DocuScience: The Vegan Poultry Farmer

In the film The Vegan Poultry Farmer, renowned photographer and documentary maker Kadir van Lohuizen, follows poultry farmer Ruud Zanders from Limburg. After the bankruptcy of his large-scale poultry farms, Ruud started a smaller-scale and more sustainable business. This new concept, Kipster, has since gained worldwide attention and is on the eve of an international breakthrough. But meanwhile, the livestock farmer increasingly questions why we keep animals for food. He now avoids meat, dairy and eggs as much as possible for his own consumption. Do we really need animals in the global food system? Are you doing well enough if you've developed the best possible poultry barn for animal welfare and circularity? Or are you actually maintaining the system? 

We will start the documentary at 17:00. It will end at 18:00 p.m., after which we will discuss Ruud Zanders' quest with Ruud himself and Ernst van den Ende, Managing Director of the Animal Sciences Group. Where do you stand on this issue?

Ruud Zanders grew up in Oirlo near Venray, where he took over his parents' poultry farm in the 1990s. After a bankruptcy, there was room for something new: that became Kipster. The most sustainable and animal-friendly egg concept in the world. In addition, Ruud Zanders is chairman of Caring Farmers and co-founder of RESPECTfarms, a cultivated meat company. Ruud was ranked number 2 in Trouw's Sustainability Top 100 and eats vegan.

Ernst van den Ende has been managing director of the Animal Sciences Group (ASG) at Wageningen University & Research since January 2022. Prior to that, he worked for 13 years as managing director of the Plant Sciences Group. Apart from that, he is an advisory member of the Council for Animal Affairs. Ernst is a member of the Wageningen Management Board and has extensive national and international experience with food issues in relation to the environment and society. Within ASG, he is responsible for research and education in the field of animal sciences and ensures the connection between fundamental and applied research.

De documentary will be shown in Omnia and admission is free of charge. The program will begin at 17:00, with the room opening at 16:45. You can register via these Forms. After the program, you are welcome to talk while enjoying the DocuDinner. 

Exclusively for DocuScience, restaurant Novum, in Omnia, offers a DocuDinner.  DocuDinner starts after DocuScience has ended around 18:30. For €28.50, you can enjoy a shared dining experience with various dishes to share, including a drink. A reservation is required and can be done by e-mailing welkom@restaurantnovum.nl or by reserving via the website www.restaurantnovum.nl. Please mention DocuScience.

Good to know, the documentary is Dutch spoken and English subtitled.

DocuScience is a program in Omnia, where employees of Wageningen Campus share insights into the inspiring work happening at Campus. We will explore new perspectives through provocative documentaries that encourage conversation. Everyone working at Wageningen Campus is welcome, so bring your colleagues!