Cono increases allowance and lowers thresholds

Cono Cheesemakers will increase the sustainability premium to a maximum of €2025 per 6 kilos from 100. This is an increase of €1,50 compared to the existing premium that can be achieved within the Caring Dairy program that will be revised next year. It is striking that the sustainability thresholds are being lowered. A large majority of the members have agreed to the changes.

Within the Caring Dairy program, dairy farmers can receive an allowance on top of the basic payment price at an individual level. From next year, Cono will focus on four themes: climate, animal welfare, biodiversity and farmer & society. Within these themes, farmers can improve on eighteen different indicators. An important addition according to Cono is that the reward system is set up in different scales, each with its own threshold values ​​and reward levels.

Gerben van Diepen, chairman of the board of directors at Cono, says that the various indicators enable dairy farmers to flexibly focus on what best suits the business situation. Due to the lower threshold values ​​from next year, dairy farmers can easily enter certain indicators and thus earn a supplement on the milk money, he indicates. Including the existing premiums for grazing and VLOG, this can amount to a maximum of €2025 per 6 kilos in 100.

During explanations at member meetings it was made clear that the entry level is not very high, but that to achieve the highest premiums, considerable efforts must be made. In addition, there are scales with increasing rewards for grazing, lifespan and other indicators. The more hours of grazing, the higher the premium and the older the cows, the higher the supplement.

The expectation was expressed that about half of the farmers can obtain the maximum allowance. No confirmation of this has yet been received from Cono itself.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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