FLOATING FARM

― First Floating Dairy Farm

↑ Floating Farm ― Courtesy of Floating Farm

Floating Farm, founded in 2015, is the world’s first floating dairy farm in Rotterdam, Netherlands. It is a fully functional, floating dairy farm designed to address the challenges of sustainable food production in urban areas, particularly in regions with limited available land or those vulnerable to climate change and rising sea levels.

Floating Farm spans approximately 1,200 square meters and is built on a series of connected platforms that float on the water. The farm is home to around 35 dairy cows that produce milk from which yoghurt, cheese, and other value-added byproducts are made on-site. The company has begun incorporating hydroponic growing within its floating structure for a more integrated and diverse food offer. The cows are housed in a transparent, open environment that permits cows to choose when to roam, graze, be milked and sleep. The farm uses a combination of modern technologies to manage the dairy production process, such as laser-guided milking robots and other automated systems for feeding and cleaning.

SYSTEM DESIGN

The Floating Farm is organised into three levels: livestock, processing, and valorisation.

The topmost level, referred to as the livestock level, is the living space for the cows. They can move freely between the pontoon and the neighbouring field. This level accommodates all the necessary facilities for the cows, including water and feed sources. It has automated manure-cleaning and milking robots, emphasising the farm’s focus on animal welfare. A belt feeder dispenses food; robots clean the floor; another milk the cows when they position themselves correctly, using laser guides.

The middle level, the processing level, is where the cow feed is prepared, manure is segregated, and raw milk is processed into various dairy products.

The bottom-most level, the valorisation level, is below the water’s surface. This level is dedicated to waste and water storage. The stored water connects to a hydroponic system that facilitates basil growth. The valorisation level also includes spaces allocated for maintenance activities and cheese ripening.

RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

The pontoon-based dairy farm is an experiment with a circular proposition. The company uses various locally-sourced waste streams, such as brewer’s grains from the local beer brewery Noordt, excess bran from the Schiedam windmill, bread from local Rotterdam bakers, and potato peels from the potato-processing company Heezen. Hay is sourced from several locations, including sports stadiums, a golf club, and a piece of land managed by the Dutch Society for Nature Conservation. 80% of the cow feed is donated or supplied by local industries.

Currently, only 20% of the feed is purchased from traditional animal feed manufacturers, and the company is actively seeking additional waste streams to replace that portion. In December 2019, the Dutch government commissioned the company to experiment with adding trimmings from vegetables, fruits, and bread to the cow ration. The trimmings were collected from government locations using an electric van from the company’s partner Picnic, which also delivers fresh milk and yoghurt from the dairy to caterers and restaurants.

Electricity and energy demands are currently supplied by a floating solar farm appended to the dairy farm and supplemented by the grid when needed. Floating Farms are working on floating wind farms to harness renewable energy from the wind.

Freshwater is provided through integrated rain and wastewater collection and purification systems.