BfT moves to Berlin: Animal health focuses on innovation, prevention, and less bureaucracy

The Federal Association for Animal Health (BfT) is relocating its headquarters from Bonn to Berlin in June. According to the association, this move represents the ambition to become more visible in the political capital and to shorten the paths to decision-makers and authorities. At the anniversary event marking its 40th year, the move was also discussed as part of a broader transformation of the industry—with regard to market structures, regulation, and the question of how innovations can reach practice more quickly.

Why BfT is moving to Berlin

BfT Chairwoman Julia von Gablenz described the planned move to the "heart of Berlin" as a "strong signal for networking, visibility, presence, and shorter paths to political decision-makers and authorities." In the association's view, the location is more than just an organizational measure: it is intended to anchor advocacy where many key decisions are made regarding approval, supervision, and the framework conditions of animal health policy.

What forces are changing the market

The technical introduction was given by Dr. Jürg Baggenstoss from the Stonehaven Cozmix Group. He described an industry whose industrial dynamics have noticeably shifted over the past 30 years: more specialized, with a consolidated market and a wave of new products.

This consolidation is typically driven by economies of scale—such as high development and approval costs and the pressure to organize research, production, and distribution efficiently on an international level. For smaller providers, this can make market access more difficult, while large players can broaden their portfolios and are more able to invest in new technologies. It is precisely at this point that it is decided whether the pace of innovation and broad supply will benefit—or whether diversity and competition will come under pressure.

Baggenstoss named the following as key trends:

• Further shift from the livestock to the pet market
• Changed distribution channels
• Ongoing consolidation of veterinary practices
• Increasing influence of artificial intelligence along the value chain from diagnostics to supporting veterinary work

He also pointed to a rising demand for financial security for top-quality medical care, a signal that pet owners in the pet segment are investing more in diagnostics and therapy.

The pet and livestock markets follow different logics. While in the livestock sector, productivity, disease prevention, and supply security are closely linked to agriculture and trade, in the pet sector, growth often occurs where care becomes more intensive: more prevention, more individualized diagnostics, more continuous management of chronic diseases. Accordingly, the association placed innovation and prevention at the center as key growth drivers.

Prevention as a response to epidemics, One Health, and skills shortages

One focus of the discussions was on animal diseases, food security, and crisis resilience. In the debate, Sandra Quintero emphasized: "We have to approach animal diseases differently and understand: they are unpredictable and here to stay. That is why prevention is the best medicine."

This perspective was also linked to overarching topics: One Health, sustainability, and the shortage of skilled workers. The One Health approach focuses on the interfaces between animal, human, and environmental health—with the practical effect that prevention is not only understood as a veterinary task, but as a building block for resilient systems as a whole. For the industry, it is therefore crucial whether prevention programs and modern diagnostics are set up in such a way that they do not fail in practice and in the daily routine of authorities due to capacity limits.

Growth brake bureaucracy: Demand for standardized procedures

According to the participants, how quickly innovation reaches the field also depends on administrative and approval realities. Julia von Gablenz, Prof. Dr. Eberhard Haunhorst, Dr. Marco Mohrmann, and Dr. Alexander Hinrichs discussed what "breeding ground" innovations need for sustainable development. The panel agreed that the innovative strength of animal health companies can only unfold effectively if deregulation and debureaucratization are consistently pursued—and if the responsible authorities implement requirements uniformly. For companies, this primarily means more predictable procedures, fewer friction losses, and shorter time to market; for veterinarians, it can make the difference as to whether new solutions are available in time or get stuck in the process.

Collaboration with practice: E-Leaflet as a signal of modernization

The final panel focused on the collaboration between animal health companies and veterinary practice; participants included Dr. Torsten Pabst, Sandra Quintero, Dr. Katrin Langner, and Dr. Maren Püschel. It was repeatedly emphasized that both sides must meet each other at eye level—not as opponents, but as partners along a shared supply chain.

The BfT's demand for an E-Leaflet received concrete support. This refers to the digital provision of product information for veterinary medicines, which can be quickly accessed in practice and is easier to keep up to date than paper inserts. In an environment that is simultaneously under time pressure, documentation obligations, and a shortage of skilled workers, such a step aims at a very practical effect: less searching, lower error rates, and faster access to relevant instructions for use.

A move with a political message

In conclusion, Julia von Gablenz said the debates showed a high willingness to set sustainable impulses for innovation and growth. The planned move to Berlin thus brings together the core lines that became visible at the event: more political proximity, better and more reliable framework conditions, a stronger focus on prevention—and a clear view of the structural change in the animal health market.