Rudi Hooch Antink, dairy farmer in Koekange:

I can take my daughter again to swimming classes
“Often it is asked if we get a higher milk price because we are participating in Ben & Jerry’s Caring Dairy project. Next to a grazing premium of €0.50 / 100 kg milk, we also receive a Caring Dairy premium of another €0.50 / 100 kg milk. This means a couple of thousand euro extra income on an annual base. In addition, and more importantly, Caring Dairy helps me with a better understanding of all the different aspects and their mutual relation, of my farming business. This helps me to make better, more efficient decisions, which eventually also lead to a better economic performance of my farm.
The way we look at sustainable dairy farming in the Caring Dairy project is looking at all the different aspects that are important to improve our business: environmental and economic aspects, but also regarding the welfare of our cows and our labour conditions.
The installation of an automatic milking system for example enables me to go with my 5 year old daughter to swimming class at 7 in the morning. Before, with my older sons I was always milking the cows at that time. And it’s also more comfortable for the cows, since the ladies now decide themselves when and how often they like to get milked. But it is all a matter of personal preferences, other farmers prefer the conventional way. That’s what I really like about Caring Dairy, it’s about continuous improvement, but based on my personal priorities and the belief that there are more ways that lead to Rome”.

To read more about our sustainable dairy farming programmes,
click on links below:

The Caring Dairy approach
Vermont based ‘Dairy Farming Stewardship Alliance’

For questions regarding our Caring Dairy programme, please contact our European Social Mission Manager: anniek.mauser@benjerry.com