Better understanding on strengths and weaknesses of different farm health and safety practices across Europe

The SafeHabitus project hosted the 3rd SafeHabitus Summer School in June 2025 in Krakow, Poland. The project is empowering farmers and farm workers to work safely and effectively across Europe.

The three-day event served as a collaborative platform for all SafeHabitus project partners and Communities of Practice to foster the exchange innovative ideas, and to learn from each other and other international stakeholders. A significant highlight of this year’s edition was the SafeHabitus and International Social Security Association (ISSA) Joint Colloquium on “The Prevention’s Role in Advancing Social Sustainability in Agriculture”.

This two-day colloquium gathered international stakeholders, including occupational safety and health (OSH) experts, researchers, and national institutions. These dialogues explored comprehensive preventive strategies vital for the occupational, economic, and social well-being in farming, with a strong emphasis on critical aspects of physical and mental health support for farmers and farm workers.

“Prevention is the foundation of sustainable agriculture,” said Dr David Meredith, SafeHabitus Project Leader, during the opening panel. “Through our research, we see that national and EU incentives enabling farmers to invest in safer equipment and facilities don’t just prevent injuries and fatalities – they make farming more attractive to the next generation. SafeHabitus demonstrates how targeted prevention strategies can transform both safety outcomes and the future of agricultural communities.”

Furthermore, the Summer School hosted the Transnational Communities of Practice (CoP) meeting. The 11 SafeHabitus CoPs engaged in collaborative workshops, identifying and mapping good practices crucial to the project’s core objectives: physical and mental health, machinery safety, livestock farm safety, and the common well-being of all farmers and farm workers. The outcomes of the workshops will directly inform the development of a research tool supporting the development of good practices in farm safety and health across the sector.

Dr Jarkko Leppälä, Transnational Community of Practice Leader, explained the importance of cooperation for improving farm health and safety across the project countries: “In the SafeHabitus project, we identified similar farm occupational safety and health (OSH) challenges across CoP countries. Key issues include managing major safety risks, safe tractor use, addressing psychosocial risks, understanding animal behaviour, and proper PPE use. While policies, working conditions and safety culture vary across countries the project aims to identify common solutions taking into account each country’s priority needs.”

Transnational Community of Practice workshop organizers, Research Scientist Titta Tapiola and Tiina Mattila from Luke, told that Safehabitus has succeeded to create an exceptionally warm team spirit among partners which led into in-depth discussions and analysis of experiences and good practices from different countries. The Finnish Team came back with new ideas and better understanding on strengths and weaknesses of different farm health and safety practices across Europe.

Media contact: – Jarkko.leppala@luke.fi

More information:

About the Joint Colloqium:

The event is organised by the International Section of the ISSA on Prevention in Agriculture, in cooperation with SafeHabitus, Agricultural University in Krakow, Poland, Kasa Rolniczego Ubezpieczenia Społecznego (KRUS), Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy (PIP), and the Central Institute for Labour Protection – National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB).

About SafeHabitus:

SafeHabitus project is a four-year project coordinated by TEAGASC Ireland, funded by the European Union as part of the Horizon Europe Programme, grant agreement number 101084270. This multi-actor project aims to strengthen Farm Health and Safety Knowledge Innovation Systems (FHS KIS) and support the EU transition to social sustainability in farming.

Call for the BioBoosters Accelerator Programme is open – Apply now!

The application period for the Accelerator Program 2025 is open until 31 March, 2025. Submit your startup now!

BioBoosters by Jamk Business Accelerator is launching together with partners Valtra, AGCO Power, Neste, Lantmännen and Innovestor, a call for startups to the sustainable food and smart farming accelerator programme. The programme kicks off in August 20-21, 2025, and the duration of the accelerator programme is three months.

The BioBoosters Accelerator Programme connects agritech and bioeconomy startups and growth companies with leading corporations, investors, experienced mentors, potential customers, and end users who are ready to support the innovations promoted in the accelerator.  

The call is especially for startups focused on:

✅ Smart Farming solutions
✅ Future energy sources and powertrain solutions for agricultural machinery and farming equipment
✅ Emission calculation and ESG reporting in food value chain 

How to apply?

Please fill in your application by March 31, 2025. Applications are reviewed on an on-going basis, so submit your application as soon as possible!

Participation in the accelerator programme is free-of-charge and equity-free for the startups. The duration of the accelerator programme is three months, the language is English, and participation is possible both virtually and on-site, so you can join from anywhere in the world!

In addition to your company’s basic information prepare to describe shortly your product or service, stage at commercialization process, team competence, and motivation to join the programme. You are also requested to attach your company pitch deck to the application form. 

Apply now

European Network of Agroecology Living Labs and Research Infrastructures: the 1st wave of applications is NOW OPEN

Do you operate a living lab (LL) or a research infrastructure (RI) that is actively contributing to the agroecology transition? Are you interested in connecting with similar initiatives to learn, grow, gain visibility, or cooperate?

The European Network of Agroecology LLs and RIs (the Network) connects participatory place-based innovations for enhancing knowledge sharing and for supporting multi-stakeholder co-creation of agroecology innovations across various scales in Europe. The membership provides the members a comprehensive suite of benefits dedicated to advancing open innovation and agroecology transition, such as:

  • 🤝extensive networking (connection to various agri-food stakeholders and building relationships),
  • 📚knowledge exchange, learning, information and data sharing between agroecology LLs and RIs,
  • 🔬cooperation to develop and realise international research projects,
  • 🌱diverse co-creation processes that create opportunity to improve agroecology practices and internal processes, and
  • ✨increased visibility on an international scale.

❗Applications during the 1st wave can be submitted by 28 February 2025 by completing this online application form.

The aim of the survey is to identify and describe in detail already existing agroecology LLs and RIs across Europe interested in becoming members of the Network. This application survey should be completed by the representative of the applicant initiative (LL/RI). Applicants need to provide answers to questions designed to gather detailed information on their initiatives broken down into five main areas: Identity details, Activities, Objectives, Governance and Values. Applicants will be notified of the evaluation results by 15 April.

📅 Timeline of the application

For more information, please visit the application and criteria guideline document which explains the application process, eligibility, benefits of membership and the inclusion criteria. In addition, it is recommended to review the PDF version of the full questionnaire before completing the online form in order to adequately prepare for the application. The online form takes approx. 30 minutes to complete. 

PDF version of the application form

Should you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact the Network Coordination!

Contact us!

Ensure the authenticity of your honey by ordering a DNA metagenomic analysis

At the Innovation Fair, which took place during the Helsinki Agricultural Machinery Fair in autumn 2024, one of the featured projects was the Estonian initiative “Authentic Honey Meets DNA Technology.” Kairi Raime, Head of the Food Metagenomics Lab and representative of the research company Celvia CC AS (Competence Centre on Health Technologies), gave an insightful interview about the project, its development and the challenges faced by beekeepers.

Beekeepers were struggling with issues related to honey adulteration, which significantly impacted their ability to sell genuine products. Recognizing this issue, Celvia CC, with its expertise in DNA-based methods, joined forces with Muhe Mesi company to find a solution. Together, they launched the project in July 2020 to develop DNA-based methods to identify the biological composition, origin, and authenticity of honey. The methodology behind the honey DNA test has been crafted with the support of the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the “Estonian Rural Development Plan 2014-2020.”

DNA Metagenomic Analysis at the Innovation Fair

The project concluded in 2023 with the creation of a ready-to-use service, the honey DNA metagenomic analysis. Information about the service, including sample reports and details on how beekeepers, distributors, and others can benefit from the analysis, is available on the mda-test.com website. The MDA test can be ordered by a private person, a self-employed person, a nonprofit association, or a company, offering a reliable way to verify honey’s biological composition, origin, and authenticity.

The innovation of their methods lies in analyzing the ancient DNA found in honey. Honey contains DNA from a variety of sources, including plants, insects, animals, bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Rather than focusing on any specific organisms, they analyze all the DNA present in the honey. From a single honey sample, they can obtain 10 to 20 million DNA sequences. These sequences are then analyzed to create a comprehensive honey DNA profile, which identifies all species that contributed DNA to the honey, as well as the relative proportions of each species.

Kairi explained that honey DNA profile is like a fingerprint- unique to every honey sample. It details the environment where the honey, nectar, or pollen was collected, the insects that visited the flowers, and the overall conditions of the hive and honey production. This profile provides valuable insights into the origins and authenticity of the honey.

Today, a significant challenge in the honey market is fake honey, which is sold at lower prices and competes with genuine honey, making it difficult for beekeepers to sell their authentic products. According to Kairi, recent reports indicate that up to 80% of honey in the market may be fake, particularly imported honey. The aim of this project is to help eliminate fake honey from the market by providing a tool for distributors and beekeepers. This tool can also detect DNA traces from honeybee-related pathogens and parasites in honey, as well as details about the overall health of the honey sample. Distributors and beekeepers can use this information to showcase the botanical composition of their honey on their websites.

The Estonian company has selected 20 different honeybee-related pathogens and parasites to monitor, as advised by beekeepers. These include bacteria causing significant honeybee diseases, such as American and European foulbrood, and microsporidia. It also feasible to monitor if invasive species, like the small hive beetle, are present in honey samples from countries where they are not currently established. This information is vital for early detection and prevention of potential threats to local beekeeping.

Overall, their DNA technology methods provide valuable insights into honey composition and quality, allowing beekeepers to take preventive measures and maintain the integrity of their products.

Are you a beekeeper looking to protect your honey’s authenticity? Or a distributor seeking to enhance your product offerings? Don’t wait until it’s too late! Visit mda-test.com today to explore how honey DNA metagenomic analysis can empower you to keep honey pure and stand out in a crowded market.

Join the movement toward transparency and quality in the honey industry!

Apply to Innovation Market at Finnish Agricultural machinery trade fair

Innovation Market is an annual joint exhibition area taking place this year at the Finnish Agricultural machinery trade fair in Helsinki. Finnish Rural Network invites EIP-AGRI Operational Groups, innovative projects as well as innovation support service providers to apply to join the Innovation Market to showcase what is happening in R&D in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture.

Does your project have an innovation that you would like to present at Innovation Market? Are you developing a product for agriculture and need the end users’ perspective? Your idea has a good chance of being presented at the Innovation Market organized by the Finnish Rural Network.

The Agricultural machinery trade fair is Finland’s largest indoor event for agricultural and forestry professionals. The fair will take place on the 17th – 19th of October, 2024 in Helsinki, Finland.

Over the years, the Innovation Market has developed into a well-known exhibition area with a rich and diverse programme alongside the fair. This year there will be at least innovation reviews, walking tours and a networking event. We may come up also something extra!

Why to join?

  • Here we bring the innovations close to the end-users. What an effective way to get feedback on your innovation!
  • Find potential new partners for future collaboration projects
  • You can easily network with a wide range of experts
  • Joining forces to showcase new innovations – the way to get noticed
  • Visibility at the fair as well as on our social media

To whom?

We are looking for

  • EIP-AGRI Operational Groups
  • innovation and technology projects in agriculture, forestry, and horticulture
  • other innovative activities or innovation support service providers

We also welcome international participants that have a solution suitable for the Finnish operating environment. Note! This year we are excluding companies from the call. Start-ups should ask for the fair stands adjacent to Innovation Market. For this please contact the fair organizer Leo Potkonen, leo.potkonen@messukeskus.com. That’s the way to get in the buzz happening at Innovation Market!

Innovation Market exhibition area is organized by the Finnish Rural Network, AgriHubi and the BioBoosters business accelerator and Finnish Future Farm project of Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences. The exhibitors are selected via an open call closing in August. During autumn, Finnish Rural Network creates a unified graphic design for the exhibition area. However, you can strongly influence the text and image content of your stand. There are no separate costs for participating. You will be responsible for your travel and accommodation costs and, if necessary, your own materials such as brochures.

Fill out the application by August 7th, 2024.

Experiences and feedback from Innovation Market 2023

Innovation Market 2023 brought together 35 exhibitors – 10 EIP-AGRI Operational Groups, 15 start-ups and 16 other innovative projects – with a total of +100 staff persons from 39 organizations.

“Everything was fantastic: starting from preparation stage and ending with the last day. Separately, I would like to note that the stand was perfectly designed; the organizers provided everything necessary to demonstrate the capabilities of our solution. The location of our pavilion was also ideally chosen: a busy and passable place. Participation in the pitch session was also well organized. I’m absolutely delighted, thank you very much!”

Need for more information?

Contact: network coordinator Tuija Kallio, Finnish Rural Network, tuija.kallio(a)ruokavirasto.fi, tel. +358 50 594 7993

Join the modernAKIS network

Knowledge and innovation play a crucial role in helping farmers, foresters and rural communities meet current and future challenges. To ensure that knowledge is shared between everyone who uses and produces it, and that people are connected, effective Agricultural Knowledge and Innovation Systems (AKIS) are needed across Europe.

Join the modernAKIS network today!

Key Benefits

  • Develop your knowledge on AKIS
  • Share experiences, and learn from other agricultural and rural actors across Europe
  • Receive invitations to events and training opportunities.

How will we communicate with you?

  • We will contact you from time to time via email to inform you about events and surveys
  • As soon as the community platform is set up you can choose how and on what you want to be informed about
  • You are free to unsubscribe from the network any time

For more information on the modernAKIS project visit: https://modernakis.eu/

We’re looking forward to connecting with you!

Does your organization have a solution to the challenge presented by Valio?

Bio and circular economy business accelerator BioPaavo by Jamk has launched a business-driven hackathon commissioned by Valio Ltd, the largest dairy company in Finland. The challenge is to find new ways to balance seasonal variation in milk production. The amount of milk offered to dairy varies notably throughout the year. The biggest seasonal peaks are in spring and winter, and the amount decreases towards autumn. However, there can be big differences between the dairy farms. For example, feeding, timing of calving and the health status of the cattle affects production volumes. By levelling the seasonal variation of milk production, the dairy production planning would be easier throughout the whole production process, and it would be more profitable to the milk producer.

What is Valio looking for?

Concrete farm-level solutions that could balance seasonality. We welcome as participants for example start-ups, equipment suppliers, dairy entrepreneurs, research groups, SMEs, consulting organizations, as well as companies offering data analytics and technologies.

Ideas are evaluated especially using the following criteria:

 *The effect of the solution on the seasonal variation of milk production and the equalization of production peaks at farm level

 *The overall economy of the solution at farm level

 *The solution’s impact on resource management and production planning at Valio

Depending on the maturity of the idea, the winner or winners will either have the opportunity for direct business cooperation or a chance to start a joint project or pilot. Depending on the solution, Valio or the milk procurement cooperative/cooperatives of the Valio group can directly join the joint piloting or commercial cooperation.

The hackathon is part of Valio’s responsible and climate smart primary production development, which aims for carbon-neutral milk by 2035.

Read more about the challenge and apply here: https://www.jamk.fi/en/project/biopaavo/biopaavo-hackathon/valiohackathon 

The hackathon is implemented as part of the international BioBoosters project, which is led by Jamk University of Applied Sciences! The BioBoosters network includes 9 different partners in the Baltic Sea region, and total 18 business-driven hackathons will be organized by 2025. Information about the project: https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/bioboosters/

Open call to EU CAP Network Brokerage Event

EU CAP Network organizes Brokerage event ‘Accelerating the innovation process through Horizon Europe multi-actor projects’ in Belgium from Thursday 19 to Friday 20 October 2023.

An open call for participation is available until Sunday 3 September 2023, 23:00 CET. Apply here.

The event will be dedicated to matchmaking and networking to support the preparation of high-quality proposals for the upcoming Horizon Europe calls with multi-actor approach in the fields of agriculture, forestry and rural areas.

This brokerage event will focus on multi-actor approach topics related to agriculture, forestry and rural areas under the Horizon Europe Cluster 6 “Food, bioeconomy, natural resources, agriculture and environment” 2024 calls.

The breakout sessions on the first day will focus on the following calls:

  1. Biodiversity-rich farming systems  
  2. Organic farming   
  3. Forestry  
  4. Livestock systems  
  5. Plant health  
  6. Climate action: water & paludiculture   
  7. Rural communities  
  8. Digital & data technologies: robotics & augmented reality  
  9. Bottom-up AKIS

More information can be found at the event page.

Finnish Agricultural Science Days 2024

Abstract submission for Finnish Agricultural Science Days 2024 is now open, event will be organized 10.-11.1.2024 in Viikki, Helsinki! Deadline for submission is on 3.9.2023. Submitted abstract is the final version, and will be published in Electronical publication. All presenters will pay the registration fee, and registration for the event will open in autumn 2023. More information in the abstract form!

In 2022 there was more than 500 participants in the Finnish Agricultural Science Days!

Submit your abstract here:

https://registration.contio.fi/smts/Registration/Login?id=1006-MTP2024-38

Smart Bioeconomy Testbed Tarvaala becomes a member of Nordic Testbed Network

The testbed is part of Bioeconomy Campus, located in Saarijärvi, Central Finland. Research and testing are run by BTI (Institute of Bioeconomy of Jamk University of Applied Sciences), and the farm facilities (fields, forests, and cattle) are managed by POKE Vocational College.

The focus of the testbed is set on the near-to-market level and on the adoption phase of innovations (TRL-level 5-7). For example, tests are applied to wireless data transfer between the Farm Management Information Systems (FMISs) and various sources and uses of data (e.g. tractors, forest machines, implements, sensors, and IoT devices). Cyber security issues are also considered and tested. Moreover, innovations that enhance Fair Data Economy are top priority for the testbed.

Overall, the goal of the testbed is to speed up innovation in Smart Farming and Smart Bioeconomy. To ensure this, business development and acceleration services are included in the operations. A Digital Innovation Hub for Smart Agriculture & Bioeconomy (AB Smart DIH) is operated where the testbed operations are accompanied by related services such as business acceleration advice, competence building, and education.