about the plight of these animals and the need to find ways to protect them.
The week eventually culminated in Heritage Breeds Day. Farmers and ranchers used this as an opportunity to provide farm tours, workshops and give lectures to people in their communities.
The week proved so successful that The Livestock Conservancy decided to take the event overseas. Soon organizations from around the world were getting involved with proceedings, recognizing the value of protecting rare breeds.
Support began flooding in from the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Asocriollanos, Save Foundation, the Smithsonian and SVF Biodiversity Preservation Project, Heritage Livestock Club, Rare Breed Conservation Society and many more. By 2018, there were more than fifteen livestock organizations involved. Together, they began giving consumers and the general public much-needed advice on what they could do to support rare breeds.
They also began making the case that preserving heritage breeds was about more than just indulging a passion. It was also important for biodiversity. Modern agriculture is something of a “race to the bottom.” Preserving diversity in livestock helps to arrest that process.
Shop a Local Market
Your first port of call should be your local farmer’s market. Here you can purchase meat from rare breed animals, financially supporting those who still breed them. If you’re a farmer, you can turn the event into a spectacle, organizing music, tasty samples, and games for kids.
Invite the Community
Those who keep livestock can also open up their facilities to the public to introduce them to these majestic animals. Hosting a petting zoo can be a great way to get kids involved and encourage the next generation of conservationists. A lot of farmers have taken to organizing shows and fairs too. People love heritage livestock and poultry but don’t usually get a chance to view them in person. Communities and farmers, therefore, can get together to organize events, raise money, and share information about these breeds. Live animals, entertainment, food stands, and exhibits are all great ways to attract the punters.
Show Support
You can also organize a fundraiser. Providing finance to those supporting rare breeds is essential. It helps to support a healthy agricultural system and prevents industrial farmers from squeezing rare breeds out of the market.
Get the Kids Involved
If you work with a school, you could lobby for the introduction of rare breed food products over the week. Children could sample eggs, milk, cheese, and meat from breeds of animals that wouldn’t ordinarily find their way onto their plates.
Raise Awareness
Get involved with outreach efforts on social media. Millions of people out there don’t know about the critical importance of heritage breeds or what they can do to support them. While there is a lot of information about the number of species going extinct in the wild, there’s less about breeds on the farm. It is, however, something that we all need to prevent to keep the agricultural sector strong. So, what are you waiting for? Show our four-legged friends some love!