Native Breeds for Modern Needs

Rare Breeds Survival Trust Chief Executive Christopher Price examines the place of rare breeds today

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This year we are celebrating half a century since a small group of farmers, smallholders and scientists first came together as RBST to secure a future for the UK's beleaguered rare native breeds of livestock and equines. In the decades beforehand a number of irreplaceable native breeds had been lost forever, other breeds were down to just a handful of animals, and many others were in a state of serious decline. RBST was founded in 1973 to stem this tide and to work for breed revivals through knowledge, expertise, dedication and by bringing people together.

Much of today's world looks and works very differently to 1973, and of course RBST's work has changed a lot too, both in order to make the most to modern opportunities and also in response to the evolving challenges faced by our native breeds and their keepers. However those values which underpinned RBST at its foundation remain at the heart the organisation today.