La Laiterie des Godets

In France, the dairy sector has difficulty in retaining and attracting farmers and workers, with the number of farms having decreased by 40% over the past 12 years. In addition to this labor shortage, dairy farmers face three recurrent challenges: limited social recognition, an intense workload, and low income. However, demand for local and short-distribution-chain products is growing.

Danone Ecosystem teamed up with HECTAR, a 600 ha, tuition-free agriculture school, to launch a pilot dairy farm 40 minutes outside of Paris. The goal of the pilot farm was to showcase how regenerative agriculture—a model that brought together soil protection, animal welfare, and improved work-life balance for farmers—could be economically sustainable thanks to on-farm processing.

The farming practices included rotating grazing land, calves being kept longer with their mothers, and one milking session per day instead of two. The project, “La Laiterie des Godets,” aimed to train farmers in regenerative agriculture techniques as well as business practices, and thereby improve the image and attractiveness of the dairy sector.

“La Laiterie des Godets” welcomed students year-round. Students helped produce and transform 200 tons of organic milk per year into yogurt, cream, and cheese. In total, the farm comprised 60 grazing cows who had free range on 60 hectares of land. The project showcased the key role played by breeding in regenerative agriculture, and improved farm circularity and soil health.