Dairy farmers participating in the Planet Proof certification scheme must meet a series of stricter requirements by 2025. These include, for example, more lying comfort for the cows, a longer lifespan, reduced ammonia emissions, and more protein-use from their own lands. Some participants find the additional measures disappointing.
The Milieukeur Foundation has established the new requirements after consultation with participating parties. They have recently been able to respond to the proposed tightening. Most of the rules, however, have been implemented unchanged.
The top level for permanent grassland will increase to 70% of the total area from the new year. The share of proteins harvested from their own land will be 65% (was 55%), without neighborhood contracts. The share of herb-rich grassland will increase, and the ammonia emission must be reduced to a maximum of 60 kilograms per hectare (previously 75 kilograms).
Some of the new measures have been criticized by about 800 participating dairy farmers. They find the continuous tightening to be very rapid and extensive. SMK counters that until spring 2026, there is time to implement all adjustments. Only then will there be a first audit.
A different kind of criticism comes from a group of FrieslandCampina members (who make up the majority of the PP dairy farmers). The gist of it is that the efforts required for Planet Proof are too much and the extra reward for it is disappointing, especially since FrieslandCampina has significantly improved the reward for a competing program (Foqus Plant). There is only a €1.50 difference per 100 kilograms, and that will not change for the time being.
With about 800 participants, the group of Planet Proof farmers has been relatively stable in number in recent years. There seems to be no more growth. For the retail sector, Planet Proof dairy has become important. It has taken over the position of pasture milk in many areas. At Albert Heijn, it competes with the private label program Beter Voor. The vast majority of participants are with FrieslandCampina, with a small number at Farmel and Arla.
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