ARC. Hungarian gray cattle in the Carpathian basin international conference

The Hungarian Gray Cattle Breeders' Association and the Hungarian Women's Association, the Women's Association of Kézdivásárhely, the Serbian Gray Cattle Breeders' Association and the Association of Vojvodina Agricultural Associations organized the IV. Hungarian Gray Cattle in the Carpathian Basin international conference , the topic of which was the situation of Hungarian family farms in Vojvodina and the European Union.

The aim of the series of conferences organized by the Hungarian Gray Cattle Breeders' Association (MSZTE) and the Hungarian Women's Interest Association (MAESZ) in 2017 was to promote the Hungarian gray cattle, one of the indigenous breeds of the Carpathian Basin, and the members of the MSZTE accumulated knowledge and good practices are passed on to domestic, highland, Transcarpathian, southern and Transylvanian breeders.

The main objective of the Vojvodina event, in addition to discussing issues affecting the current and future situation of young Hungarian farmers living throughout the Carpathian Basin and reviewing the most important tasks necessary to improve competitiveness, was to give the participants of the sector the opportunity to build relationships during the informal discussions, which could be the basis for subsequent international professional collaborations.

At the conference, which took place under the patronage of Minister of Agriculture István Nagy and with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Bethlen Gábor Alapkezelő Zrt., the Hungarikum Commission, the Prime Minister's Office, the National Cooperation Fund and the Konyhácska TV program, they were able to get to know not only the indigenous Hungarian gray cattle breed the visitors could also gain an insight into the life and daily work of Hungarian family farmers living in the Carpathian Basin, and they could also receive a lot of information, such as about the various EU tender opportunities.

The event - which was attended by representatives of the agricultural sector, farmers, agriculture and guests interested in Hungarian gray cattle - was opened by Kinga Szőnyi, MAESZ, and Géza Nagy, president of MSZTE.

Dr. István Simicskó, a member of the Hungarikum Committee, told in his presentation how the collection of Hungarikums, this repository of our Hungarianness and national heritage, was founded. As he explained, the Hungarian gray cattle is one of those important symbols that strengthen our national self-awareness, which is the first thing that foreign visitors think of our country, but the breeding of these animals and the state support of the breeders are also important for the preservation of biodiversity.

Attila Juhász, State Secretary of Agriculture of Serbia, spoke about the situation and opportunities of Hungarian farmers in Serbia, Serbia's planned accession to the European Union, and its expected impact on Hungarian farming families in Serbia.

Artúr Bergendi, a member of the board of the Slovak Beef Cattle Breeders' Association, explained the situation of beef cattle farming in Slovakia and the Hungarian gray cattle breed in his presentation. The breeders' association recognized by the Slovak state was founded in 1994. Its primary task is to maintain the pedigree book of the recognized world breeds and the so-called rustic or traditional breeds.

In his presentation, Imre Borics, MSZTE consultant, covered the history of Hungarian gray cattle, as well as the family farms that play an invaluable role in gray cattle breeding.

Miklós Nagy, the president of the Association of Vojvodina Agricultural Associations, presented the work of the Association established in 2006. Through the 72 member organizations (Hungarian agricultural associations) established in Vojvodina, nearly 6,000 Hungarian producers are united and represented in various forums. Since the foundation, they have been working to try to provide assistance to the agricultural associations, and thus to the agricultural producers, in organizing their work more successfully and efficiently. Great emphasis is also placed on providing information on the opportunities provided by the agricultural policy of the provincial and republican governments to farmers in the production and sales process, taking into account the EU integration effects.

At the round table discussion following the presentations, representatives of four countries, Erzsébet Bata from Serbia, member of the board of the Association of Vojvodina Agricultural Associations and Miklós Nagy, president of the Association of Vojvodina Agricultural Associations, Artúr Bergendi from Slovakia is a board member of the Slovak Beef Cattle Breeders Association, István Gál from Ukraine is the Pro Agricultura Carpatica The executive director of the foundation, as well as Ferenc Gáspár, the president of the Bács-Kiskun County National Agricultural Farm, who came from Hungary, Géza Nagy, the president of the MSZTE, and Kinga Szőnyi, the president of the MAESZ, discussed the situation of Hungarian family farms in the European Union and outside, but the attendees were able to get to know each countries' agricultural policy, various support systems, and the current situation of agricultural workers. Visitors to the conference were able to get a glimpse into the life and operation of first-generation family farms, as well as those that go back several generations.

There was enormous interest in Anita Supe's presentation - with the help of a Hungarian interpreter - about healthy nutrition, after which the author dedicated her book Truths and Lies about Food.

In addition to learning about good practices, the conference participants were able to build relationships and visited the farm of Szabolcs Truzsinszki, the founder of the Association of Gray Cattle Breeders of Serbia, as well as TOP Expo, i.e. the Agricultural and Economic Exhibition in Topolya, the most important agricultural event in the region, where they had the opportunity to meet local small producers , also with economic actors.

The closing event of the conference took place in the Church of St. Anthony of Padua in Csantavér. Mónika Sáfár and Zsolt Homonnay  Jászai Mari award-winning actors, László Tolcsvay  Erkel award-winning composer and singer, and the Pannonia Sacra mixed choir led by conductor Katalin Silló performed the oratorical performance of the rock opera entitled Mária Mária by László Tolcsvay-Péter Müller-Péter Müller Sziámi. Before the concert, parish priest István Dobai celebrated a mass in memory of Márta Földi, whose great dream was to have this iconic work performed in the Csantavér basilica as well. The professional from Vojvodina, who died tragically suddenly in 2019 - was the secretary of the economic development secretariat of the City of Szabadka, the president of the Vojvodina Hungarian Economist Association, a member of the board of directors of the Prosperitati Foundation, and the president of the general assembly of the local community in Csantavér - she maintained a close relationship with the Hungarian Women's Interest Association, with which several program during the past years.

Author and photos: MAESZ