JJ (Jilles) Threels

During my BSc in Global Sustainability Science at Utrecht University, I started working in restaurants, where I discovered a passion for food alongside my passion for sustainability. To combine the two, I did my MSc in Resilient Farming and Food Systems at Wageningen University. My final academic consultancy project, which examined the assumptions and evidence behind regenerative agriculture practices, led to the opportunity to pursue a PhD.

Now, my PhD investigates the animal welfare implications of regenerative agriculture on Dutch dairy farms. As part of the ReGeNL programme, I study how practices on pioneering regenerative farms, such as holistic grazing and herb-rich grassland, affect cow welfare, milk quality and productivity, and how farmers' perceptions of regenerative agriculture and animal mind shape the way they farm.