SPARC: Building the Future of Sustainable Worm Control in Grazing Ruminants (In-person Final meeting)

Final meeting of the SPARC project on sustainable worm control

This in-person final meeting of the SPARC project takes place in Brussels on 4 December 2026. It looks at how worm control in grazing ruminants can be made more sustainable, and at the policy context in which this happens.

The morning session in the auditorium covers the EU livestock strategy, policy recommendations from SPARC, and the tools and lessons learned from the project. SPARC Ambassadors share their experiences from the field. A fireside chat with the project coordinator addresses European communities of practice and anthelmintic resistance, and a moderated panel discussion with Q&A closes the morning.

After a networking lunch, the afternoon offers the LiHRA market. Participants meet SPARC partners, Ambassadors and sponsors at individual stands, discover sustainable worm control approaches from across Europe and network over local European specialities.

Programme

• 08:30–09:00 Registration
• 09:00–09:10 Welcome and introduction · Prof. Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna
• 09:10–09:30 An EU Strategy for Livestock · Brigitte Misonne
• 09:30–09:50 Irish Presidency to the EU and parasite control (tbc)
• 09:50–10:10 Policy recommendations from SPARC · Johannes Charlier
• 10:10–10:30 Sustainable worm control: SPARC tools and lessons learned · Prof. Laura Rinaldi
• 10:30–11:00 Coffee break
• 11:00–11:20 SPARC Ambassadors share experiences from the field · Marieke De Louw, Bruce Thompson, Ruggero Amato
• 11:20–11:35 European Communities of Practice and anthelmintic resistance: Fireside chat with the SPARC coordinator · Leen Lietaer
• 11:35–12:25 Panel discussion: Q&A session moderated by Prof. Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna · Kevin Harrison, Gustavo Sabatini, Suzanne Keeling, FVE representative (tbc)
• 12:25–12:30 Close of morning programme
• 12:30–13:30 Lunch Break
• 13:35–16:00 LiHRA market: sustainable control practices.

Who it is for

Veterinarians, farmers, researchers, policy makers and other stakeholders involved in parasite control in grazing ruminants.

Speakers

• Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna, Professor, Freie Universität Berlin
• Brigitte Misonne, Head of Unit AGRI E3, DG AGRI, European Commission
• Johannes Charlier, Kreavet, BE
• Laura Rinaldi, Professor, University of Naples Federico II, IT
• Leen Lietaer, SPARC coordinator, ILVO, BE
• Marieke De Louw, SPARC Ambassador
• Bruce Thompson, SPARC Ambassador
• Ruggero Amato, SPARC Ambassador
• Kevin Harrison, Panel member
• Gustavo Sabatini, Panel member
• Suzanne Keeling, Panel member

Practical information

• Location: Hendrik Conscience Building, Brussels; morning session in the Auditorium, afternoon in the Pierre and Marie Curie room (1B15).
• Networking lunch offered by the Livestock Helminth Research Alliance (LiHRA) and Boehringer Ingelheim.
• Registration is open until 15 November 2026.
• Register via the online registration form on the website of the organiser, open until 15 November 2026.