Farm Day - Regenerating Europe from the Ground Up for the Health of Us, Our Communities and Our Democracies
Join us for a visit to two regenerative farms run by Gillis Klompe, Board Member of Regeneratieve Alliantie, and Jeroen Klompe, Co-founder of Soil Heroes Foundation. Together with scientists, researchers, and representatives from the health, banking and finance sectors we will walk the land and dive into soil, ecosystem and rural communities regeneration. Gain a hands-on understanding of what it takes to regenerate soils, and how soil health is connected to the health of people, communities, and democracy at large. Connecting soil health to human health we’ll serve a farm-to-fork lunch.
The event is hosted by Climate Farmers & EARA with EARA Farmer Members Anne van Leeuwen, t'Gagel, Howard Koster, De Biesterhof and Erwin Westers, Regeneratieve Alliantie. The event is part of the EARA Regenerating Europe Tour a farmer-led initiative that travels across EU member states, bringing farmers, policymakers, and businesses together for dialogues, panels, and farm visits to shape CAP reform and the agrifood transition.
The event is connected to the first European Food Is Medicine & Agri-Health Summit, happening in Amsterdam on 19-20 November.
We recommend booking early, as places are limited. Once you’ve registered, we’ll confirm your space, though not every booking is guaranteed a place. Please check your inbox for confirmation.
Further information and details will be provided to participants via email after registration. For questions please reach out to philippe@climatefarmers.org or jherz@eara.farm.
A shuttle will be organized from and to Rotterdam Central Train Station. Individual arrival by car is possible.
Agenda
9:00 | Start in Rotterdam Centraal with Shuttle Bus (individual arrival is possible as well)
9:45 | Start Farm Tour with Jeroen Klompe
12:30 to 13:00 | Transfer Drive
13:00 to 14:00 | Lunch and Talks at Gillis Klompe
14:00 to 16:00 | Farm Tour with Gillis Klompe
16:30 to 17:30 | Shuttle back to Rotterdam Centraal
17:30 | End of Event
On Gillis Klompe
Gillis Klompe is farming together with Frans van der Linde Maatschap Klompe & Van der Linde Farm. Both run separate arable businesses but operate jointly, with one rotation and one management.
In Southwest Netherlands, summers are growing drier, and the strip along the North Sea feels it most. With saltwater all around, there is no freshwater for irrigation. The land has long been fertile, but intensive use and late-harvest crops have left the soil compacted and more open to soil-borne diseases and pests. Gillis and Frans are working toward a way of farming that rebuilds the soil and strengthens the crops. This means fewer and different inputs, which is a significant challenge.
The farm covers about 250 hectares including livestock management with 160 dairy cows. The plots are used collectively. Crops include winter wheat, flax, alfalfa, grass, silage corn, sugar beets, chicory, capucine peas, onions, seed potatoes, and French fry potatoes.
On Jeroen Klompe
Jeroen Klompe is one of the pioneers of regenerative agriculture in the Netherlands. Together with his wife Mellany, he runs Klompe Landbouw, a 350 hectare arable farm just south of Rotterdam, where they have been pioneering regenerative agriculture for over a decade.
The farm grows a diverse range of crops, including potatoes, onions, cereals and soybeans, with potatoes also supplied to Albert Heijn, one of the Netherlands’ largest supermarket chains. Jeroen is also involved in producing award-winning Tomasu soy sauce, made from his own soybeans.
Beyond farming, Jeroen and Mellany founded Soil Heroes, an initiative supporting other farmers in their transition to regenerative agriculture through practical research, knowledge sharing and demonstration projects. Their farm serves as a living laboratory, including pioneering research into nutrient density and the relationship between soil health and food quality, in collaboration with soil scientist Dr. Jill Clapperton and supported by the Grantham Foundation.
On Climate Farmers
Climate Farmers is working alongside farmers, researchers, and food system stakeholders to build a future where agriculture restores ecosystems, empowers communities, and produces healthy food. Their work spans education, science, advocacy, and innovation.
On EARA
The European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) is the independent farmer-led coordination, advocacy and collective action organisation of the movement of regenerative agriculture at the European level being led and steered by Farmer Members in 23 European Countries.
The photo is showing Adrian Rubi, EARA Farmer Member in Switzerland. (Credits: EARA, Rubi, hier.media)