Tomorrow's Dairy popular with Vreugdenhil farmers

On Monday 3 February, more than sixty new participants gathered in Nijkerk for the official kick-off meeting. "The program has been running since 2022 and with all the knowledge and experience gained by the current participants and the support team, we have now opted for a broader approach," says Marjolein de Kreij, director of Milk Supply at Vreugdenhil. "The core remains the same, namely to work within the program towards a 50% lower CO2 footprint of milk in 2030 compared to 2018. The first 15% reduction is a fact. And with this additional scaling up, we can take even bigger steps."

Based on acquired knowledge and experience, the approach has been further refined this year. "Every dairy farm is unique and customization remains the key. Business operations are different everywhere and that also applies to the business conditions, such as the location, the number of cows and the type of soil. That is why we combine individual guidance with workshops in which participants learn from each other," De Kreij explains.

New from 2025 is an adjusted reward system where, for example, every gram of CO2 reduction is financially rewarded, but also a longer lifespan. This premium can amount to €5 per 100 kilos of milk. This is in addition to the existing premiums of Vreugdenhil and stimulates the entrepreneurship of the participating dairy farmers.

This is also emphasized by Klaas Cuperus, sustainability manager of Nestlé Netherlands: "Stimulating sustainability also means rewarding entrepreneurs who take a step. With the expansion of Tomorrow's Dairy and the renewed reward system, we provide perspective on making CO2 reduction feasible and we stimulate regenerative agriculture. In this way, we accelerate the transition to future-proof dairy farming together." 

All new participants start with an individual business plan, which is drawn up with the help of PPP-Agro Advies. Subsequently, all participants participate in workshops at least twice a year. During these sessions, for example, the use of the Kringloopwijzer is explained, but measures are also shown in practice, such as the possibilities of using grass clover, soil improvement or feed adjustments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions on the dairy farm. In total, the set contains almost twenty different measures, which are underlined by Wageningen University. These options can be used, depending on the type of company. This package is also continuously supplemented and recalibrated through new innovations.

Together with Nestlé, Vreugdenhil is investing over €50 million in the Tomorrow's Dairy program (formerly Low carbon farming). The aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50% in 2030 compared to 2018, by applying the principles of regenerative agriculture, among other things.