Since 2021, DKG (parent company of Keller Kitchens and Bruynzeel) and ZLTO (association of farmers and horticulturists in the Dutch provinces of Zeeland, North Brabant, and South Gelderland) have been working together on a five-year pilot project ‘Carbon Farming for CO2-storage in farmland’. DKG joined this project as a commercial partner, and now, after three years, the latest results are in.

Joris de Jager (fruit trees and arable farming) and Johan Laurijsse (arable farming) are the two carbon farmers in the project. Both have dedicated special plots to carbon farming/CO2-storage. After two years, soil samples and measurements were taken at 25 sites and tested for the presence of organic matter, such as pH, nitrogen, and CO2-values.

These tests showed a significant increase in soil organic matter, resulting in additional CO2 being removed from the air and stored in the soil by 2023. Meaning DKG sequestered 30 tonnes of CO2 in the soil.

The overall feedback from both farmers was positive – better drainage, less irrigation needed, more organic matter, better mineral retention, less nitrogen runoff, less tilling to non-tilling, more resistant and resilient to weather extremes, better crop growth, more biodiversity, more soil life, beneficial insects for biological pest control, less disease pressure, less mowing, less use of manure, use of solid and green manure.

With this in mind, DKG, along with the carbon farmers and ZLTO have extended the cooperation and expanded the target to 100 tonnes of Land Stored Carbon. DKG is lowering its CO2-emissions by means of removal (and not avoidance) as part of its policy on sustainability.

For further information, please visit www.kellerkitchens.com.