6th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM) Lucerne, Switzerland 24th-26th October, 2011

At the 6th ABIM-Lucerne Conference, the prime international meeting of the biocontrol industry, novel and safe biological crop protection products have been presented and new trends in the global market were discussed.

The 6th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting (ABIM-Lucerne 2011) was held at the KKL Culture and Convention Center Lucerne, Switzerland on October 24th-26th 2011. The meeting is organised in cooperation by the International Biocontrol Manufacturers Association (IBMA) and the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL). ABIM-Lucerne provides an annual meeting place specifically adapted to the needs of the biocontrol industry.

Plant protection with natural and biological systems allows for the sustainable production of healthy foods while refraining from the use of chemical pesticides. The biocontrol industry is based on many years of research and development.

During the three days of the last conference in 2011, over 520 delegates representing more than 260 companies and organisations from all over the globe exchanged experience and obtained information on the latest products and developments on the world market. The vast majority of company representatives stated that they were highly satisfied with the outcome of the conference. In the scientific programme, 35 presentations covered the latest developments in market development, regulatory affairs and novel products for plant protection. In addition to the presentation, information was at display in stands and posters in the exhibition hall. In the 8 professional group meetings (access exclusively to IBMA members) key issues of the industry were discussed and strategies common interest were developed.

youtube.com: ABIM - The 6th Annual Biocontrol Industry Meeting in Lucerne (Nov. 2011)

Monday, 24th October, 2011

From - To	Programme
08.00 - 10.00 Clubroom 8	IBMA Executive Committee Meeting (EC members only)
10.00 - 12.00 Clubroom 7	IBMA Invertebrate Biocontrol Agents (IBCA) Professional Group Meeting
10.30 - 11.00 Clubroom 4	IBMA Semiochemicals Professional Group Meeting
10.30 - 12.30 Auditorium	IBMA Microbial Biocontrol Agents (MBCA) Professional Group Meeting
11.30 - 12.30 Clubroom 4	IBMA SCLP TASK FORCE Meeting (task force members only)
12.30 - 13.30 Clubroom 8	IBMA Natural Products (excluding Semiochemicals) Professional Group Meeting
12.30 -13.30 Clubroom 7	IBMA Regulatory Group Meeting
	Lunchbreak
14.00 - 14.45 Auditorium	Welcome to ABIM 2011 Lucius Tamm (FiBL): Welcome on behalf of the organizing committee. Owen Jones (President IBMA): Objectives of IBMA and ABIM 2011. Antoine Herth (member of the French Assembly National): Report to the Prime Minister and the French National Assembly on promotion of the biocontrol industry in France. Le Bio-contrôle: 15 recommandations pour soutenir les technologies vertes. Presentation of industry awards to two IBMA members.
14.45 - 16.15 Auditorium	Plenary session 1: (Chair: Owen Jones) Sustainable Production Jacco Vooijs (Copa Cogeca): European grower needs for IPM and BioControl. Eda Reinot (BPIA): Feeding 9 Billion People Sustainably: The Role of Biopesticides. Sabine Helbig (COLEACP PIP): COLEACP – PIP PROGRAMME Financed by the European Union. Roma Gwynn (Biorationale): Biological Control Agents: Product development in developing & transitional countries. Panel Discussion.
16.15 - 17.15 Lucerne Hall	Coffee break. IBMA welcomes the 200th member
17.15 - 19.00 Auditorium	AGM – IBMA members only and prospective members upon prior request as observers. Entrance to auditorium possible from 16.00 to 17.00.
17.15 - 19.00 Lucerne Hall	Concurrent exhibition, poster session and 1-2-1 networking event.
19.00 - 20.30	Aperitif, offered by IBMA in the Lucerne Hall

Tuesday, 25th October, 2011

From - To	Programme
08.30 - 10.00 Auditorium	Plenary session 2: (Chair: Ulf Heilig) Political and regulatory environment surrounding the implementation of the Sustainable Use Directive+ Henrik Brodsgaard (Danish EPA): The Danish ”Green Growth Action Plan” initiative for authorisation of more alternative plant protection products. Marie Luccioni (French Ministry of Agriculture): The French National Action Plan for the reduction of pesticide use over the period 2008-2018 : the Ecophyto 2018 plan. Denise Munday (Valent BioSciences): Zonal approach to registration & its consequences. Stephanie Williamson (PAN Europe): PAN Europe activities on biocontrol and IPM innovation and IBMA collaboration.
10.00 - 10.45 Lucerne Hall	Coffee break
10.45 - 12.00 Auditorium	Continuation of plenary session 2: Bernard Blum (IBMA): The EU National Action Plans (NAPs)Coordination and Harmonisation. Antoine Meyer (ECPA): Integration of biocontrol and chemical control across European agriculture. Audience questions to the panel. Concurrent 1-2-1 session being held.
	Lunch break
13.00- 15.30 Auditorium	Plenary session 3: (Chair: Johanette Klapwijk) New products: Macrobials, IPM Martha Koukidou (Oxitec): RIDL olive fly for improved olive crop yield and quality. Manuele Ricci (AgraQuest): Developing Insecticides with an Eye toward Beneficials Safety. Vanda HP Bueno (Federal University of Lavras): Natural Enemies of Tuta absoluta: Orius, Geocoris and new species? Marco Manegatti (Bioplanet): A novel use of macrobials in animal housing. Joop Van Lenteren: Commercial biological control: plenty of natural enemies, frustrating lack of uptake. Concurrent 1-2-1 session being held.
15.30 - 16.30 Lucerne Hall	Coffee break
16.30 - 18.30 Auditorium	Plenary session 4: (Chair: Sergio Franceschini) New Products: Microbials Carolina Fernandez (Futureco Bioscience): ACTINOVATE Features of a new biofungicide undergoing EU Registration. Julie Versman (Marrone Bio Innovations): New Uses for Regalia: Synergy, Cereals, Soil. Jiri Uher (Biopreparaty): Pythium oligandrum – Modes of Action. Hugh Frost (Novozymes Biologicals): Taegro: Development of a new biofungicide for North America. Sara Elisabetta Legler (Piacenza University): Ampelomyces application on grapevines. Antoine Bonhomme (Arysta-Life Science): Efficacy of CpGV on Oriental Fruit Moth (Cydia molesta): myth or reality? Iris Kraaz (Andermatt Biocontrol): Control of codling moth and oriental fruit moth with MADEX® TWIN - a recently selected CpGV isolate. Pamela Marrone (Marrone Bio Innovations): Two New Species of Bacteria: MBI-203 (Grandevo™) and MBI-206 Bioinsecticides. Concurrent 1-2-1 session being held.
18.30 - 19.45 Lucerne Hall	Happy Hour offered by AgraQuest

Wednesday, 26th October, 2011

From - To	Programme
09.00 - 10.30 Auditorium	Plenary Session 5: (Chair Antonella Arcuri) Semiochemicals and Natural Substances Andrea Iodice (CBC Europe Ltd): IsoLure the new generation of monitoring lures from Japanese technology. Mark Batt (Exosect): Yellow Stem Borer control with Exosex YSBTab. Ma’ayan Golani (Luxemburg Industries): METRONOME® a new and unique insecticide in Israel targeting the low residue market. David Bernad (Daymsa): Soleo – a natural tool to strengthen the plant and its harvestable produce and increase post harvest quality. Apostolos Papadopoulos (Branston Limited): An effective and sustainable biocontrol solution for the control of potato cyst nematode. Concurrent 1-2-1 session being held.
10.30 - 11.30 Lucerne Hall	Coffee break
11.30 – 13.00 Auditorium	Plenary Session 6: (Chair David Cary) From Screening to Field Application and Country Centered Bio-Control (India) Sarah Reiter (AgraQuest): Developing Biopesticides for Conventional Agriculture. Mounir Hassani (eProtecta): Sustainable Agriculture: Increasing Opportunities for IT Tools and Platforms. Heiner Denzer (Pessl Instruments): Establishing Information systems for crops to enable better pest and disease management. Andrew Brown (Becker Underwood): Global need for product technical support in the biocontrol industry. Kartik Laijawala (Nico Orgo Manures): The Role of Bio-pesticides and Biofertilisers in Ensuring Food Security. Ketan Mehta, (Ecosense): Biological Inputs - Sustainable Agricultural Development. Concurrent 1-2-1 session being held.
13.00 – 13.15 Auditorium	Closing Remarks Lucius Tamm and David Cary
13.45 – 16.00 Auditorium	IBMA IPM working group meeting