Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali - C.R.P.A. S.p.A.

CRPA-Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali (Research Centre on Animal Production) was first set up in 1972. Since then, it has been able to provide both the private and public sector with the benefit of its experience in the fields of agricultural food production and the environment. Its objectives, as set out in its Constitution, are the conduct of research and the establishment and management of services with the aim of promoting technical, economic and social progress in the livestock farming sector and promoting the spread of the most advanced forms of environmentally friendly agriculture. In 1996 it became a joint stock-holding company with the public sector as its majority shareholder. It then transferred part of its research and experimentation activities to the “Fondazione CRPA Studi Ricerche” – FCSR (CRPA Research Studies Foundation – a non-profit organisation). The necessary staff complement and material resources were also transferred to the Foundation, although for specific projects the two organisations regularly exchange staff and administrative support. Since 2005 CRPA has been in the Register of the accredited laboratories to the Ministry of instruction, university and research in order to carry out activity of applied research for the small and medium enterprises (PMI). CRPA includes an European Information Centre of Europe Direct Network (Europe Direct – Carrefour europeo Emilia). It also holds a small stake in TETA (Italian Centre “From Field to Table”) for which it provides important services and in CSA (Centre of Business Studies) of Bologna.