Dutch ‘Beter Leven’ welfare label small in dairy, but receives support

The Better Life quality mark for dairy is owned by the Animal Protection Society. Dairy processor Farmel and supermarket chain Jumbo are currently the largest parties. Photo: Jan Willem van Vliet

In recent years, dairy concepts and welfare labels have been gaining ground in dairy farming in the Netherlands. A relatively small one is the Beter Leven (Better Life) welfare label. While it is virtually the basis for Dutch sales in pigs and poultry, it remains small in dairy and offers opportunities to participants.

“We are very satisfied with the Beter Leven welfare label,” says Jasper Giesen from Ezinge in Groningen. Giesen is one of the first group of livestock farmers who joined the welfare label about 6 years ago. “Of course, there are things that make you think, ‘What’s the use of that?’ But it remains our own choice to participate.”

The Beter Leven welfare label (BLk) for dairy is owned by the Animal Protection Society and developed in collaboration with the Bird Protection Society and the Nature & Environment Foundation. So far, dairy processor Farmel and supermarket chain Jumbo are the largest parties. Fryske and Lidl have a (small) range. FrieslandCampina has signed up to the ‘On the way to PlanetProof’ welfare label; Albert Heijn has its own welfare label with ‘Beter voor’ and collaborates with A-Ware and DeltaMilk.

Brand world will not be forced

Because other large parties do not join, Giesen has acquired 31 colleagues since the start who produce for the welfare label. Of these, 24 have 1 star, one entrepreneur has 2 stars and seven of them have 3 stars. The more stars, the stricter the requirements – 3 stars is the level of organic, but Skal-certified organic companies cannot obtain a 3-star certificate one-on-one. Not huge numbers, right? “Maybe not, but I am proud that our dairy is in around 700 Jumbo stores. And we get something extra out of the market with it.”

For a welfare label in dairy farming, 32 participants is a small number, certainly compared to pig and poultry farming where the Beter Leven welfare label is the basis for a large part of the Dutch retail sector and a total of more than 1,000 companies are affiliated.

However, the welfare label world cannot be forced. Gé Backus of Connecting Agri & Food explains that dairy companies and retailers make their own choices. His company is working on greater efficiency and quality control in livestock farming chains. For dairy processors, for example, their own policy on image and sustainability, current agreements with customers and consequences for logistics are decisive. For supermarkets, aspects such as recognisability, obligations, flexibility, cost reimbursements and competitive considerations play a role.

Dutch supermarket Jumbo is the leading retailer with dairy products with the Beter Leven mark. Photo: Jumbo

Critical voices on Animal Protection

Owner of Animal Protection notices that Beter Leven is strict compared to other welfare labels, according to business developer Charlot Chabot. “We do not have a phase-in model. This means that livestock farmers must meet all requirements from day one and dairy processors must be able to collect and process all milk separately. There are transition periods, but these are often in addition to a minimum standard that takes effect immediately.”

According to Chabot, the fact that Beter Leven focuses on welfare can influence the interest. Moreover, livestock farmers can only join when the market allows it, and therefore the demand for Beter Leven dairy increases. “Farmers sometimes have to invest considerably in their stables to meet the requirements.” The dimensions of cubicles and walk-through areas in particular are often a limitation. Furthermore, dairy companies and retailers want to radiate sustainability more broadly than just welfare. That is not entirely unjustified, since Beter Leven also sets requirements for the environment and biodiversity. Chabot does not rule out that there are also critical voices about the Animal Protection as a partner. “You do feel a bit of distance with some of them,” is her experience.

Chabot hopes that there will be more cooperation between welfare labels. She does not rule out the option that Beter Leven can take care of the welfare component.

Beter Leven farms have to deal with environmental and climate measures. For example, they have low energy consumption per kilogramme of milk. From 2030, farms must generate all the energy they use. Photo: Anne van der Woude

Welfare much less of an issue

Although the Beter Leven welfare label has relatively few participants, size says little about its raison d’être or impact. Backus: “For pigs and poultry, the welfare label has proven to be a ‘game changer’; it has demonstrably raised the standard for animal welfare in the Dutch market. But for poultry, it also started very small.”

In that sense, the dairy industry is unlucky, or actually lucky, in that welfare is less of an issue. Moreover, the dairy industry has already largely tackled the issue of welfare with the Weidemelk welfare label. “Citizens mainly associate welfare in dairy cattle with grazing. That is very different from pigs and chickens, where the conditions in the barn are directly considered.” In addition, the dairy chain focuses more on climate, which has been reinforced in recent years by the ambition to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂) and is also paying for this.

Backus considers it important that the added value for the consumer is clear and credible. According to him, that is where the strength of BLk lies: it is widely trusted, also because of the involvement of Animal Protection. “That is not self-evident, because consumers do not actively ask for welfare labels. It is mainly the supermarket that determines what ends up on the shelves.” Jumbo itself says that the extra legal standards for welfare are the strength of the welfare label. Incidentally, the retailer also has dairy products with other welfare labels on the shelves.

Need for fewer welfare label

Chain manager Maurits Steverink is positive about the future of the welfare label. He sees from all sides that welfare is higher on the agenda and that grazing is no longer sufficient. According to him, dairy companies also realise this, certainly those that focus on the Dutch retail market. “A lot happens behind the scenes.” According to him, the fact that the legislator demands more welfare through the covenant for Animal-worthy Livestock Farming is not an obstacle. “The first 5-10 years are needed for market development before it becomes a standard,” is his expectation.

According to Steverink, another aspect where there are opportunities for BLk is the number of welfare labels. He notices a need for fewer welfare labels with more clarity for the consumer. “If you put everything in perspective, BLk and organic have the best cards. Just like with pork, chicken and eggs, BLk could become the basis in the supermarket for dairy.”

Grazing is an important component within the Better Life mark. For 1 star, 120 days is mandatory; for 2 stars, 150 days and 3 stars, 180 days. There are also requirements regarding sowing of herb mixes. Photo: Mark Pasveer — Grazing is an important component within the Beter Leven mark. For 1 star, 120 days is mandatory; for 2 stars, 150 days and 3 stars, 180 days. There are also requirements regarding sowing of herb mixes. Photo: Mark Pasveer

Welfare label compensates for additional costs

In his desired scenario, dairy buyers and retailers will embrace it in the coming years and livestock farmers will join in. Whether the welfare label is suitable depends on many factors. The compensation for investments is sufficient for the average company, but not for everyone. As soon as participation does require more investments, the question is whether it will yield economic returns. Steverink emphasises that as soon as business development starts up again, new stables already largely meet the requirements.

The fact that the welfare label compensates for additional costs is also critical at the same time; why is the livestock farmer not allowed to benefit from something extra? Or put differently: why participate if I do not benefit from it in the end? Backus says, “Of course an entrepreneur asks for a cent more. But the consumer asks for a cent less. The retailers and other parties are in between. They act as gatekeepers. They are powerful, but not all-powerful. Because they also operate under pressure from competition and affordability.”

Backus emphasises that he should not only choose from the short-term economy. “Ultimately, it comes down to the strategic choice: which market suits your company in the next 10 years?”

Not just animal welfare requirements

Participants in the Beter Leven welfare label (BLk) must meet almost 200 requirements. A large number of them are in line with the legal requirements and practice; for some, the entrepreneur must do something extra. Here is an overview of the most important requirements for BLk with 1 star.

Animal welfare

A place for each cow to lie down. The cubicle bedding is soft, such as a rubber cow mattress or a deep layer of litter.
Walking space of at least 5 m2 per cow. For 2 stars, this is 7.5 m2; for 3 stars, 10 m2; There is a transition period after new construction and renovation, but no later than 2040.
At least 1 brush per 60 cows in the barn.
At least 120 days, 6 hours of pasture per day. Young cattle this means at least 100 days in the first 2 years of life. For 2 stars, this is 150 days and 8 hours; with 3 stars 180 days and 8 hours per day.
Calf may only be taken away from the cow after it has been licked dry by the mother. With 3 stars the recommendation is that the calf stays with the mother for 3 months.

Climate & Energy

Companies must purchase 100% green electricity generated in the Netherlands.
As of January 1 of this year, energy consumption is 25 kWh per 1,000 kilos of milk. As of 2030, the company must generate sufficient energy for its own consumption (excluding dairy processing and private use).

Environment

The use of phosphate fertilisers is not permitted.
Crop protection products are on a list with a low environmental impact; glyphosate is not permitted.
Purchased roughage comes from within a radius of 50 km of the company.
Soy and palm products are sustainably certified; feed is VLOG-worthy (GMO-free).
At least 80% of the area consists of grassland, of which 15% is permanent.

Biodiversity

At least 5% of the land area consists of herb-rich grassland.
At least 2-3% of the area consists of natural elements such as ditches, trenches and hedgerows, depending on the location of the company.

‘It’s not bad that it remains exclusive’

For Suzanne Ruesink, participating in the Beter Leven welfare label was a logical choice. The dairy and pig farm receives tens of thousands of consumers via the annual Country Fair; she also runs a conference centre and restaurant with her parents and sister. “We notice that consumers actually know nothing about us, and we don’t know what happens to our milk.”

The request from Farmel to produce for a new chain for Jumbo therefore came at the right time. She sat down with all the parties involved and was one of the first companies to be certified in April 2020. The familiarity of the BLk and the commitment of Jumbo, which invested time and money in the concept, gave confidence. She does not mind that the welfare label is still relatively small. “It is also not bad that it remains somewhat exclusive and that farmers only join when there are more sales for the milk.”

Suzanne Ruesink (39) has a mixed farm in Aalten in Gelderland, the Netherlands, with cows (160) and pigs (3,200) and a hospitality branch with restaurant and function room. Photo: Hans Prinsen

According to her, the conditions and vision of the welfare label fit in well with the one she has about the future of the company. “More intensive does not suit us and this location.” The requirement for herb-rich grassland, for example, was easy to fit in and also fits in well with the CAP conditions. The company already had more than enough solar panels for its own production.

Keeping fewer cows

The most drastic adjustment was keeping fewer cows to ensure that each cow has a place to lie down and enough space to walk around. “I now have more space in the barn. That also has advantages, because everything runs a bit more smoothly.” Ruesink did have to make some adjustments for the calves, but with some distraction material and water troughs, a lot was arranged.

The fact that Ruesink is closely involved in the development does not mean that she is not critical. She does describe a number of requirements as black and white and not everything is logical. For example, having a humidity metre, but no instructions on how to use it. She also does not think it is logical that the feed manufacturer has to be affiliated with Nevedi. “That says nothing about the quality.”

Participant in the Beter Leven mark

She finds the 7 cents per kg milk compensation appropriate. “You can’t really compare it, but it is the best paid within the welfare labels.” She does emphasise that one company has to pay more for it than another. She does not rule out growing to 2 or 3 stars again. The fact that part of the young cattle rearing takes place outside the company is difficult. Ruesink dares to invest and is confident that the welfare label will not disappear from the market quickly, even though it is still small.

“I do think that more can be gained from it than is currently the case, for example with more dairy products under the welfare label.” She does mention that it is a pity that there is less consultation with the participants than in the early years, to think along about new opportunities.