SPACE 2025- THE WORLD’S LEADING ANIMAL FARMING EXHIBITION BREAKS ALL RECORDS

SPACE 2025 took place from Tuesday 16 September to Thursday 18 September at the Rennes Exhibition Centre. This 39th edition broke all previous records, welcoming 1,230 exhibitors from 40 countries and 102,528 visitors, including 14,011 international attendees from 125 countries — an 11% increase from the previous year. Wednesday alone saw 45,781 visitors, the highest attendance in the Show’s history.

The diversity of countries represented by the 125 visitor nations also set a new record. Organisers felt the strong enthusiasm for the event as early as exhibitor registration, when they were sometimes unable to accommodate requests for larger spaces or additional booths in some halls.

These three days were a tremendous success, giving the animal farming sectors of Western France the chance to fully showcase their strength in a truly global setting, which was echoed by the participation from many international delegations.

A political showcase for the animal farming industry

Many political figures attended SPACE, highlighting the show’s major role in the industry. Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, officially opened the Show and met with industry leaders and farmers. For the first time, an African Minister took part in the opening ceremony: Mabouba Diagne, Senegalese Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock. SPACE also hosted a delegation from the National Assembly’s Economic Affairs Committee, led by its President, Aurélie Trouvé. Loïg Chesnais Girard, President of the Brittany Region, and Arnaud Lécuyer, Vice-President in charge of Agriculture, hosted a round table on the future of the CAP, and announced support measures for young farmers and suckler farms. Nathalie Appéré, Mayor of Rennes and President of Rennes Metropolis, was also able to meet with the various stakeholders present at SPACE during her dedicated visit.

Unprecedented international and media participation

SPACE further cemented its role as a global platform for innovation and strategic partnerships for the agriculture of tomorrow. The Top Buyers initiative, in partnership with Business France, brought together 25 high-potential investors from around the world. Numerous West African professionals with investment and development projects also came to Rennes for the three-day event. Delegations came from Senegal, Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, and others — all with concrete animal farming development plans. Young Africans also participated in the first poultry training programme tailored for hot-climate countries. This initiative, run with Innôzh, marked another step in SPACE’s commitment to helping Africa develop its animal farming sectors.

A new agreement with the Maison de l’Europe aims to strengthen the presence of European decision-makers at SPACE and facilitate local-European exchanges during the event. International media will once again echo the event’s massive success, with 70 journalists from 30 countries in attendance. French media also provided comprehensive coverage throughout the event — another record.

Putting youth and their skills at the heart of SPACE

Young people were front and centre at SPACE 2025. The Youth Forum was a real think tank, hosting debates that allowed them to speak out, exchange ideas, and build the future. As an undeniable part of this generation’s culture, agricultural influencers were present, happily engaging with attendees and signing autographs. The Tech’Agri Challenge enabled participants to collaboratively design tools to help farmers with time-consuming and repetitive tasks. Agricultural students guided 120 middle and high school students, showing them around the Exhibition and sharing their passion for farming. At SPACE, young people co-create the agriculture of tomorrow.

Artificial intelligence at the core of Espace for the Future

Run by the Chambers of Agriculture, the Espace for the Future focused this year on artificial intelligence. Round tables, expert workshops, and equipment demonstrations helped visitors discover AI solutions for farmers and explore the potential of these new technologies. Topics focused primarily on farmer and animal well-being, but also on time saving, less labour-intensive work, better herd management, and reducing environmental impact. Visitors discovered innovations like a robot dog, a smartwatch for cows, and more — all designed to make farmers’ work easier and boost the attractiveness of agricultural careers.

In line with this year’s theme, SPACE hosted its first “Agreen Challenge” AI Hackathon, addressing topics like predicting heat stress in cows, automated milk delivery slips, multiple agronomic data source dashboards, and more. The whirlpool of ideas at Hackathon led to the creation of working prototypes with promising potential.

A special 30th anniversary for Innov’Space

Innov’Space celebrated its 30th anniversary by highlighting the most awarded companies over the years. This retrospective showcased the advances made available to farmers by these suppliers. Digital tools and predictive analysis technologies are growing rapidly, as shown by this year’s 43 award winners. At SPACE, animal farming innovation truly shines.

Top-level animal competitions and presentation

Despite a complex context, and thanks to a strict health protocol, animal presentations and contests were able to take place, featuring cattle, sheep, and goats from various breeds. The Salers National Show was held on Tuesday, and the many animals from the breed’s heartland on display made for a high-energy atmosphere. Breeders’ commitment alongside SPACE generated interest and contacts for expanding the breed in Western France.

The Prim’Holstein competition crowned a cow from Marne by the name of Madison as the SPACE 2025 Grand Champion. The Supreme Championship brought together five dairy breeds: Montbéliarde, French Brown, Jersey, Prim’Holstein, and Normande. The winner was the gorgeous Susette, a French Brown from Maine-et-Loire, crowned 2025 Supreme Champion.

The genetic and meat auctions were also a great success. The Genomic Elite auction reached record prices, with an average of €6,470 for the 20 heifers sold. Among the seven breeds, Prim’Holstein topped the charts with a record average of €8,933 — and for the first time, three heifers sold for over €10,000, with the highest price being €17,500 for Afrique IL P.

Unique content offering a wealth of information and inspiration

The aisles and the booths were buzzing from the extensive content of SPACE 2025, which offered a record number of conferences, SPACE TV shows (more than 50), and debates. Over 120 sessions took place over the three days, covering topics such as: farm succession, reducing the carbon footprint, land ownership and data exchange issues, precision feeding, water quality, adapting to climate change … and much more. This made SPACE a unique hub for knowledge sharing and innovation to support progress in animal farming sectors.

Showcasing women in agriculture + a Pink October initiative

Thanks to a partnership with FRSEA and JA Bretagne, SPACE honoured the role of women in agriculture in several ways. Portraits of female farmers were displayed in the halls, showcasing their stories and the key milestones they passed to gain recognition. Pink October was also highlighted, with SPACE TV broadcasts, info corners, and a limited-edition beanie sale benefiting the French Cancer League.

This 2025 edition of SPACE will go down in history not only for its record-breaking numbers, but also for its constant energy. These three days generated enthusiasm and passion in every aisle — a dynamic that attendees will carry back to their own regions and countries. It’s a powerful sign of SPACE’s influence and its ability to bring together all sectors, showcasing the expertise of our farmers and exhibitors.

We look forward to seeing you at SPACE 2026 from 15 to 17 September at the Rennes Exhibition Centre.