S3, Ep21: Disrupting the Dairy Industry with Refarm'd
Mar 3, 2021
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Geraldine Starke, founder of Refarm'd, discusses disrupting the dairy industry and helping farmers transition to plant-based milk. She talks about healing animosity between farmers and animal rights, Refarm'd's model for transitioning farms, and the reaction of vegans. The podcast also covers vegan snacks, animal communication, the availability of vegan options in France, and future goals of supporting oat milk farms.
ReFarmed helps dairy farms transition to animal sanctuaries, offering a sustainable alternative for farmers and their animals.
The organization aims to bridge the gap between vegans and farmers, healing animosity and supporting ethical and sustainable business models.
ReFarmed provides ongoing support for farmers throughout the transition process, connecting them with experts and facilitating collaboration among successful transitions.
Deep dives
ReFarmed: Transitioning Dairy Farms to Animal Sanctuaries
ReFarmed, an organization founded by Geraldine Stark, aims to transition dairy farms into animal sanctuaries. By helping farmers shift from dairy to plant-based milk production, ReFarmed provides a sustainable alternative that allows farmers to continue caring for their animals without exploiting them. The organization focuses on small to medium-scale farms and works closely with farmers to develop a business model that supports the sanctuary. The model includes locally sourced, organic, and cruelty-free production, connecting farmers directly with consumers. ReFarmed also emphasizes environmental sustainability and plans to extend its support to factory farms in the future. The organization has successfully helped three farms transition to oat milk production and plans to expand its operations worldwide in collaboration with other like-minded organizations.
Positive Feedback from Farmers and Vegan Community
ReFarmed has received positive feedback from farmers who want to transition away from animal agriculture for ethical and environmental reasons. Farmers appreciate the opportunity to shift to plant-based milk production, which allows them to connect with their animals and receive support from the vegan community. ReFarmed's approach aims to build a bridge between veganism and farming while offering farmers a viable and sustainable business model. The organization's work has generated interest from farmers worldwide, and plans are underway to scale up operations and collaborate with other organizations to create more opportunities for farmers to transition to animal sanctuaries.
Supporting ReFarmed
To support ReFarmed's mission, individuals can follow the organization on social media, share information about their work, and spread awareness. For those located in the UK, ReFarmed offers locally sourced oat milk through a subscription-based service. By subscribing, consumers can directly support the farmers transitioning to plant-based milk production. As ReFarmed continues to grow, they plan to expand their distribution channels and offer various other dairy alternatives. Sharing ReFarmed's story and their commitment to compassionate farming practices can help create a positive impact on animal welfare and the environment.
Challenges and Future Goals
Transitioning farms from animal agriculture to animal sanctuaries comes with its challenges. Farmers need assistance with business planning, production methods, and initial investment. ReFarmed offers ongoing support to farmers throughout the transition process, connecting them with experts and facilitating collaboration among farmers who have successfully transitioned. In the future, ReFarmed aims to work with more farms worldwide and develop solutions for larger-scale farms, including factory farms. They also plan to focus on optimizing farm operations to reduce costs and enhance sustainability. Overall, ReFarmed's approach seeks to create a positive and comprehensive change in the relationship between farming and animal welfare.
Personal Growth and Veganism
Geraldine Stark mentions that veganism has opened her eyes to more than just dietary choices. It has encouraged critical thinking, questioning societal norms, and seeking compassion for all beings. Veganism has inspired her to explore various topics and develop a deeper understanding of ethical choices. She believes that veganism is an ongoing journey that encourages personal growth and encourages people to look beyond their previous beliefs and embrace a more compassionate way of living.
This season of The ChickPeeps is brought to you by our friends at Vivo Life! Use our code 'chickpeeps10' to get 10% off your first order at vivolife.com.
In this episode Evy and Robbie interview Geraldine Starke, founder of Refarm’d. Refarm’d is an organisation devoted to helping farmers transition their businesses from the production of cow’s milk to producing plant-based milks and convert their farmland to animal sanctuaries. Having already piloted their scheme with a number of ex-dairy farmers, including Katja & Jay Wilde, whose story was covered in the 2018 documentary 73 Cows, Geraldine joins us to talk about how Refarm’d is disrupting the dairy industry and what is next for the organisation.
Also in this episode…
Geraldine speculates on the limitations within the current model of animal sanctuaries and explains why dairy farms are perfectly equipped to become animal sanctuaries.
“There is really a war between farmers and vegans” - Geraldine talks about wanting to heal the animosity between the farming and animal rights’ communities and how she intends to help farmers and animals with one organisation.
“Finally, we’re helping the farmers. The future is with them, not against them” - Geraldine describes the reaction of vegans to the work of Refarm’d.
Geraldine tells us all about the Refarm’d model for helping farmers transition from dairy production to plant milk production - and why they only work with farmers who commit to keeping all of their animals.
How profitable is producing oat milk vs dairy milk.
How you can patronise and support the farmers new oat milk businesses!
“We want to create a whole network around Refarm’d where we can connect farmers with other experts.” - Geraldine shares her vision for the future of Refarm’d, a system that is local, sustainable and ethical.
Stay tuned for some listener emails and an important season 3 announcement!
