FrieslandCampina moves further into the farmyard

"Over the past year, the cooperative vision 2025 developed," says Frans Keurentjes, chairman of the board at FrieslandCampina. This vision is called: 'Milk with Added Value' and has 3 core values: value for us, care for animals and nature and value in and for society.

From freedom to responsibility
Approvals indicates that these goals can only be achieved if a change takes place within the cooperative. "From equality to diversity, from security to entrepreneurship, from milk value to added value and from freedom to responsibility."

The last part of Keurentjes' statement is particularly striking and is in line with the changes that the cooperative is implementing. This takes the processor further into the farm. It appears that matters that were previously handled through the Dairy Product Board (PZ) will now be handled by the cooperatives.

A topic that was already introduced by Keurentjes earlier this year is the group and tie-up stables. Here it is mainly about freedom of movement. The companies in question will be visited personally in the near future. This involves looking at future plans, but also at next steps to continue to meet market demand. The question, however, is what should be considered. More distance between the cows, a separate milk flow or mandatory exercise time for cows?

Tackling calf mortality
The second point is a subject that faded into the background due to the phosphate rights: calf mortality. This was, among other things, the reason for the motion 'Calf with the cow'. To show the outside world that dairy farmers take this seriously, a key figure will be created. The first 3 quarters before 2018 may still be used for a rolling annual average. At an annual average of 20%, dairy farmers are forced to make an action plan. 

In the area of ​​calves, long-term anesthesia after dehorning will also be mandatory and calves will only be allowed to enter the veal farm through a recognized veal trader. The icing on the cake is that points can be earned through 'KalfOK'. The higher the score, the more development points. 

While A-ware draws attention to the rearing of calves as a means of improving animal health and cow production, FrieslandCampina cites public opinion as an important driver. 

Deadline IBR and BVD
A third point is IBR and BVD control. This stands for Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR) and Bovine Virus Diarrhea (BVD). The sector already made agreements about this in 2016, but the processor wants all members to be registered for a program before April 1 and have a status before July 1, 2018. 

A fourth point is that the discount on the acidity in milk fat will be determined monthly. The frequency of tests for butyric acid is also increasing and research into antibiotics is becoming more intensive. In fact, the processor emphasizes the importance of good quality.

Monitor cycles
The fifth point is more drastic and concerns cycles. This is also the topic that causes a lot of discussion among members. These are topics that FrieslandCampina customers ask about and it gives the dairy cooperative reasons to gain more insight into them. That will happen via the cycle pointer and the climate module. The 6 main points are: greenhouse gas emissions, home-grown protein, ammonia emissions, nitrogen soil balance, permanent grassland and nature and landscape.

A number of topics offer little reason for discussion. The chemical topics, including ammonia, CO2 and nitrogen, offer more room for discussion. Especially because a lot is not yet known about this and measures for one area are detrimental to the other.

Bottom line, it is mainly calf rearing that the dairy farmer will focus more heavily on. The other hot potato climate does not go beyond monitoring. Nevertheless, this already sets the framework for the future. A major change is that companies that are refused milk for the third time in 1 months from January 2018, 24 will be nominated for termination of membership.