About IFMA Congresses

The objectives of IFMA congresses are:

To provide a forum for exchanging ideas, experience and knowledge through presentations and demonstration;

To learn about the agriculture of the organising country, including its structure and marketing;
To stimulate contacts between farmers, teachers, advisors, researchers, policy-makers and agribusiness at national and international levels.

Each congress programme is designed in such a way that all three objectives can be met. The strength of the congress is the integration of a diverse group of international people, companies and organisations around the themes of agricultural production, agricultural policy, agribusiness and economics and their impact on farm management.

The Congress’s Programme of Papers is made up of both Invited and Contributed Papers arranged in plenary and parallel sessions. A call for contributed papers usually goes out from the organising committee with the First Announcement of a congress some 12 –18 months ahead of the congress date. Poster Session opportunities are also offered. See the respective Congress’s website for more information.

About the Congresses

IFMA congresses provide a unique and most enjoyable way to travel to different parts of the world, to learn about the local agriculture, to meet people of like mind – both in an international and a local context, to form international relationships of mutual benefit, to learn something about the local and national heritage, to taste local foods and wines and to altogether have a thoroughly rewarding experience.

The first IFMA congress was held in the United Kingdom in 1971. See the List of Congresses page for the details of congresses that have been held in the past.

Congresses are normally held every other year.

The next congress will be the Twentieth Congress and will be held in Quebec City, Canada from 12th-17th July 2015. See the Future Congresses page for more information.

The Twenty First Congress is planned to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK in July 2017.

Each congress lasts 6 days and normally attracts between 250 and 400 participants from all continents. The scientific programme is run on 3 days of the congress and includes a mixture of plenary papers with invited speakers, panel sessions and concurrent contributed papers and posters.

One of the main features of each congress is that on two days of the congress delegates have a wide ranging choice of field trips to livestock, arable and horticultural farms, as well as to research, agribusiness and educational facilities in the local area.

Pre- and post- Congress tours, usually of a week’s duration, are organised to give participants the opportunity to see much more of the host country’s agriculture and heritage than is possible during the 2 days of field trips organised during the Congress.

A comprehensive and diverse partners’ programme is offered, and a varied and enjoyable social programme is also included in each congress.

Click to download a PDF document about IFMA Congresses.