FrieslandCampina Launches Regenerative Agriculture Pilot
Source: The DairyNews
FrieslandCampina is stepping up its commitment to sustainable dairy farming by launching a Regenerative Agriculture Pilot, aimed at expediting the adoption of environmentally friendly farming practices among its member dairy farmers.
The initiative, according to Guus van Laarhoven, FrieslandCampina's sustainability manager, is designed to address the practical and financial aspects of regenerative farming, which is seen as a promising pathway towards a sustainable future in agriculture.
The pilot program involves 20 FrieslandCampina dairy farmers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany who will collectively explore the impacts and feasibility of regenerative practices through a series of practical applications over the next few years. The pilot aims to foster a deeper understanding of regenerative agriculture by focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and overall farm sustainability.
The group's diversity is intended to capture a broad range of insights, reflecting the different farming approaches within the cooperative. The farmers participating in the pilot are already engaged in practices that reduce chemical inputs and improve soil nitrogen fixation, such as the use of clover crops.
The pilot's kickoff was hosted at the farm of Robert Nijkamp in Raalte, one of four demo farms showcasing successful integration of climate and nature measures in their operations. These farms, which adhere to various business philosophies like organic, nature-inclusive, and circular models, serve as inspirational benchmarks for the group.
FrieslandCampina has a robust framework for tracking and incentivizing improvements in animal health, welfare, climate impact, and biodiversity across its nearly 10,000 member farms since 2018. The cooperative sets ambitious targets for regenerative agriculture, emphasizing the need for measurable and reliable outcomes in climate, soil, water, and biodiversity.
The transition towards regenerative farming in the pilot involves three phases: starting with a baseline measurement of the farm's ecological impact, followed by the implementation of initial regenerative practices, and culminating in significant investments that align with each farm's long-term strategy.
FrieslandCampina is actively collaborating with various stakeholders, including the ReGeNL consortium, to mitigate the risks and distribute the costs associated with transitioning to regenerative practices. This collaborative approach aims to secure better market-linked incomes for farmers and demonstrate that regenerative agriculture is not only viable but beneficial for the climate, nature, and the farming community.
The pilot program involves 20 FrieslandCampina dairy farmers from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany who will collectively explore the impacts and feasibility of regenerative practices through a series of practical applications over the next few years. The pilot aims to foster a deeper understanding of regenerative agriculture by focusing on soil health, biodiversity, and overall farm sustainability.
The group's diversity is intended to capture a broad range of insights, reflecting the different farming approaches within the cooperative. The farmers participating in the pilot are already engaged in practices that reduce chemical inputs and improve soil nitrogen fixation, such as the use of clover crops.
The pilot's kickoff was hosted at the farm of Robert Nijkamp in Raalte, one of four demo farms showcasing successful integration of climate and nature measures in their operations. These farms, which adhere to various business philosophies like organic, nature-inclusive, and circular models, serve as inspirational benchmarks for the group.
FrieslandCampina has a robust framework for tracking and incentivizing improvements in animal health, welfare, climate impact, and biodiversity across its nearly 10,000 member farms since 2018. The cooperative sets ambitious targets for regenerative agriculture, emphasizing the need for measurable and reliable outcomes in climate, soil, water, and biodiversity.
The transition towards regenerative farming in the pilot involves three phases: starting with a baseline measurement of the farm's ecological impact, followed by the implementation of initial regenerative practices, and culminating in significant investments that align with each farm's long-term strategy.
FrieslandCampina is actively collaborating with various stakeholders, including the ReGeNL consortium, to mitigate the risks and distribute the costs associated with transitioning to regenerative practices. This collaborative approach aims to secure better market-linked incomes for farmers and demonstrate that regenerative agriculture is not only viable but beneficial for the climate, nature, and the farming community.
23.09.2024
Carbon emissions in global milk production - the elephant in the room
I have been thinking to make this post yes/ no. I decided for yes and like to ask everyone to not "shoot the messenger". The chart shows an analysis of IFCN Dairy Research Network from the 2024 supporter conference in Poland.
