Dairy cattle

The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, the Foundation for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds are working together to develop criteria for dairy farming, which have now been worked out in specific terms for 1 star of the Better Life label. To that end, draft criteria were published for 1-star Dairy Cows, which can be found on this page.

Incidentally, the draft criteria can still be adjusted based on the findings and cooperation with the pilot dairy farmers until the final criteria are adopted.

The approved dairy farmers who meet the criteria and the processing chain are allowed to sell the milk, dairy products and meat from the dairy cow with the 1-star Better Life label.

For more information about this pilot or the Better Life 1-star dairy farming criteria, please send an email to info@sblk.nl.

In addition to the 1-star Dairy Cows draft criteria, the 3-star Dairy Cows have been published as adopted criteria. You will find more information about these criteria below.

The criteria for the 3-star Better Life label for dairy cows were adopted on 24 February 2021.

The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals has developed new 3-star criteria for dairy farms in collaboration with the Foundation for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds.  The criteria set requirements for animal welfare, the environment, nature and biodiversity. Last year, these draft criteria for the 3-star Better Life label for dairy cows were submitted for consultation. The responses received have been assessed and the criteria have been adjusted on a number of points. The new criteria will come into effect on 24 May 2021.

Organic animal products have been allowed to carry the 3-star Better Life label since 2009. The new 3-star Better Life label criteria for dairy cows impose stricter requirements on, for example, animal welfare than the organic legislation. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals considers it important that organic dairy products with the 3-star Better Life label come from farms that guarantee a 3-star worthy level of animal welfare, environment, nature and biodiversity.

Transitional period

Organic dairy farms will have a transitional period of one year, enabling them to implement the new criteria at the farm. After the criteria are adopted on 24 February 2021, the farmers can use the one-year transitional period to make any adjustments to their farms. After the end of the transitional period on 24 February 2022, fresh daily organic dairy and cheese bearing the 3-star Better Life label must come from certified Better Life label 3-star dairy farms. In that case, the 3-star Better Life label will be retained on the packaging. For composite and processed products, which contain dairy as an ingredient, the existing criteria for processed products will continue to apply for the time being.  It is expected that, in due course, these products will also have to meet the criteria of the 3-star Better Life label.

Registering with chain manager

Farms that want to qualify for the 3-star Better Life label for dairy cows can register with the Better Life label Foundation through a chain manager. This is also possible for non-organic farms that meet the criteria for 3 stars.

Organic sector

 The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals and the organic sectors want to find out what is needed to guarantee the highest level of animal welfare under the Better Life label. The Dutch Society for the Protection of Animals, the Foundation for Nature Conservation and Environmental Protection and the Dutch Society for the Protection of Birds are working together with the Eko Holland organic dairy chain to apply the 3-star Better Life label criteria to the farms.

Over the coming years, we will also be developing feasible multi-year plans with the other organic livestock sectors to jointly take further steps towards animal welfare. This process has already been implemented in specific terms for organic dairy farming only.