Recently, we've been working hard to create a renewed Caring Dairy program for our dairy farmers, starting in 2025. The program has been thoroughly developed over the past year, with input from dairy farmers, customers, consumers, Ben & Jerry's and other stakeholders. This new program makes it even more attractive for our livestock farmers to contribute to the 2030 sustainability goals. At the semi-annual general meeting in October, livestock farmers voted overwhelmingly in favor of this updated program.

Reward for sustainability efforts

Even after the revision of the Caring Dairy program, livestock farmers are rewarded for their sustainability efforts. An important addition is that the reward system is set up in different tiers, each with its own threshold values and reward levels. By applying these tiers, farmers can work step by step toward higher rewards. The structure of these tiers ensures that farmers clearly see how they can improve their performance and at what point they qualify for the next reward category. Cattle farmers who are already performing well within the program can earn a higher premium through the tiered system. Whereas previously cattle farmers could receive up to 4.5 cents, now, including the existing premiums for grazing and GMO-free milk, they can earn a total of an additional 6 cents per kg of milk.

Sustainability topics

Starting in 2025, CONO farmers will focus on four key sustainability themes: Climate, Animal Welfare, Biodiversity and Farmer & Society. Within these themes, livestock farmers can improve on 18 different indicators. In this way CONO, together with the participating livestock farmers, is taking bigger and bigger steps in the area of sustainability. This offers them the flexibility to focus on the indicators that best suit their business. Gerben van Diepen, chairman of the board of directors, says, "The Caring Dairy 2025 program offers every livestock farmer the opportunity to become more sustainable, the low threshold also makes it easy for livestock farmers to join."