Innovation by Nature

Welcome to arable farm NIVU. We are a modern and professional family-run farming company located in Oude-Tonge and Achthuizen in the Netherlands. NIVU is a close co-operation between two families: Van Nieuwenhuijzen (NI) and Van Vugt (VU). On 400 hectares ware potatoes, onions, sugar beet and cereals are grown. We work in harmony with nature, apply modern farming techniques and aim to reduce the gap between farmer and consumer.

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Innovation by Nature

Welcome to arable farm NIVU. We are a modern and professional family-run farming company located in Oude-Tonge and Achthuizen in the Netherlands. NIVU is a close co-operation between two families: Van Nieuwenhuijzen (NI) and Van Vugt (VU). On 400 hectares ware potatoes, onions, sugar beet and cereals are grown. We work in harmony with nature, apply modern farming techniques and aim to reduce the gap between farmer and consumer.

Contact

The latest news

Innovation by Nature

Welcome to arable farm NIVU. We are a modern and professional family-run farming company located in Oude-Tonge and Achthuizen in the Netherlands. NIVU is a close co-operation between two families: Van Nieuwenhuijzen (NI) and Van Vugt (VU). On 400 hectares ware potatoes, onions, sugar beet and cereals are grown. We work in harmony with nature, apply modern farming techniques and aim to reduce the gap between farmer and consumer.

Contact

The latest news

Agriculture reinvented

Discover the benefits of Nivu

Full traceability

The full traceability of our potatoes and onions – from farm to fork – is unique. Every step in the growing process, storage, processing and shipment is being registered by the Farm24 and Follow24 systems. This allows us to show the exact growing location for every potato and onion in the field, by use of GPS. The growing conditions are shown, what cultivation operations were carried out and how the produce was stored and processed. This is a unique concept in the world. NIVU is currently busy unfolding its traceable product system internationally in close co-operation with F24 Group.

Sustainability

Precision agriculture is integrated in the complete NIVU farm management. With help from local and reliable partners all steps in the growing season are tailor made. For the potatoes we receive agronomy advice from Crop Consult. By collecting data with our crop sensors weekly measurements of biomass and nitrogen plant levels are measured in the plants. Combined with data from soil samples, leaf sap samples, plant counts and measurements this gives us a fact-based substantiation for our agronomical decisions and the required measures are quickly taken.

Less inputs

This farming method allows us to reduce the amount of inputs such as seed, fertilisers and crop protection products. It also allows us to produce our crops in a sustainable way, without a negative impact for our environment. Innovation by Nature is what we stand for and what drives us every day.

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About us

Company formation

Arable farming company NIVU started in 2004 when two families: Van Nieuwenhuijzen en Van Vugt, started to swap farm machinery. The Van Nieuwenhuijzen family ran an arable farm of about 100 hectares in Achthuizen. The Van Vugt family had an arable farm of about 80 hectares in Oude-Tonge. Both farms are located in the South West of the Netherlands on the island Goeree-Overflakkee.

Co-operation intensifies

After having worked together for a number of years in sharing machinery a plan was made to intensify the co-operation. This resulted in the NIVU partnership, creating a single company. Fields were restructured by re-shaping them and removing unnecessary headlands, field roads and paths. The machinery was gradually updated to anticipate on the increased productivity. Surplus machinery was sold and investments were done to increase the working capacity. At the Van Vugt location the old barns were taken down and a new building was erected to house machinery and for potato storage. Management tasks were devided between the partners. This new business structure proved a big leap forward in efficiency, labour and organisation.

Farm expansion

In 2006 a nearby farm came up for sale. This farm could only be purchased as a single unit. By means of working together NIVU managed to buy the farm ‘De Pluum’. This meant that more investments in new machinery had to be made. As a follow-up further co-operations were set up with two more local family farms, based on the same principles that NIVU was already applying. By means of efficient planning the arable side of these farms is now being contract farmed by NIVU.

Windfarm Oostflakkee

The construction of windfarm Oostflakkee has been finalised. Its origins started with 5 local farmers that helped to erect 8 wind turbines along the sea dike. The wind turbines delivery enough electricity for over 35.000 households on a yearly basis. In the spring of 2021 the windfarm was officially opened.

Windfarm Oostflakkee was initiated by 5 farmers and Dutch project developer Renewable Energy Factory. Tonnie van Peperstraten is one of the local farmers and initiator. “During a period of 11 years we developed windfarm Oostflakkee. Without co-operation from local people we would have never achieved this. Jack van Vugt, farmer and initiator: “I find it satisfying that we can help with the new energy transition in this way. Ronald Kloet, co-founder of Renewable Energy Factory, says: “The location of Windfarm Oostflakkee is ideal for wind turbines. There is enough space and a good wind climate. As with every windfarm a thorough nature assessment was carried out to map the location. During the build and exploitation this is being closely watched.

Erecting the windfarm started in April 2020. The windfarm of 32 MW consists of 8 wind turbines and a 33kV/50kV transformer station. It delivers enough renewable electricity for over 35.000 households and helps to achieve the sustainability goals set by the Goeree-Overflakkee island. Windfarm Oostflakkee results in a saving of 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 during the economic life expectancy of the windfarm. Read more about our innovations here.

Box storage

The selling of the windfarm made it possible for NIVU to pursue new plans and help to future-proof the company. At the location of Jack and son Donke van Vugt NIVU erected a new climate-controlled box storage where 5.400 tonnes of produce can be stored. This storage location is equipped with a modern condensation curing and drying system developed by Equans.

Traceable product

With this step we add value to our crops and improve quality to serve more sales outlets. It also reduces storage waste. All boxes are fitted with rfid-tags. These are radio frequency tags for the detection of radio waves. In the store floor rfid-tags have also been installed to register every box position so we can trace when the produce has been brought in, where it is location and when it is delivered. Every activity is registered.

Co-operation with Farm24

NIVU has been a test site for Farm24 for a long time. This internationally operating company has been developing the traceability technology for over 20 years. NIVU has been helping Farm24 for years to develop sensors and Agroboxes. These register farm machinery, tractor use and jobs carried out on the farm. NIVU works in close co-operation with F24 Group to market the Farm24 and Follow24 systems. You can find more information about these systems on the product page.

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Deze toppers vertegenwoordigen de NIVU en @bbjosvr

Instagram post 18117117265289072

Gisteren kon er ook weer een perceel worden geploe

De laatste percelen suikerbieten worden geoogst!

Laatste paar hectare van de aardappeloogst 2022!

Door de regen kan het rooien even niet verder.. we

De aardappeloogst ging FastForward vandaag! De kop

Ready to receive @watermanonions ? 😎🧅

Groenbemester zaaien! Wie, wat, waar, wanneer? @fa

Job done ✅

De tarwe oogst nadert alweer zijn einde… Het was

De Jetset plantuien in twee verschillende maten ge

Meer laden Volg ons op Instagram

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Onze projecten

Farm24

Our projects

How it works

Farm24 is a registration program that registers every action, activity and condition (weather
and soil) in the field and on the farm, fully automatically. At which location? At what
moment? Under what circumstances? Who carried out the job? How long did it last?
What were the machinery settings and data during the application? Work hours? Travel
time? Amount of downtime? All these data is being registered and displayed transparently.

Every tractor and self-propelled machine uses an Agrobox. This Agrobox reads all machinery
and couples it to a gps-location. The driver only has to connect to the system once and is
thereafter automatically recognised. On top of that Vibro boxes are installed to collect further
machinery data. These boxes become active when the machine is being hitched up to the tractor.
Information collected by crop sensors and yield data can also be automatically loaded in
the system. Farm24 knows exactly what happened, when and by who. From planting and
sowing to harvest the process is being registered. Without manual interference and thus
completely reliable.

Find out more about Farm24

Our projects

Follow24

Every tractor and self-propelled machine uses an Agrobox. This Agrobox reads all machinery
and couples it to a gps-location. The driver only has to connect to the system once and is
thereafter automatically recognised. On top of that Vibro boxes are installed to collect further
machinery data. These boxes become active when the machine is being hitched up to the
tractor. Information collected by crop sensors and yield data can also be automatically loaded
in the system. Farm24 knows exactly what happened, when and by who. From planting and
sowing to harvest the process is being registered. Without manual interference and thus
completely reliable.

Find out more about Follow24

Our projects

Renewable energy

Innovations

Since 2021 Windfarm Oostflakkee is located on the South side of our farm. It took 11 years
to achieve the windfarm with the help of 6 partners, one of which being NIVU, and two
dairy farmers. After realisation and erecting the windfarm it was sold to Kallista Energy.
The windfarm consists of 8 Enercon E126-EP3 wind turbines with an hub height of 86
metres. Every turbine is capable of generating 32 MW of electricity per year. This means
that every turbine produces enough electricity to power 4.500 households per year.
Aside from wind energy NIVU also generates solar energy by means of solar panels
on the shed roofs. The generated electricity is partly used for the cooling installation in
our climate-controlled crop storage.

Condensation drying crop storage

In 2021 a new and highly modern box storage was put into use by NIVU. This crop
storage facility has a capacity of 5.400 tonnes. Cooling and storing the potatoes is
done by means of a condensation drying installation from Equans. This drying
technique works independently from outside air conditions. The use of propane
gas heaters is thus unnecessary. The condensation drying is both a heat and cold
installation that dries the product twice as quickly compared to a traditional system.
This guarantees a better crop quality and reduces energy costs
More about condensation drying.

Innovations

Precision agriculture

NIVU uses precision agriculture throughout the farm in a fact-based and
demand-driven system. This means that weekly measurements are carried
out throughout the growing season by means of crop sensors. Necessary
inputs are collected and crops aren’t over-fertilised or sprayed. This decreases
the environmental impact and reduces costs. NIVU works in close
co-operation with agronomists from Crop Consult.

Innovations

Farm2Fork implementation

Innovations

By implementing the Farm24 and Follow24 systems the NIVU farm was brought a
large step closer to the factual Farm2Fork implementation which is aspired by the
European Union. All steps during the growing process and crop storage are registered.
Thanks to a unique crop concept this data is made publicly available for the consumer.
The person that has our potatoes and onions on their plate know where the product
came from, how it was grown and what its path was from farm to fork.

Carbon storage

NIVU is currently investigating the possibilities of carbon farming. Storing carbon in
the soil is done by means of reduced tillage, using cover crops and feeing the soil life
with organic fertilisers. These allow us to store carbon in the soil and reduce green
house gases significantly.

Sustainability

During the realisation of our new crop store a lot of attention was given to the surrounding
environment around the farm. This meant that a water feature was built and a nature area
with grass and woodland were erected in the close vicinity. On 1.8 hectares bird margins to
attract partridges have been sown. These have multiple functions on our farm. It increases
the farm look and area, increases biodiversity and offers a breeding spot for useful insects
that help to control pests. Another sustainability achievement is using sedum roofs on our
company buildings. A sedum roof is a roof overgrown with succulents. These offer a
natural protection against sun light, rain and extreme temperature changes. A sedum roof
barely requires maintenance. NIVU is currently seeking development for 3 hectares of
nature reserve close to an already existing nature reserve.

Innovations

Crops

On 400 hectares of fertile clay soils, located on the East side of the Goeree-Overflakkee island (in the South West of the Netherlands), NIVU grows ware potatoes, onions grown from sets, winter wheat and sugar beet. Soil types range from light and easy workable clay soils all the way to very heavy clays. All fields are optimally shaped which allows for efficient farming operations. There is enough fresh water available for irrigation. A relatively extensive cropping regime is used to give the soils plentiful rest and good management. In all crops NIVU uses precision agriculture. For example variable rate fertilisation and crop protection but also variable application when drilling and planting potatoes.

Product sales

NIVU uses various reliable partners for its product sales. The sugar beet are being processed by the co-operative Royal Cosun factory. Our wheat is delivered to CZAV. The onions are mainly being sold to PPA Group, Waterman Onions and Tuns Onions. Selling our Agria ware potatoes is done together with Galathea. This company specialises in selling this potato variety to various countries in Western and Southern Europe. In the near future it is our ambition to be able to grade and pack potatoes by ourselves.

Go to Follow24

Ware potatoes

The most important crop on our farm are ware potatoes. We only grow the variety Agria. This tasty
potato is versatile and excels on our clay soils. It can be used as a table potato, for the production
of French fries or for export. Thanks to our modern box storage we can guarantee the best quality
almost 12 months per year. During the growing season crops are closely monitored and irrigated,
fertilised and protected when necessary.

Onions

The location, soil type and climate on the Goeree-Overflakkee island are ideal for the production
of onions. They can be planted early in the season which means the new crop is ready to be
harvested late June or early July. NIVU only grows brown or yellow onions grown from sets
and not from seed. Harvesting and loading the onions is done by our own machinery.

Wintertarwe

Winter wheat is grown as a soil-improving crop on our farm. All straw is being chopped and
incorporated into the soil to feed soil life. Harvesting is done with our own combine harvester.
Wheat always follows potatoes in the crop rotation. After the wheat harvest a cover crop mixture
is sown to further aid soil life and insects.

Suikerbieten

A fixture in our cropping rotation are sugar beet. These are being processed by Royal Cosun
whose factory is located nearby in Dinteloord. That is only 30 kilometres from our farm. Drilling
the sugar beet is done by ourselves. Harvesting is carried out by a contractor.

Gewassen

Op 400 hectare vruchtbare kleigrond, gelegen in het oosten van eiland Goeree-Overflakkee (Zuid-Holland), worden door NIVU consumptieaardappelen, tweedejaars plantuien, wintertarwe en suikerbieten verbouwd. De grondsoort varieert van lichte tot zeer zware klei. Alle percelen zijn goed verkaveld zodat efficiënt gewerkt kan worden. Ook is voldoende zoet water beschikbaar voor beregenen. Er wordt gewerkt met een relatief extensief bouwplan om de grond voldoende rust te geven en om de bodem goed te beheren. In alle teelten maakt NIVU intensief gebruik van precisielandbouw. Bijvoorbeeld om plaats specifiek te bemesten, gewasbeschermingsmiddelen toe te dienen maar ook om variabel te kunnen zaaien, poten en planten.

Productafzet

NIVU heeft verschillende betrouwbare afzetpartners voor zijn producten. De suikerbieten worden verwerkt door de coöperatieve suikerproducent Royal Cosun. De tarwe wordt geleverd aan CZAV . Onze tweedejaars plantuien worden meestal geleverd, PPA Group aan Waterman Onions en Tuns Onions. Voor het vermarkten van onze Agria consumptieaardappelen wordt samengewerkt met Galathea. Dit bedrijf specialiseert zich in de verkoop van dit ras naar bestemmingen in West- en Zuid-Europa. In de nabije toekomst is het onze ambitie om zelf aardappelen te kunnen sorteren en verpakken.

Iedere aardappelen is traceerbaar van farm to fork. Benieuwd hoe we dat doen?

Ga naar Follow24

Ware potatoes

The most important crop on our farm are
ware potatoes. We only grow the variety
Agria. This tasty potato is versatile and
excels on our clay soils. It can be used as
a table potato, for the production of
French fries or for export. Thanks to our
modern box storage we can guarantee the
best quality almost 12 months per year.
During the growing season crops are
closely monitored and irrigated, fertilised
and protected when necessary.

Onions

The location, soil type and climate on the
Goeree-Overflakkee island are ideal for the
production of onions. They can be planted
early in the season which means the new
crop is ready to be harvested late June or
early July. NIVU only grows brown or
yellow onions grown from sets and not from
seed. Harvesting and loading the onions is
done by our own machinery.

Wintertarwe

Als rustgewas wordt op ons bedrijf
wintertarwe verbouwd. Al het stro wordt
verhakseld als voeding voor het bodemleven.
Het oogsten doen we in eigen beheer.
Tarwe wordt gezaaid na aardappelen in
het bouwplan. Na de tarweoogst wordt
altijd een groenbemester ingezaaid.

Suikerbieten

Een vast onderdeel in het bouwplan zijn
suikerbieten. Deze worden door Royal
Cosun verwerkt op hun fabriek in
Dinteloord. Deze bevindt zich slechts op
30 kilometer afstand van ons bedrijf.
Het zaaien van de suikerbieten voeren wij
zelf uit. Het rooien wordt gedaan door
een loonwerker.