Measure Tool for sustainable milk production
The Measure Tool is a calculation program that we have developed to provide individual dairy farmers with insights into the sustainability performance of their business and how it can be further improved," says our expert Jeroen Hospers.
What sets the Measure Tool apart is that it simultaneously assesses the impact of various sustainability indicators at the company level. Nothing like this existed anywhere in the world. In addition to greenhouse gas emissions, for example, it also estimates the effect on the proportion of protein in the feed from own land and the nitrogen balance in the soil. This gives the dairy farmer insight into which measures contribute integrally to further sustainability of their dairy farm.
Seeking the optimal mix
A dairy farmer can fill out the Measure Tool at home on their computer and immediately see the effects of various measures and weigh them against each other. Because sometimes measures reinforce each other, sometimes they work against each other, or come at the expense of something else. It provides answers to questions like: 'What happens if I feed more corn and less concentrate?', 'What is the effect if I start producing green electricity?', 'And what is the optimal mix of measures for my specific farm?', 'What does it cost me and what does it yield me?'. A dairy farmer wants to make their farm more sustainable, but is of course also looking for a business model for it.
Rewarding for more sustainable production
To stimulate sustainability on the farm, FrieslandCampina rewards its member dairy farmers when they produce more sustainably. In the best case, an average dairy farmer will receive net around 30,000 euros annually from 2023 onwards by improving their sustainability performance. That is a substantial amount. There is therefore great interest in the Measure Tool among our farmers. About half of the member dairy farmers are already using the Measure Tool.
The farmer decides
Fortunately, the farmer does not have to manually enter all parameters, because they can upload their farm-specific data. With the tool, they can then experiment as much as they want and make choices based on that. It's very fascinating, because this way a farmer actually creates their own business model for sustainability. It is essential that the farmer always remains in control. They decide, we do not dictate anything. But of course, we do help them come to a decision that is best for their specific situation and preferences.
I hope to contribute to a good and sustainable future for agriculture in the Netherlands
Learning from our members
We are constantly working on improving and refining the Measure Tool. In doing so, we mainly learn from the input we receive from our members. Every farming business is different, every situation is different, and a measure that works well for one business may be less favorable for another. That is also the strength of the Measure Tool: it is specific to each individual business.
For every dairy farmer in the Netherlands
As FrieslandCampina, we do not want to compete on sustainability, so we make the Measure Tool available not only to our own members but to all dairy farmers in the Netherlands. My personal motivation is that I hope to contribute to a good and sustainable future for agriculture in the Netherlands.