The Floating Farm in the Port of Rotterdam has changed direction again, with its 28 Dutch MRI cows moved to several nearby farms and the floating dairy operation continuing rather than being sold.
The farm had recently been put up for sale after a dispute with the local environmental department over a new floor that did not comply with regulations. The cows were removed, were going to be sold and milk production was to cease. Peter van Wingerden, co-founder with Minke van Wingerden, has now confirmed the sale is not going ahead and that milk and other dairy production are continuing.
The cows are now on a few farms about 20km away. According to Peter van Wingerden, the floating farm has very low emissions because of its modern technology and system, but the rubber floor is German and lacks a Dutch compliance certificate. A stainless steel pipeline runs from the quay to the farm. A regular dairy truck brings milk from the dairy to the farm twice a week, about 1,500L per batch. The distance from the milk supplier is 20km, which the operation says gives a short transport time.
Vertical unit in the basement
A vertical salad-growing enterprise occupies the basement of the floating structure. It is described as a fully controlled, automated grow space with three layers and conveyor belts, combining grow-room and warehouse technology. Four crop types are grown: micro-greens harvested every two weeks, herbs every three weeks, leafy greens every four weeks and edible flowers every four to five weeks.
These crops are turned into tea, pesto, herb-infused salts and herb-infused whey, alongside Parmigiano cheese. The vertical farm sits below the waterline in the current floating farm, so it is cooled by the water. Van Wingerden said it is going really well.
The original project was the idea of Peter and Minke van Wingerden, who invested €4 million to create a farm with on-site feeding, milking, slurry and dairy production facilities. It opened in May 2019 in the Port of Rotterdam as a futuristic way to produce food sustainably without the traditional tie to land. It produced milk and dairy products for local consumers, who could buy them from vending machines at the farm. The concept drew hundreds of thousands of visitors from around the world.
The operation will have to leave the port in just over two years because the entire area will become residential. Van Wingerden said this is not the vision the project started with, but the system is being managed. The farm’s present setup combines externally supplied milk, a relocated herd and a vertical crop unit in a floating structure.