On Monday, 26 January, the European Milk Recording (EMR) EEIG, which provides international services for the standardisation of milk analysis using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy, celebrated its 10th anniversary in Brussels, Belgium, the country where it all began.
Founded in 2015, EMR has spent the past decade supporting the dairy sector through innovation, collaboration, and data-driven solutions. This anniversary marked an important milestone in the development of harmonised milk analysis at European and international level. A real European success story!
The birth of an idea
The collaboration that led to EMR began in the early 2010s with the OptiMIR project, when European partners first attempted to merge data from different laboratories across Europe. During this work, it became clear that while all MIR (mid-infrared) spectrometers produced the same type of milk analysis, the results could vary from one machine to another.
Building on research initiated by the Centre wallon de Recherches agronomiques (CRA-W) and the Faculty of Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech (ULiège), together with a Walloon breeders’ association (Elevéo) and a Walloon milk recording lab (CdL), the objective then became to develop a robust standardisation methodology, laying the foundation for a European network capable of harmonising spectral data.
“At our first congress, people called us crazy. Now it’s a European success story.”
At the time, not everyone was convinced. Many wondered what the point of such research could be. But the partners believed in the power of standardising MIR data to unlock real value for farmers, advisors, and researchers. By the end of the OptiMIR project, the European Milk Recording (EMR) collaborative European Economic Interest Grouping (EEIG) was founded as a structure to make this standardization last, and to keep improving it. Today, the Walloon Region remains at the heart of this innovative research as the standardisation is co-organised, controlled and continually improved by the CRA-W team, and the headquarters of EMR are based in Ciney, at Elevéo.
Celebrating #10YearsOfEMR
Fifteen years after the first trials and ten years after the birth of EMR, more than 80 participants, including scientific researchers, technical experts, representatives from milk recording and breeding organizations, technology providers, veterinarians, and laboratory managers from Europe and beyond, gathered in Brussels to celebrate this special anniversary and to share further results linked to MIR standardization.
Alongside scientific presentations, concrete field applications were highlighted throughout the day. Partners from France, Germany, and Belgium presented examples illustrating how MIR data support milk processing, daily herd management, and even the selection of cows with reduced methane emissions.
Two Belgian representatives, MEP Benoît Cassart (Renew Europe Group) and Anne-Catherine Dalcq, Walloon Minister for Agriculture, both livestock farmers themselves, attended the event and underlined the importance of international collaboration in driving innovation in agriculture. The event also served as a reminder of the lasting impact of European-funded initiatives on research, practice, and industry.
Participants from 16 different countries, including the United States and Canada, took advantage of this opportunity to (re)connect, exchange experiences and expertise, showcase innovations, and strengthen their professional network in a friendly and dynamic atmosphere.
Bringing together representatives from past collaborations, ongoing research projects, and future partnerships, the event highlighted EMR as a concrete and enduring European success story.
