The outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease here in the Netherlands has had a profound affect on the way ordinary Dutch people think about farming. There've been numerous campaigns and demonstrations in support of less-intensive farming. One of the more unusual initiatives allows people to adopt a cow, via the Internet. The money is supposed to help farmers change the way they run their farms. Thousands of families and companies have adopted cows.

   The "adopt-a-cow" website, set up by the Environmental Awareness foundation, aims to provide basic information about meat and livestock and give farmers moral and financial support. "Not many consumers know how their piece of meat ends up in the supermarket", says the head of the foundation, Anne Stijkel. For a hundred guilders a year, people can visit the farm where "their cow" is bred. In addition, they receive a newsletter and a photograph of the animal.

Sustainable Farming
   Farmers who offer their cattle for adoption also undertake to switch over to sustainable farming. The money raised by the "adopt-a-cow" scheme partially covers the costs of the changeover.

   Stijkels claims the campaign's success has exceeded expectation. "We started only a few weeks ago and already thousands of people and companies have joined in. More than 1500 cows have been offered for adoption. This means we are looking for more farmers to join up."

   Isolated The farming community is pleased with the campaign. They're happy with the attention they are getting, says Stijkels. "Farmers have been feeling very isolated," she adds. "Foot-and-mouth has tainted the image of farming. Our initiative shows that society is aware of the magnitude of the problem and understands the fact that we all contributed to it. This is a great relief for farmers."

   An adopted cow isn't a protected species. It doesn't have eternal life. Sooner or later, it will be taken to the abattoir. But, says Stijkels, "your piece of meat will have a different taste, once you've looked a cow into the eye." The campaign offers an alternative to vegetarians, who'd rather not see their foster cows land on their dinner tables. They can adopt wild cattle from the Dutch Forestry Commission.