R4D - Resilience for dairy

A network to improve the commercial and operational strategies of dairy farms, as well as to foster positive interactions between farming communities and society. R4D will focus on 3 areas of knowledge in order to improve the sustainability of dairy farms:

1. Economic and social resilience
2. Technical efficiency
3. Environment, animal welfare and socially acceptable production systems

The objective is to strengthen the relationship between farmers, advisors, researchers and relevant actors in the sector, with the intention of creating better solutions through the exchange of knowledge among the participants.

The project participants are working together to improve business strategies on dairy farms and foster positive interaction between farming communities and the wider society. They are exploring the most effective and innovative techniques to address challenges related to improving animal welfare, increasing biodiversity, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and minimizing their environmental footprint.

To increase the resilience and robustness of milk vacuum systems, R4D will work at different levels, from finding tailored solutions for different farms to providing in-person and online training. Participants from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Poland, Slovenia, and Spain will collaborate to test different models and develop a range of solutions.