The Beemster Story

Caring Dairy

Happy Farmers

• Each of the farmers attends each year at least three workshops. During these workshops the farmer gets new insights, knowledge and skills. Together with an expert (e.g. a vet or a researcher of Wageningen University) and colleagues the farmers also seek, during the workshops, new measures he can take to make his dairy farm more sustainable.
• Bottom-up approach: Every dairy farm is different (e.g. barn type and number of cows) and every farmer knows his own farm the best. That is why, within Caring Dairy, each farmer defines his own path to a more sustainable management of his farm. After every workshop the farmer makes an improvement plan and defines which measures he is willing to implement on his farm. The farmers also fill in a survey every year. This questionnaire gives insight in the improvements the Beemster famers have made to make their farms to make them more sustainable.
• Farmers who participate in the Caring Dairy program get a premium milk price from Beemster of an average of €3000 per farm.

• The Beemster farmers are really proud that their milk is used for Beemster cheese and Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream.
• Beemster is a cooperative. This means that 100% of our profit are paid to our dairy farmers.