True to our own principles 

So has the product focus from the 2018 Future Farm now completely disappeared? Timo: 'Certainly not. However, we are assessing our future developments against the Farm of the Future’s five impact areas. With everything we do at Lely, we have to ask ourselves how it scores in terms of impact on these areas. That means being true to our own principles and looking for customers who endorse those themes. When we introduced Future Farm, we aimed for a 100% adoption rate. Now we say that we are still aiming for that high adoption rate, but within the group that – like us – values themes such as animal-friendliness and sustainable dairy products. It is then up to Lely to determine how we contribute to those companies as efficiently as possible – in such a way that society recognises the steps forward.'

Consumer buy-in

Timo: 'Since the launch of Future Farm, public opinion has taken on a much stronger role. Consumers are more conscious of the nutrients they take in and the spending pattern of the average consumer is shifting. Whereas previously about 70% was spent on housing, energy and food, in recent years much more money has been available for things like holidays and leisure. Now you see food becoming more expensive again, so what is a healthy balance between good food and the price the consumer is willing to pay for it? For both the farmer and us, that translates into the following question: what should we focus on so that we provide consumers with a product meeting all of today’s criteria?'

Lely in 2035

Whereas the 2018 Future Farm was characterised by a strong product focus – with easy-to-make links to Lely products such as Exos and Sphere – we are moving away from that pure product focus with Farm of the Future.

Head of Commerce Business Team Milking Timo Joosten explains: 'We want to communicate more what we at Lely stand for – the innovation that is inherent in our DNA – and include all facets of farming. Who do we want to be in 2035 and in which areas does that require further development? To answer this and set out our vision, we determined the areas in which we want to take a stand. This resulted in the five Farm of the Future impact areas: improved animal welfare, lower environmental impact, sustainable and nutritious dairy products, greater buy-in from consumers and improved farmer prosperity. We do not just address a technical issue for the farmer – such as milking or feeding – but also want to have a positive impact on the entire operation. With this farmer focus, we not only contribute to a more profitable farm economically, but also to criteria such as animal welfare, environment and consumer buy-in.'

'We no longer want to focus exclusively on the product but rather reinvent what we stand for as Lely and how that contributes to all facets of farming'