Sustainability transition in the Dutch dairy sector

Dutch dairy farmers and processors working together on a sustainable future

18 October 2016, dr. Anne-Charlotte Hoes

Dutch dairy sector

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NZO, 2016

Trend of intensification Dutch dairy farming:

Less farms

More cows per farm

More milk production per cow

Dutch dairy sector may loose positive public option due to intensification

Development Dutch dairy sector

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Meatrix Chipotle, back to the start

2006, NGO 2011, fast food chain

Examples USA

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To proactively respond to sustainability issues

Initiated in 2008 by dairy processors and dairy farmers

Sustainable Dairy Chain

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Partners Sustainable Dairy Chain

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Aim Sustainable Dairy Chain

Sector that is future-proof and responsible

Where work is satisfying and safe

Where one can earn a good living

That produces high-quality food

That respects animals and the environment

That is appreciated by Dutch society

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Goals Sustainable Dairy Chain

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Development towards climate

neutrality

20% reduction of greenhouse gases from the dairy chain by 2020 compared to 1990, and climate-neutral growth compared to 2011.16% sustainable energy production in the dairy chain by 2020.Energy efficiency in the dairy chain improves on average 2% per year in the period 2005-2020.

Continuous improvements in

livestock health and welfare

Lowering antibiotic resistance through responsible antibiotic use at the dairy farm, in line with the Netherlands Veterinary Medicines Authority (SDa) standards.Prolonged average lifespan of cows by six months by 2020 compared to 2011, by improving hoof health, udder health and fertility.Continuous improvement in the animal welfare score; by 2017 at the latest, a monitoring system is developed and a concrete goal set.

Preservation of grazing Maintaining grazing at least at the 2012 level (81.2% of farms practicing some form of grazing); keeping as close as possible to the 2012 distribution (73.6% of farms practicing full grazing, 7.6% practicing another form of grazing).

Protection of biodiversity and

the environment

100% use of responsible soy as of 2015 (RTRS or similar).Total farming phosphorous production stays below the European limit (173 million kg); target to keep dairy farming phosphorous production at the 2002 level (84.9 million kg). 5 kton reduction in ammonia emissions compared to 2011. No net reduction of biodiversity; development of indicators and implementation. By 2017 at the latest, a monitoring system is developed and a concrete goal set.

Each associated dairy processor has sustainability programmes to

motivate dairy farmers to make progress on the sustainability goals

Workshops

Financial incentives

Monitoring

Terms of delivery

Approach Sustainable Dairy Chain

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Sustainability assessment

Social innovation expertise

Role & activities WUR

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Role & activities WUR

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Role & activities WUR

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Results – 12 key insight

Processors

Stakeholder management

Dairy farmers

Innovation process

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Dairy farmers – Make it personal

What are your dairy farmers’ motives?

Which farmers want to pick up sustainability

issues?

How do you support farmers who want to work

on sustainability innovations or best practices of

specific themes?

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Strengthen and unburden

Who are the up-to-date farmers and who are

the wait-and-see farmers?

How can you best reach them?

What is the resistance they face?

And which action perspectives and forms of

communication fit these groups?

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Collective campaigns

Which low-threshold best practices can

farmers take that support the goals?

Which campaigns can be set up to stimulate

large groups to carry out this practice?

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Dutch dairy processors work on sustainable development with their dairy

farmers in a structured and well-organised way. Assessment shows:

Positive results antibiotics, energy efficiency and sustainable soy goals

Some progress cow lifetime and sustainable energy

Greenhouse gases, phosphate, ammonia are problematic

Were does the dairy chain get its farm innovations from?

Concluding remarks

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Reijs, J.W., Doornewaard, J., Jager, J. and

Beldman, A. (2015) Sectorrapportage

Duurzame Zuivelketen; Prestaties 2014 in

perspectief, LEI Wageningen UR LEI Report

2015-126.

Reference

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Other suggestion for further reading

Hoes, A-C. Beers, P.J, van Mierlo, B., (2016) Communicating tensions

among incumbents about system innovation in the Dutch dairy sector,

Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, in press,

DOI:10.1016/j.eist.2016.04.005

Studied communication of Sustainable Dairy Chain meetings

Several communicative strategies were used when they collectively

address and deal with tensions

Innovation initiatives and assigned staff assist in opening up

conversations on tensions hindering sector transformation

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Thank you for your

attention

anne-charlotte.hoes@wur.nl

Icons: Bohdan Burmich/Noun Project, Roberto Colombo/Noun

Project, Eliricon/Noun Project, Ben King/Noun Project, Isabel

Martínez Isabel/Noun Project, Rémy Médard/Noun Project,

Miguel Olivera Galán/Noun Project, Hea Poh Lin/Noun Project,

Davo Sime/Noun Project, Michael Weibel/Noun Project,

Wageningen University & Research

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