The netherlands

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Event: Study Group Meeting

On June 28, 2023, the second Dutch study group meeting of Grazing4AgroEcology took place at Joeri Ham’s farm in Wijdenes. Siw Fasting from the Grünlandzentrum from Germany and Teun van Oosterhout of ZLTO were present as guest speakers and addressed the 10 dairy farmers.

After an introduction to dairy farming and grazing in Germany, Siw Fasting interactively worked with the group on climate change adaptations at farm level. Then Teun van Oosterhout discussed the farm results of the Kringloopwijzer (Annual Nutrient Cycling Assessment), a calculation method to record minerals at farm level.

Of course, an extensive farm tour followed, with Joeri Ham explaining how he grazes. Joeri optimizes the cows’ ration by letting them eat the tops of the grass one part of the day, followed by offering them the last stalks of the previous field the other part of the day.

 

Event: Second Pilot Farm meeting

June 2023

 

Event: First Pilot Farm meeting

16th of March 2023

 

Event: Farm intake meeting

27th of February 2023

Online

Grazing4AgroEcology

Grazing4AgroEcology (G4AE) is een door de EU gefinancierd project wat de agrarische ondernemer en de landbouwsector ondersteunt bij beweiding. Concreet gaat het om het delen van informatie en innovaties met als doel een duurzame beweiding voor koe, veehouder, milieu en maatschappij. G4AE ondersteunt enkele van doelstellingen van de Green Deal van de EU: herstel van biodiversiteit, vermindering van nutriëntenverliezen en vermindering van de uitstoot van broeikasgassen.

Bedrijven met beweiding produceren voedsel van hoge kwaliteit, zijn gunstig voor de portemonnee van de veehouder en voor het dierenwelzijn, en leveren andere ecosysteemdiensten zoals biodiversiteit die door onze samenleving worden gewaardeerd. In Nederland wordt sinds enkele jaren weer meer beweid. In het algemeen gaat beweiding in Europa echter achteruit, wat een bedreiging vormt voor alle ecosysteemdiensten die met beweiding en grasland samenhangen.

Veehouders en de landbouwsector staan centraal in het netwerk van dit project. Het netwerk omvat het hele kennis- en innovatiesysteem (ook wel AKIS genoemd) voor beweiding, denk aan praktijk, wetenschap, Operationele Groepen vanuit de EU (OG’s), NGO’s, adviseurs, consumenten en burgers.

G4AE wordt gecoördineerd door het Grünlandzentrum, Duitsland, en heeft een looptijd van drie en een half jaar (september 2022-februari 2026). Het consortium bestaat uit 18 partners uit acht EU-lidstaten (Frankrijk, Duitsland, Ierland, Italië, Nederland, Portugal, Roemenië en Zweden) die veel verschillende beweidingsstrategieën vertegenwoordigen.

Grazing and grassland in the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, grasslands and dairy farming are strongly linked. The area of grassland has fluctuated between 900,000 and 1 million hectares for years, making it the crop with the largest acreage in the Netherlands. Grazing is practiced on 80-85% of all dairy farms.

AERES University of Applied Sciences

At Aeres University of Applied Sciences in Dronten, students have been learning about agribusiness, food business, horticulture and animal husbandry for more than 65 years. The programmes combine theoretical study with practical training. Besides education, research has an important role. The Sustainable entrepreneurship research program is all about sustainable food production, entrepreneurship and business development in the agri-food and horticultural sectors. The program has a number of key themes and Grassland and Grazing is one of them. How can grasslands be optimally managed and used, in order to create value for the farmer and for the society? This is what the practically oriented research of the Grasslands and Grazing professorship focuses on. We investigate technical and socio-economic aspects of grasslands and grazing together with students, teachers, cattle farmers and industry. And we do this via three tracks: i)  How can grazing cattle be optimally used to provide various ecosystem services? ii) What possibilities can we develop for farmers to optimize grassland management? iii) How can we better valorise the various functions of grasslands?

 

ZLTO

ZLTO is the association of and for 12,000 farmers and horticulturists in the southern part of the Netherlands (Zeeland, Noord-Brabant and Zuid-Gelderland). We stand for the continuity of agriculture and horticulture and future perspective for farmers and horticulturists.

As a lobbying association, we are the link between farmers and horticulturists, the government, industry and society. We work hard to create and maintain future perspective for agricultural entrepreneurs. We also join forces with our members and stimulate cooperation and innovation in agriculture and horticulture.

Mission

ZLTO is a leader in creating and realizing perspective for its members who do business in the green space by contributing to the continuity of agriculture and horticulture.

Vision

Farmers and horticulturists have a key role in society and contribute to solving the social issues of today and tomorrow.

Organization

Several teams within ZLTO work together for the interests of farmers and horticulturists:

  • Team Lobby represents the interest of members to politicians and society;
  • Team Programs leads innovative projects that empower farmers and horticulturists even more;
  • Our Farm Advisors are ready for individual entrepreneurs who need help and advice;
  • ZLTO Vastgoed advises and assists in the purchase and sale of agricultural real estate.

Like any association, ZLTO has an executive organization that gives members a say in and participation in the organization. ZLTO consists of 48 local departments through which we are always close to our members. The organization works from two offices, one in Den Bosch and one in Colijnsplaat.

With LTO Noord and LLTB we work together as LTO Nederland, which represents the whole country.

Facilitator Agents

2 agents that will moderate farm demonstrations of best practices and meetings within the grazing AKIS and encourage all actors to exchange and share knowledge in The Netherlands

Agnes van den Pol-van Dasselaar (Aeres)

 

Grasslands, grazing, grass and forage systems

Greenhouse gas emissions

Ecosystem services

Multi-stakeholder processes

a.van.den.pol@aeres.nl

Annick Spaans (ZLTO)

Project manager on sustainable livestock farming

Working with different farmers and

livestock species to improve

animal health and welfare

Annick.spaans@zlto.nl

 

Partner Farms

Roger Brosens 

Use of a pasture selection box with alarm clock radio

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Dairy farm with 125 dairy cows and 111 ha in Wouwse Plantage, North Brabant

Kees van Wezel

Grazing cows in herb-rich grassland 

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Dairy farm with 140 dairy cows and 68 ha in Roosendaal, North Brabant 

Jan Vonk

Grazing in a peatland area 

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Dairy farm with 115 dairy cows and 61 ha in Goudriaan, South Holland

Christian Swolfs

Siesta grazing as a strategy for robotic milking and measures to improve grass quality

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Mixed farm with 60 dairy cows, about 500 laying hens and 35 ha in Woudrichem, North Brabant 

Maiko Kemp 

Citizen participation in grazing cows

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Organic dairy farm with 110 dairy cows, sheep and some pigs, 135 ha in Kortenhoef, Noord-Holland 

Johnny van der Zanden

Varying grazing strategy based on grass growth

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Dairy farm with 135 cows and 40 ha in Dreumel, Gelderland

Jan Coppelmans 

Jerseys as grazing cows

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Dairy farm with 100 cows and 30 ha in Wintelre, North Brabant

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location

Farmer

Innovation

More info here: Video / Practice abstract

Farm information & location