The dairy industry is at a pivotal moment, navigating a complex landscape defined by climate change, geopolitical uncertainty, and evolving consumer demands. For COVERE2, a key player advocating for sustainability, innovation and academia/industry collaboration, the 2025 Annual Convention of the European Dairy Association (EDA) was more than just a networking event - it was a crucial forum for charting the future course of dairy in Europe. Hosted graciously by the Nederlandse Zuivel Organisatie - NZO (Dutch Dairy Association), the convention delivered a refreshing and substantive look at how the sector can not only survive but thrive in the decades ahead.

Our presence at the event confirmed a powerful shift in the industry's mindset. While sustainability has long been a talking point, the 2025 Convention signaled its elevation from a peripheral concern to the central pillar of long-term strategy. It was clear that the dialogue has been moving beyond sustainability as a buzzword, focusing instead on pragmatic points of discussion and solutions. For COVERE2, the insights gathered from the impressive list of speakers - representing the full spectrum of the ecosystem - have reaffirmed our strategic direction and provided clarity on where collaborative efforts should focus.

Sustainability as a Vehicle for Resilience and Competitiveness

The most compelling takeaway from the Convention, and a foundational insight for COVERE2's ongoing work, was the confirmation that leveraging sustainable development wisely is not a cost burden, but a vehicle for long-term resilience and, crucially, competitiveness.

This message resonated throughout the discussions. It implies a fundamental change in how dairy businesses evaluate investment: moving from a short-term, compliance-driven view of environmental stewardship to a long-term perspective where efficiency, resource security, and brand reputation - all outcomes of robust sustainability practices - become primary drivers of economic success. In an age of increasing supply chain fragility and market volatility, the ability to operate sustainably translates directly into a reduced vulnerability to external shocks, fostering the kind of resilience that modern agricultural systems desperately need. Companies that integrate these practices now are effectively future-proofing their operations.

The Triple Helix of Policy, Industry, and Academia

If sustainability is the destination, then cooperation across the domains of industry, academia, and policymaking is the indispensable vehicle to get us there. This was the core, unifying message that threaded through every session, delivered eloquently by speakers from all three domains.

The complexity of the challenges facing the European dairy sector - from achieving net-zero targets to adapting to climate shocks - simply cannot be solved by any single entity working in isolation. COVERE2 strongly advocates for forms of cooperation where each domain brings its unique strengths to the table:

• Policymaking (Clarity and Direction): Figures like Albert de Groot, President of the EDA, and Alisa Tiganj, from EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen's Cabinet, provided essential context on the high-level policy vision. Their presence underscored the political commitment to supporting the sector, provided that the industry actively engages in collaborative solution-finding.
• Industry (Scale and Pragmatism): Leaders like Jan Derck van Karnebeek, CEO of FrieslandCampina, and practitioners such as Lea Brader of Arla Foods and Ilonka Nennie of Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods, highlighted the real-world operational realities. Their insights confirmed that sustainable solutions must be scalable, economically viable, and grounded in the daily operations of farms like that of Wilco Brouwer de Koning, who presented his own insightful view on the topic at the Convention.
• Academia (Innovation and Evidence): The crucial role of research was championed by Ernst van den Ende from the Management Board of Wageningen University & Research. Academic institutions are the powerhouses for developing breakthrough technologies in feed, manure management, and biodiversity enhancement, providing the scientific backbone necessary for truly impactful and evidence-based policy and industry action.

For COVERE2, facilitating these interactions is paramount. Our future initiatives will continue to focus on creating platforms where a nutritional scientist can seamlessly prepare data to be shared with a policymaker or nutritional scientist, and a farmer can provide direct feedback on information requested by a food processor, retailer, or a university researcher.

Rejecting the ‘One-Size-Fits-All’ Approach, While Ensuring Harmonization and Simplification

A critical consensus emerging from the regulatory discussions was the clear call for balance between nuance and harmonization: top-down "1-size-fits-all" regulation is simply not the answer for a sector as geographically and structurally diverse as European dairy. The acknowledgement of this constraint within the policymaking community was highly encouraging.

Instead of rigid, prescriptive rules that stifle innovation and ignore local context, the industry is calling for something far more strategic: long-term clarity in, and harmonization of subsidy schemes and reporting standards.

The key insight here is the need for stability and standardization without uniformity. Farmers and dairy processors are willing and eager to invest in sustainable transition, but they require a stable horizon to justify the substantial capital investment involved in, for example, methane reduction or circular economy initiatives. The policy environment must therefore provide:

1. Long-term Clarity: Subsidy and investment schemes need commitments that extend well beyond the standard political cycle, allowing farmers to plan and execute multi-year ecological and technological developments and overhauls.
2. Harmonized Standards: Disparate reporting requirements across different EU Member States or for various private schemes create bureaucratic inefficiency and confusion. Harmonizing sustainability reporting standards would free up resources to be channeled back into R&D and on-farm innovation.

This approach aligns with the stated direction of Commissioner Christophe Hansen’s Cabinet, suggesting a pragmatic shift in EU policy towards facilitating, rather than dictating, sustainable innovation - a perspective COVERE2 fully supports as it allows for locally tailored solutions while maintaining a high, common European standard.

Overcoming the Headwinds: Investment, Workforce, and Shocks

While the optimism for collaboration was palpable, the Convention did not shy away from the sobering reality of the industry’s very real challenges. These headwinds demand immediate, collective attention and further justify the call for deeper cooperation:

• Inadequate Investment into R&D: The pace of innovation required to meet ambitious climate targets is outpacing current R&D investment levels. Participants called for the mobilization of public-private partnerships to rapidly scale up research into sustainable feed, genetics, and climate-smart technologies. Another insightful perspective, shared by Lea Brader, highlighted the scrutiny that industry-backed research is facing, regardless of the presence of underlying vested interests. While a critical view on research is a necessary part of the scientific method, Lea claims there is room for improvement in building trust between domains, in favor of the kind of innovation we all could benefit from.
• A Rapidly Aging Agricultural Workforce: A lack of generational renewal poses an existential threat. Solutions require more than just financial incentives; they demand making the profession more technologically sophisticated, economically attractive, and socially valued. This involves leveraging academic resources to develop accessible training programs and industry platforms to showcase the career stability available in sustainable dairy.
• Vulnerability to Geopolitical and Climate Change-Related Shocks: The recent past has proven how quickly global events - from conflicts to extreme weather - can disrupt supply chains and input costs. Sustainable practices, such as localized feed production and closed-loop systems, are inherently resilient, making them a necessity for mitigating these risks, not just an environmental add-on.

Europe possesses the scientific heritage and the regulatory framework to become (or perhaps remain?) a global leader in sustainable development. However, maintaining this position requires a commitment to constant innovation and pragmatism. We must avoid ideological traps and focus on what works, supported by scientific evidence and economic viability. If Europe falters on this path, the global momentum for sustainable dairy development risks slowing.

The Essential Balancing Act and Global Responsibility

The philosophical nexus of the Convention was captured perfectly by Jan Derck van Karnebeek, CEO of FrieslandCampina, concluding his thoughts in a panel discussion with words along the lines of: it takes a fair bit of balancing to ensure the welfare of people today, as well as tomorrow. But it is not an option. We have to do both.

This statement elevates the sustainability debate from merely an environmental or economic task to an ethical mandate. The ‘balancing act’ is the daily challenge of ensuring current food security and farmer profitability while simultaneously safeguarding the natural resources that will sustain future generations. It requires balancing the needs of local communities with global responsibility.

The crucial addition to this mandate is the recognition that this responsibility extends beyond the borders of the EU. As a global trading bloc with significant influence, European dairy's commitment to sustainability must integrate the principles of fair trade, sustainable sourcing, and technological transfer to support developing dairy markets worldwide. Our efforts set a standard; we have a moral obligation to ensure that such a standard is one of comprehensive planetary welfare.

COVERE2's Commitment to Action

The 2025 Annual Convention of the European Dairy Association was a truly inspiring event. The transition to a resilient, competitive, and globally responsible dairy sector is clearly underway.

The key insights reinforces COVERE2's strategy over the coming years. We left the Netherlands galvanized by the shared commitment and renewed in our dedication to facilitating the necessary research, fostering dialogue, and driving the practical innovations that will ensure the European dairy industry not only meets the challenges of today but defines the sustainable success of tomorrow.

Nothing exemplifies this commitment better, than our project, Path2CC, which aims to empower European farmers through genuine and verified sustainable development. Click the link to learn more!