March 18–19, 2026 | Montpellier, Occitanie & Aveyron
On 18 and 19 March 2026, France hosted a European Steering Committee of the LIFE Green Sheep project, bringing together delegations from France, Spain, Ireland and Italy.
This two‑day meeting combined strategic discussions, scientific exchanges and field visits, illustrating the project’s strong link between research, advisory work and on‑farm reality.
Day 1 – Strategic discussions in Montpellier (March 18)
The first day took place in Montpellier and focused on the final phase of the LIFE Green Sheep project.
Discussions addressed:
- National carbon action plans and preparation of the post‑project phase,
- Presentation of the first European environmental results, identifying the main drivers of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in sheep systems,
- Progress of the second wave of farm assessments, with the objective of comparing both assessments and estimating CO₂ emissions avoided,
- Preliminary results of carbon action plans (simulations), highlighting mitigation practices related to:
- herd management,
- feed and grassland management,
- energy use,
- manure management,
- Ongoing communication and dissemination actions, including the preparation of the final LIFE Green Sheep seminar.
This day confirmed the importance of combining environmental performance with economic and technical efficiency, and of providing advisors and farmers with practical, system‑based solutions.
Day 2 – Field visits in Occitanie and Aveyron (March 19)
The second day was dedicated to on‑farm visits, offering participants a concrete view of project results in real farming conditions.
Meat sheep farming – Larzac plateau
In the morning, participants visited the GAEC du Moulin du Tironant in Roqueredonde (Hérault), a meat sheep farm managed by the Albaniac family.
The youngest associate presented:
- the farm organisation,
- technical performances,
- and the evolution of environmental assessments carried out in 2021 and 2024.
The visit continued, highlighting herd management strategies focused on:
- reducing lamb mortality,
- improving fertility and productivity.
The visit concluded in a friendly atmosphere, sharing a coffee and a traditional Aveyron fouace, illustrating the strong human dimension of the project.
Dairy sheep farming & Roquefort area
The afternoon continued with the visit of a dairy sheep farm, focused on:
- forage quality,
- grassland management,
- and overall system efficiency.
Participants also visited the Roquefort cellars, discovering the traditional know‑how behind this emblematic cheese and its close link with sustainable sheep farming systems.
This Steering Committee highlighted once again that sustainable sheep farming is built on:
- solid technical performance,
- economic viability,
- and measurable environmental results.