Melkveehouders over verduurzaming in de melkveehouderij

How can dairy farmers be supported and facilitated in the transition to a more sustainable dairy farming sector? That, in a nutshell, was the key research question put forward by the organisation that commissioned this study, Duurzame Zuivelketen (‘Sustainable Dairy Chain’). To answer this question, forty dairy farmers were interviewed about the goals of Sustainable Dairy Chain and its sustainability themes. The results of the survey reveal that, while most of the interviewed dairy farmers want to change, there are external obstacles that make this difficult for them. A lack of knowledge also played a role. Dairy farmers are not always aware of the urgency of the sustainability challenge they face, especially in relation to the more ‘intangible’ issues of reducing ammonia and greenhouse gas emissions and preserving biodiversity.