Dutch Dairy Goes Regenerative: FrieslandCampina, Lidl and ReGeNL Team Up for Soil, Sustainability, and Farmer Viability

Unsplash ph.Andy Kelly

In a bold bid to reshape farming, thirty dairy farms across the Netherlands have joined forces with FrieslandCampina, Lidl, and the National Growth Fund Programme ReGeNL to pilot a regenerative agriculture model that could set a new standard for European dairy. The three-year initiative, backed by Lidl’s financial support and coordinated with ReGeNL’s science-driven network, is focused on building healthier soils, boosting biodiversity, and securing a viable long-term income for farmers.

The project, launched earlier this spring, aims to deliver more than just environmental benefits. It is about co-creating a measurable, open-access standard for regenerative agriculture that works in practice—not only for nature, but for the farmers’ bottom line. Each of the thirty participating farms will first develop tailored transition plans and implement key regenerative methods such as herb-rich grasslands, strategic grazing, and nature-inclusive farming systems. These will be assessed not just for ecological impact, but also for their effect on economic resilience.

For FrieslandCampina, one of Europe’s largest dairy cooperatives, this represents a significant step toward reshaping the dairy model from the ground up. “An increasing number of dairy farmers want to make the transition to regenerative agriculture, but they can’t do it alone,” said Tuncay Özgüner, President of FrieslandCampina Retail & Americas. “To enable this transition, farmers need access to knowledge, guidance, and a viable income model. Strong collaboration within the supply chain, with partners like Lidl, is essential.”

Indeed, the role of the supermarket in supporting sustainable farming is under increasing scrutiny—and Lidl’s early and visible participation in this pilot underscores a shift in how retailers engage with food production. “We want the best for our customers and for the world around us—today and in the future,” said Erik van den Hoogen, CCO and Director of Purchasing and Marketing at Lidl Netherlands. “By collaborating in the supply chain on solutions such as regenerative agriculture, we can turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s opportunities.”

ReGeNL, the national programme that brings together science, policy, and agricultural practice, sees this partnership as a pivotal move. Programme Director Wouter-Jan Schouten emphasized the systemic potential of this collaboration. “Regenerative agriculture is both feasible and promising—for farmers, the climate and nature. Thanks to Lidl’s financial support, FrieslandCampina’s expertise, and the involvement of knowledge institutions connected to ReGeNL, dairy farmers can now actively start implementing regenerative practices to build a future-proof agricultural system.”

The pilot aligns with ReGeNL’s larger mission: to enable 1,000 Dutch farmers to transition to regenerative and resilient agriculture by 2031. To get there, they are betting on more than goodwill—they’re investing in measurement. Throughout the project, participating farms will be closely monitored for both ecological outcomes, such as soil organic matter, water retention and biodiversity indicators, and for economic performance. The data will be shared and used to refine the approach, to create scalable, real-world solutions that can guide farmers across the country—and beyond.

At its core, regenerative agriculture is not just about reducing environmental harm, but about actively restoring ecosystems. This pilot proposes that dairy, often at the center of climate and land-use debates, can become a platform for solutions—if the right conditions are in place.

While the path ahead is complex, the commitment of FrieslandCampina, Lidl, and ReGeNL to jointly build a measurable, transparent standard suggests that systemic change in agriculture may not be a distant ideal but an emerging reality. As the first tailored farm plans are rolled out, the eyes of Europe’s food and farming community will be watching closely—not just for what grows in the fields, but for what this initiative could grow in terms of policy, partnership, and practice.