International Heritage Breeds Day – May 18, 2024

History of International Heritage Breeds Day

Conservationists have expressed concerns about rare breeds for decades. However, it wasn’t until the mid-1970s that the need for conserving animal species was brought to the forefront, and the American Minor Breeds Conservancy (A.M.B.C.) was established.

The purpose of the A.M.B.C. was to ensure the diversity of livestock and poultry and raise awareness to protect rare breeds. It brought together people from across the industry, including farmers, the public, and enthusiasts, to raise awareness of the dangers facing rare breeds. The organization did this by celebrating the diversity of livestock in a week-long celebration. Its campaigns reached millions, and people started noticing the animals’ dwindling numbers. Eventually, the week-long celebrations led to the creation of International Heritage Breeds Day. On the holiday, farmers and ranchers offer farm tours, workshops, and lectures to people in their communities. A few years later, the conservancy took the event overseas.

When it went overseas, International Heritage Breeds Day was supported by animal conservation groups such as Rare Breeds Survival Trust, Asocriollanos, Save Foundation, the Smithsonian, and SVF Biodiversity Preservation Project, Heritage Livestock Club, Rare Breed Conservation Society, and many more. These organizations gave farmers, breeders, and the common man advice on how they could preserve rare breeds. As a result, International Heritage Breeds Day became a movement and not just a passion, allowing agriculturists and conservationists to focus on maintaining biodiversity so rare breeds had better chances of survival.