3. RESPECT FOR NATURE We work with respect for nature, because we want to leave the world behind in a better way than the state we found it in. We want to work towards a cyclical system in which we treat the nature we get our resources from as well as possible. Biodiversity Nearly half of The Netherlands consists of grazing land. With this in mind, biodiversity is an important subject. It is a great challenge to make sure our soil stays fertile, because unfortunately, soil depletion is a serious threat. In our opinion, livestock farmers and cheese makers are responsible to leave a positive mark on it, and are also able to do so. With our Milk & More program, we do not aim to do well, but to do the very best. At the dairy farm, we focus on three areas regarding biodiversity: the fields, the canals, and the fences. One can significantly increase biodiversity in these three areas. Outdoor grazing is important for biodiversity. For instance, by not mowing the grass around the fences, more space is created for new life, which stimulates functional agrodiversity. That is how you can take all kinds of measures to increase biodiversity. We have collected a lot of data now, and we see our farmers perform above-average regarding biodiversity. We will continue to stimulate this. We are in constant dialogue about this with our livestock farmers, and we share our knowledge to keep moving forward. Soil Everything starts with soil quality! Without a healthy soil, there is no healthy meadow, water or field edge. It has been scientifically proven that a rich soil life ensures that soil processes run optimally, nutrients become available for plants and the soil structure
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