“We were sitting around the table with our competitors. You wouldn’t see that happening today.” That’s how Harm-Jan van der Beek puts it, who served as director of what is now UNIFORM-Agri for over 35 years.

In the early 1990s, the sector had reached a deadlock. Milking machine manufacturers were all developing their own software, but it was still in its infancy. Quality and functionality varied widely. At the same time, software was becoming increasingly important for farmers. It was no longer just the milking machine itself, but the information behind it that began to make the difference.

The question arose: could things be done differently?

That question led to something unique. Manufacturers and importers decided to join forces and adopt one shared foundation: VeKuSoft UNIFORM, developed by Kuijer Computer Systemen in Assen. Companies such as Alfa Laval (now DeLaval), Fullwood, Gascoigne Melotte and Farm Service (then the importer of BouMatic), as well as Senior Melksystemen (now SAC) and Boeke & Heesters (importer of Surge), joined the initiative.

Early 1990s. Milking machine manufacturers and Kuijer Computer Systemen present their collaboration around VeKuSoft UNIFORM. From left to right: R. Schoenmaker (Boeke & Heesters), H. Verra (Fullwood), J. Olinkhof (Farm Service), P. Blauw (Gascoigne Melotte), H. van de Beek (Kuijer), J. Wagenaar (Alfa Laval) and J. Peeters (Senior).

This formed the foundation from which UNIFORM-Agri later emerged.

hat was unprecedented at the time. The software was not only developed for the sector, but in close collaboration with the sector. A joint innovation team discussed what farmers needed in day-to-day practice. To strengthen this collaboration, each party took a small stake in the company, 1% of the shares. This gave them insight into the development process, confidence in long-term continuity and a strong sense of ownership of the product.

For Harm-Jan, one thing was clear from the outset: “We are at the source of the data. Where is most of the data generated? On the farm and in the milking parlour.” That close connection to day-to-day farm practice set the direction. Not collecting data for the sake of it, but helping farmers with insights that come straight from their own operation.

The collaboration did not just stay on paper. At trade shows, the same software could be seen across multiple brands. Kuijer staff moved from stand to stand, installing systems and giving demonstrations. Competitors, side by side. In the Netherlands that was already unusual. In the UK, it was even more sensitive. People would sometimes literally walk behind the stands to avoid being seen moving from one milking machine manufacturer to another.

For farmers, this was a major step forward. Where previously separate lists, notes and systems existed alongside each other, everything came together in one clear overview. Data on milk production, fertility and feed was not only recorded but also linked and turned into practical insight.

Decisions became less driven by gut feeling and more by what was actually happening on the farm. What started as something new quickly became part of everyday farm management.

Newspaper clipping (1991): “Milking machine suppliers choose VekuSoft.” The sector opts for a single shared standard.

Harm-Jan van der Beek, Senior Advisor and former Director of UNIFORM-Agri, was closely involved in the development of VeKuSoft UNIFORM.

What started as VeKuSoft UNIFORM later evolved into UNIFORM-Agri. The collaboration in the early 1990s began as a shared standard and opened the door to something new: systems that work together seamlessly.

The strong integrations developed at that time were built on years of close cooperation with milking machine manufacturers and other partners in the sector. That collaboration made it possible to think ahead and connect systems long before it became standard practice.

That same collaboration remains a key pillar of UNIFORM-Agri’s success.