'Sustainability' Takes Center Stage at National Dairy Congress

National Dairy Congress Focuses on Sustainability The 3rd National Dairy Congress (USKO 2023), which plays a leading role as Turkey's only dairy congress, will be held on 5-6 October at Ankara Cer Modern. USKO 2023, organized by the Department of Dairy Technology at Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture in collaboration with Karma Grup, will bring together expert sector professionals and academics in the field. The congress, serving as a bridge between academia and the dairy sector, has set this year's main theme as "The future of the dairy industry from a sustainability perspective." Turkey ranks among the world's top ten milk-producing countries and the top three in Europe. The Turkish dairy industry operates at a technology-use level comparable to developed countries. Anatolian lands have held an important place historically as a passage route through which dairy and dairy products culture reached Europe. For Turkey to leverage these advantages in dairy and have a voice in global markets, structural problems must be resolved. At Turkey's only national dairy congress of its kind, the 3rd edition of which will be held this year, highly valued scientists, academics and sector company representatives will discuss the future of the dairy industry and develop joint solutions. USKO 2023, to be held on 5-6 October at Ankara Cer Modern under the hosting of Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture's Department of Dairy Technology, which is also celebrating its 90th founding anniversary in the republic's 100th year, will feature "Sustainability" as one of its key topics. At the Congress, organized by Karma Grup, the impact of the European Union's Green Deal process on Turkey's dairy industry, studies conducted on this matter and the roadmap will be discussed with CEOs. The deadline for abstract submissions to the 3rd National Dairy Congress (USKO 2023), where the best oral and poster presentation authors will also be awarded, is 14 July 2023. Prof. Dr. Barbaros Özer, Faculty Member at Ankara University Faculty of Agriculture's Department of Dairy Technology and Congress Organization Chair of USKO 2023, stated that the 3rd National Dairy Congress aims to be an important platform where all stakeholders in the dairy value chain will exchange information, with science and technology-based growth strategies being discussed as a priority for Turkey's dairy sector to exist in international competition. Noting that USKO 2023, organized with the main theme of "The future of the dairy industry from a sustainability perspective," will bring forward scientific studies that innovate and broaden horizons for the sector, Prof. Dr. Barbaros Özer said: "Scientists, future dairy industry workers and prominent figures in the sector will come together during our two-day congress. We will organize sessions where we will open for discussion the position of the dairy industry from the perspectives of sustainability, the food and health relationship, hygienic design and food safety by competent experts. We will also award poster prizes for young researchers. One of the congress's main objectives is to strengthen university-industry communication and encourage collaborative work culture. In our Congress, which will also reflect on the development of our country's dairy education and dairy technology over a 100-year period in our republic's 100th year, we wish to keep alive the memories of our faculty members who devoted themselves to dairy in Turkey by naming each of our sessions after those who are no longer with us," he said.