Per Bach Laursen (Denmark) new EPP President, Birgit Scharlau (Germany) Vice-President

The new President of the European Pig Producers Club (EPP) is the Danish pig farmer Per Bach Laursen. EPP Club members elected him at this year’s EPP Congress which took place in the Spanish town of Vic from 26 through to 29 May. Laursen (42 years) will thus take over from Benny Gussinklo (Netherlands) who, as EPP founder has chaired the club over the past 15 years. Birgit Scharlau, a pig farmer from Havixbeck (Germany) was elected to the position of Vice-President.

EPP president
Per Bach Laursen (42) is practical pig farmer in Lundgaard, Lögstör, northern Jutland/Denmark. He runs a farm with 380 ha, 550 sows, 15.000 weaners and 7.500 fatteners. He is also one of the partners of a pig farm in Latvia, with 500 sows, fatteners and 2.300 ha (extending to 2.500 sows). Per is married to Britt and father of four children. He has been chairman of Danske Swineproducenter for three years and has gained a lot of knowledge in international organisations and developments. This year he became president of the Det Kgl. Danske Landhusholdingsselskab.

EPP vice president
Birgit Scharlau (39, married) is practical pig farmer at Havixbeck near Münster/Germany. She runs a typical Westfalian family farm with 1000 fatteners and 80 ha arable land. Birgit studied agricultural economics at the University of Bonn. She worked for a Bank after her University degree for six years. Than she was employed at ISN (Interessengemeinschaft der Schweinehalter Deutschlands) as PR-responsible. Today as a pig farmer she is member of the ISN advisory board and member of the supervisory board of a regional cooperative.

As the very first EPP President, Benny Gussinklo, a man known for his very open manner and excellent communication skills, has worked tirelessly and with great personal commitment right from the outset to promote the EPP concept. Today’s 350-strong membership base spanning some 18 countries is proof of the excellent work he has done here. The DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft - German Agricultural Society) has also benefited from Benny Gussinklo’s knowledge, skills and good advice in many different ways too; for example, through his work on the Farm Management Committee and on the highest-ranking DLG committee, the Executive Committee, of which he has been a member for a number of years now. In acknowledgement of his outstanding merit, and most especially his contribution to the creation and consolidation of an international network of European farmers, his efforts in connection with the European Pig Producers Club (EPP) and his work on behalf of the DLG, Benny Gussinklo was awarded the DLG Silver Medal for International Cooperation already in 2002.