The Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) recently welcomed a visit from the Senior Commercial Attaché to the Dutch Embassy, Ms Tessel Van Essen, the Agricultural Counsellor of the Netherlands Embassy, Mr Tim Heddema and Mr Carson McMullan, the Honorary Consul for the Netherlands in Northern Ireland, to its Hillsborough site.
![](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline/public/images/%5Bcurrent-domain%3Amachine-name%5D/news/NR18.02.233-1%201200.jpg?itok=YtgG5Qyi×tamp=1519138269)
The purpose of the visit was to view and discuss current research at AFBI which is examining a range of options to reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming while promoting the competitiveness of the industry.
The delegation discussed the overall impact of AFBI research on the local agri-food industry in Northern Ireland, both land-based and fisheries and then toured the specialist agri-environment research facilities on the Hillsborough farm.
![The anaerobic digester at AFBI Hillsborough supplies a 1.5 km district heating system and now has a screw press and centrifuge to extract the solids from the digestate The anaerobic digester at AFBI Hillsborough supplies a 1.5 km district heating system and now has a screw press and centrifuge to extract the solids from the digestate](https://www.afbini.gov.uk/sites/afbini.gov.uk/files/styles/inline-expandable/public/images/NR18.02.233-2.jpg?itok=1SgplbGl)
Commenting on their visit Tim Heddema, Agricultural Counsellor commented ‘’It’s always a delight to see such passion for making farming more sustainable, efficient and a provider of public goods. The Netherlands and Northern Ireland have a lot in common in terms of the challenges our agri-food industry is facing. It is therefore worth it to foster a warm relationship, no matter what shape Brexit will finally take’’.
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