News Dairy farm
Riot at Danone over production limitation
After FrieslandCampina, Danone is also introducing a growth restriction for dairy farmers. It did not go down well and resulted in actions in Rotselaar in Belgium on Wednesday 5 September. Young dairy farmers in particular are very concerned about the new policy.
In a 'symbolic letter of application for a job with a future', approximately 30 dairy farmers took action at Danone. The campaign was aimed at the growth restriction of 2%, which the dairy producer wants to impose on dairy farmers. Anyone who grows more than 2% per year will be fined. It is a plan that shows great similarities with FrieslandCampina's plans.
Never enough milk?
It is especially young entrepreneurs who are concerned and claim that they are being punished the hardest. They fear that their future options will be limited. The young people let HLN know, via spokesperson Bram Agten, that they have made investments. "This is because we received the signal at the time that there can never be enough milk." They experience the imposed restriction as a growth stop.
It doesn't stop there, because Danone also comes up with sustainability requirements. The farmers are prepared to take extra measures. "However, they have to be realistic and achievable." The processor demands that cows are milked longer, but the organization also wants fewer cells. That's something that doesn't go together. Danone's local management has not yet responded to protesters.
Fewer and fewer dairy farmers
The unrest follows after the processor has already put 5 dairy farmers on the dike. In total, the processor purchases milk from about 100 farmers. The suppliers account for 110 million liters of milk and are united in the producer organization 'Beste Milk'. About 1 year earlier, some dairy farmers had already said goodbye, in order to make room for more milk from the remaining dairy farmers.
Herman van den Pol
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