Proposal: Creating a Slack Channel for ICAR and the Broader Livestock Data Community

[maximeleduc]

Hi everyone,

I’d like to suggest the creation of a Slack workspace to complement the discussions happening here on GitHub.

Many organizations involved in animal data exchange already use Slack internally, and having a shared space could make it easier for people—both ICAR members and non-members—to connect, ask questions, and share insights in a more fluid and interactive way.

Benefits could include:

• Real-time alerts and conversations that are easier to follow than GitHub threads.
• Lower barrier to entry for newcomers or non-members with questions about using ICAR standards.
• A separate channel for broader topics not strictly related to ICAR specs—such as livestock data processing, tooling, and best practices—helping to build a more open and collaborative community.
• Opportunities for cross-company or cross-project collaboration.

It would only require basic promotion and setup, and the worst-case scenario is that it doesn’t gain traction. But the upside could be a stronger and more active knowledge-sharing community.

Happy to help set it up or promote it if there’s interest.

What do you think?