Rabobank invests in pesticide free farming and animal welfare rules tighten

Rabobank is providing 60 million euros over the next three years to help Dutch farmers reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides.

The bank aims to support farmers in adopting new technologies, such as robots that identify and remove weeds. Rabobank uses a list of recommended techniques provided by Wageningen Universiteit to guide these investments. The bank expects more than 3,000 Dutch farmers to apply for the funding, with each farmer eligible to receive up to 40,000 euros.

If interest is high enough, the bank plans to make an additional 40 million euros available in three years. The Dierenbescherming is revising the Beter Leven certification standards following undercover footage from four pig farms. The organization expressed shock after the research group Ongehoord released videos showing workers hitting and kicking pigs, using electric prods, and failing to verify if animals had died.

As a result, the Dierenbescherming is adding an official ban on hitting and kicking animals and establishing new requirements for euthanasia. The organization also updated its website to clarify that the certification monitors animal welfare rather than guaranteeing superior living conditions. Avantium raised nearly 55.5 million euros through a new share issue to fund its bioplastic production strategy. The company intends to use the funds to start a factory in Delfzijl and begin commercial deliveries.

While the biotech firm still operates at a loss, it previously raised 85 million euros last year before facing technical issues with factory weld seams. Additionally, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy reported that more than half of the cities with emission reduction goals are more ambitious than their local governments. The report notes that cities in poorer countries receive about 6 billion dollars annually for climate adaptation, despite needing at least 147 billion dollars each year.