A novel visitor attraction, experiment, savvy business opportunity or educational hub – any or all of the above could describe the Floating Farm in Rotterdam. The €2.7m privately funded investment recently welcomed 32 Maas-Rijn-Ijssel (MRIJ) red and white cows on board where they are being milked by a Lely robot. Measuring 13,755 sq ft, Floating Farm has enough space to house 40 cows.

“What we tried to do here is to produce food as close as we can get, in a very transparent way, inside the city, very close to consumers in what we call a ‘climate-adaptive’ way,” said Peter van Wingerden, co-founder of Floating Farm and CEO of Beladon, a company that specialises in building on water.

“We see climate change, we see many floodings, heavy rainfall, sea levels rising. But one of the most important things to produce for citizens is healthy food. So we want to reduce transportation and show how difficult it is for farmers to produce every day healthy food to people.”

Peter Van Wingerden, CEO Floating Farm Rotterdam.

There are three layers to the building – the floating part, the milk processing and waste treatment facility on the lower deck and then the cows are on the upper deck. Four pillars keep the structure in place as it rises and falls with the tide.

Closing the circle

Solar panels floating on the water beside the farm supply up to 75% of the power requirement. The animal bedding is dry matter from separated manure, while the nutrients from the manure are removed and sold to people in the city as a garden fertiliser. There are two nutritionists on hand to help farm manager Albert Boersen create a diet for the cows which includes products from food industries in the city – brewer grains, hotel food waste etc.

Cows arriving on Floating Farm on 13 May 2019

The aim is for the farm to be as self-sufficient as possible, even collecting rainwater. Customers will be able to buy milk (€1.35 for a 750ml bottle), meat and veal from the cull cows and male calves, yoghurt and compost.

“We are combining several things, but it is viable. With the many business streams we are making a positive business case already. The total investment is about €2.5m for the 40 cows. With our revenue we are breaking even,” van Wingerden said.

Floating Farm currently has 32 Maas-Rijn-Ijssel (MRIJ) red and white cows on board.

Whether or not the concept works out as a viable business, it has brought farming right into the centre of the city and has made it a talking point. Boersen said he was surprised at the number of people who volunteered to help when he advertised a position in the shop.

The cows are being milked by a Lely robot.

However, it has not floated everyone’s boat. Cyclists passing by regularly shout out about how it is cruel to keep animals indoors. With the doors now open for visitors, the reaction from the general public will be interesting.

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