The creation of the Glanbia MilkFlex Fund complements Glanbia’s existing Price Volatility Programme by providing competitively priced and appropriately structured dairy farm finance. This product is designed to match the cash flow generated by a dairy farm enterprise, with no repayments at times of low prices and increased repayments at times of high prices. A key feature of this innovative loan product is that it has inbuilt ‘flex triggers’ that adjust the repayment terms according to movements in the Glanbia milk price, thus providing farmers with cash flow relief when most needed. MilkFlex is an innovation that represents a paradigm shift in the funding model currently applied in the European Dairy Industry, where fluctuations of more than 50% in milk prices have been recorded in recent years.

Dcoop aims to foster the use of new technology among its members by encouraging ongoing activities over time, with the aim of increasing the efficiency and profitability of its product value chain. The first phase consists of digitalising and monitoring agrifood data. This is being done using systems that gather agroclimate data to control on-field processes and industrial processes. The strategy aims at creating a sustainable agrifood sector by developing models that minimise the impact of extreme events, provide forecasts and adjust irrigation, use of fertiliser and on-field phytosanitary treatments. The aim is to achieve greater technical, environmental, energy and economic efficiency, thus increasing the added value for final products.

An increasing number of forest owners are living in cities far away from their forest properties. Metsäverkko provides the best tools in our sector for managing forest property: digitally mapped forest resource data, customer data, investments in cooperatives, electronic commerce of wood and forestry services, forest tax accounting and specialized online stores.

In the period of April-May 2017, 30% of food and 40% of forestry services were sold online, leading to remarkable cost savings. Online sales clearly provide a better customer experience (Net Promoter Score). Sales of forestry services inceased by 13% in 2016 and by 28% in 2017.

The Finnish livestock sector is already one of the sectors with the lowest use of antibiotics in the world. However, their goal is to reduce it even further. The HKScan Omega 3 No Antibiotics Ever concept taps into two major consumer megatrends: healthy living and food safety. It offers a commercially relevant concept to enter global markets. After its launch, Omega-3 pork (HK Rypsiporsas@) quickly achieved a good market share on the local markets and improved the image of pork as a healthy and tasty food. It has also been successfully introduced in export markets (including Asia) under the brand name Flodins®, for both retail and food service customers.

AgriAmbiente Mugello’s innovations benefit members in a number of ways:
a) management control;
b) improved and more efficient production processes;
c) greater visibility.

There are three main activities that reflect the cooperative’s recent growth:

– The purchase of a Challenger MT775 tractor, which allows them to harrow 30 ha per day with a harrowing disc, reducing costs of production by about 15-20%;

– The use of heat detectors to improve cow insemination. In a period of five months, a 40% rise in cattle pregnancy was estimated, resulting in an increase in milk production;

– The introduction of a new software programme which allows staff working for the company to provide real-time updates on every task in the stalls and out in the field, reducing costs by about 10-12% and creating new streams of revenue for our company.

CASPE LIVESTOCK NET was created as a participative network that brings together cooperatives and commercial SMEs. This concept unifies investments and management, headed by one company – Caspe Livestock Cooperative. Its know-how is based on and developed according to four principles:

– Excellence in management;
– Analysis of investment;
– Technological sustainability in animal feeding;
– Efficiency in livestock services.

The cooperative and its sister companies are provided with tools for management, participation, reinvestment and economies of scale, without having to renounce their natural idiosyncrasies. This creates a unique network of experts and decision makers across the supply chain.

Water is a critical resource in the Jerte Valley. One of the main objectives of the regional development strategy has therefore been to protect and add value to this resource. This project will help farmers be more rational and sustainable in their use of water resources. This work is of great interest to farmers of the Agrupación de Cooperativas Valle del Jerte, because they will have recommendations for deficit irrigation strategies at their disposal that will increase their yields and contribute to a rational use of water.

DIJON CEREALES and its subsidiary CERELAB have developed the G-Nutrition® brioche bread to fight malnutrition amongst the elderly. This new ADDFMS is currently being marketed and will be on offer in health facilities. By stimulating the sensory and cognitive abilities of the elderly, it is perceived as a real comfort food. Through the cultural association conveyed by this symbolic food, which is part of French culture, the bread brings pleasure and health.

The objective of ZG Raiffeisen is to increase its company value. Their achievements include increasing equity capital through a constant increase of members, the possibility of preferred equity, sales gains for member businesses. All of these are only possible through the economical and emotional relationship between ZG Raiffeisen and its members. With that in mind they introduced a new concept of membership, by setting up an incentive scheme to reward loyalty for transactions.

NewFarming Solutions® are the fruit of Terrena’s research and innovation. Five major criteria had to be adhered to for the “Solutions-NA®” label to be awarded:

• maintaining and improving the technical and economic performance of the farm;
• reducing the use of non-renewable and chemical inputs by using alternatives based on natural processes;
• achieving quantifiable control of environmental impacts;
• building on innovation;
• tested by Forward Looking Farmers®.

They established the Ecologically Intensive Agriculture, a satellite based IT system provides support for precision farming and improves coordination in decision making through a broader range of choices.