This project delves into the increasingly prevalent phenomenon of liquid labour mobilities resulting from the ever-changing boundaries of the European Union, examining their often-overlooked spatial implications in the Netherlands. Focusing on the critical presence of Central and Eastern European labour migrants engaged in precarious seasonal or ‘flex’ work arrangements, the research investigates the intersection of global mobility circuits and the local demand for temporary labour within the Dutch production landscape, particularly in the agriculture, horticulture and trade logistics sectors. Through interviews, spatial analysis of ten sites and policy and literature reviews, this study examines how these mobilities are facilitated and managed, the often-exploitative role of temporary employment agencies and the impact of precarious housing and job insecurity on the lives of seasonal workers. By scrutinising these dynamics, the project proposes novel strategies for sustainable and democratic seasonal neighbourhoods that respond to the underexplored challenges of flex-work and seasonal migration. Drawing upon cross-geography urban theory, this research suggests innovative living and working strategies and principles that emphasise both, the societal and economic imperatives of ensuring just and equitable conditions for temporary labourers.

With an average cheese production of 947 mln kg/year, the dairy industry (in the Netherlands) is responsible for 6.3 % of agricultural/dairy/commodity greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Northwestern (NW) Europe. This report brings the production of dairy and its effects on the spatiotemporal and environmental footprints. By performing a material analysis flow of an everyday consumption product-cheese, a by-product from the milk produced by cattle raised on the vast flat pasture lands in the Netherlands, we determine its harmful role in GHG emissions. Using a mixed-method approach, this study combines qualitative and quantitative analysis methodologies, extensive literature reviews, group discussions, available QGIS datasets, farmers sharing their experiences and knowledge on YouTube channels, case studies and a stakeholder interview. This led us to the formulation of a sustainable polyculture agriculture catalogue and toolbox where the dairy sector shifts from a core polluter and extractor role to a regenerative one. A future for farming is formulated where healthy soil is at the core of agricultural thinking. We outline a cow reduction spectrum resulting in opportunities for NW Europe leading to ecological improvements of the soil. Applying this toolbox to the South-Holland scale led to a multipurpose foodscape using an Integrated Crop-Livestock System (ICLS), where cows play the primary role of fertilisers of the land and secondarily, the role of milk producers. In conclusion, the research proves that the adoption of ICLS can significantly reduce GHG emissions in dairy production territories and optimise the existing land use. Implementing this system requires a shift in mindset and has significant implications for the dairy industry, policymakers and society at large. The strategy and action plan in this research seeks to inform policymakers, urban planners and other stakeholders in the dairy farming industry on how to transition towards a more regenerative and sustainable system that benefits the environment, society and the economy in the long duree. It suggests a socially just transition to the groups of farmers via a symbiotic approach.