The Livestock Conservancy, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to protecting agricultural animal breeds, has released its 2026 Conservation Priority List, which assesses the extinction risk of over 180 livestock and poultry breeds. Program Director Alison Martin highlighted the group’s nearly 50-year mission to conserve heritage breeds that have declined in mainstream agriculture but remain valuable for small farms and homesteads. The list is compiled annually through a census involving breed associations and registries.

Notably, the silver fox rabbit and Belgian horse have graduated from the list due to increased populations and popularity, with the Belgian horse population now exceeding 25,000 globally. The Conservancy is currently conducting a poultry census and encourages poultry breeders to contribute data via their website to support ongoing conservation efforts.