The 16 themes are divided in 10 ecology/living environment related themes and 6 social context related themes. The themes aim to address sustainability well as value creation of a farm in its local environment.
For each theme the Core describes the essence of the theme, the Objective describes the ultimate situation for the theme and the Actions describe how a farm can develop towards this objective. The themes, each with its Core, Objective and Actions are presented below.
For each theme an assessment scheme is developed that allows to assess the specific level of a specific farm for a theme. The assessment schemes are suitable for a regular farm, specific schemes that suit organic farming and farms active in services are in development. This includes farms active in the equine business.
Creating the assessment schemes has been a big investment in time, yet we believe in sharing knowledge to support a better embedding of a farm in its social and ecological environment. When interested in using the assessment schemes, please send and e-mail to r.methorst@aeres.nl, Professor of Environment inclusive farm entrepreneurship at Aeres University of Applied Sciences, please include a short explanation on the purpose and setting for the use of the assessment schemes.
Here the 16 themes with the Core, the Objective and the Actions:
Core: Soil is essential to farming.
Objective: A fertile soil with healthy soil life.
Actions: Proactive in taking measures, supported by knowledge, insight and measurements, to increase soil quality and integrate sustainable use of soil into farm management.
Core: A healthy crop is the basis for good yields.
Objective: The crop is and remains healthy through appropriate measures.
Actions: Proactive in taking measures, supported by knowledge, insight and measurements, to monitor and ensure the health and thus production of the crop (in arable and pasture farming) with the lowest possible adverse effect on soil, water, nature and people.
Core: Agriculture is necessary to meet our needs for food.
Objective: Contribute to food security.
Actions: With the available resources of land, labor (energy), capital and the raw and auxiliary materials used, food production is maximized and food waste minimized.
Core: The use and source of energy on the farm.
Objective: Reduce energy consumption and use renewable sources as much as possible.
Actions: Minimize energy consumption of machinery and buildings.
Actions: Replace fossil energy sources with renewable sources, through purchase or own production. Potentially being a net-producer of clean energy.
Core: Sufficient and good water for agriculture and nature.
Objective: Contribute to the needs of regional water management by adequately managing incoming and runoff water, minimizing the generation and discharge of polluted water to ground and surface waters.
Actions: The basis is prevention of pollution. Higher scores are possible by contributing to the needs of the regional water management through adjustments to properly manage groundwater, surface water and rainwater. Minimize consumption of tap water by preventing leaks and minimizing water use when cleaning machinery, buildings and yard.
Core: Optimal use of nutrients within agriculture.
Objective: To prevent loss of nutrients and reduce external inputs (concentrates, fertilizers) to move toward an as much as possible circular agriculture.
Actions: Closing (regional) cycles through smart cooperation of livestock and arable farmers and consumers in a given region, including utilizing residual streams from the food industry. Regenerate finite raw materials such as P.
Core: Wise use of available stocks of inorganic raw materials, utilization of organic raw materials is an opportunity for agriculture.
Objective: In design and material selection, avoid waste of raw materials in farm yard, buildings and machinery.
Actions:Maximize reusability of materials and utilization of organic raw materials.
Core: Farming affects air quality.
Objective:Prevent harmful emissions in buildings and outdoor air.
Actions: Limit or prevent harmful emissions toward the living environment (ammonia, methane, particulate matter, odor, light, noise and heat).
Core: Biodiversity is essential for resilience of agriculture and ecosystems
Objective: Farming contributes to conserving and promoting biodiversity in, on and above soil and water.
Actions:Organize and adapt farm operations, yard and land aimed at strengthening biodiversity in nature, agriculture and living environment.
Core: Farming supports the recognizable identity of the regional landscape.
Objective: With the choices in how to use the land and farmyard, the farm contributes to the cultural-historical identity of the region.
Actions:Strengthen the regional, cultural-historical landscape through the choices in buildings, farmyard, land use and farm management.
Core: Financial health is essential to farming.
Objective: A financially resilient (family) farm.
Actions: Generate sufficient earning capacity and creating financial buffer and investment capacity.
Core: The farm stands out with food that carries the identity of the farm and/or region.
Objective: Increase diversity of food in taste, origin or specific characteristics.
Actions:Undertake activities in production and/or marketing to enhance product or farm identity.
Core: Commercial animal husbandry brings responsibility.
Objective:Achieve animal welfare through humane animal husbandry.
Actions: Maximizing animal welfare according to the 6 principles of human animal husbandry (nutrition, physical environment, health, behavior & interaction and mental state).
Core: Citizens are actively involved on farm.
Objective:A farm where citizens feel welcome and can be involved.
Actions: Enable citizens to interact with, contribute to and participate in farm development.
Core:In the choice of services and products, the farmer has an influence on value creation on the farm and/or in the region.
Objective: As a farmer, being able to have control over products and services with their own price and market.
Actions: Realize direct customer relationships between farmer and buyer (short chain). The farm provides services or processes the products itself or in cooperation with other companies in a regional organization, thus strengthening the regional economy and employment.
Core:Voldoening en zingeving halen uit het werken op het bedrijf.
Objective:Gain satisfaction and meaning from working in the farm.
Actions: To be able to develop talents and follow one's passion as a farmer, family member and employee.
Actions:Realize a set of tasks that match the talents of the farmer as entrepreneur and of cooperating family members with an appropriate work-life ratio.
Actions: Organize working conditions that allow employees to work with satisfaction with appropriate remuneration. The farm offers employees the opportunity to develop themselves.
