The government should advance in the field of agricultural policy. Entrepreneurs need to take the wheel and farmland deserves protection.

These are just some of the conclusions reached on Monday in Den Bosch, where a dialogue meeting was held on the initiative of ZLTO, BAJK and ZAJK, where farmers, MPs and regional politicians spoke to each other. The aim of the organizers: together to find what is possible.

Thom van Campen (VVD), Pieter Grinwis (ChristenUnie), Derk Jan Eppink (JA21), Derk Boswijk (CDA) and Caroline van der Plas (BBB) ​​attended on behalf of the House of Representatives. The latter had to leave early due to other commitments. The rest engaged in conversation with the young cultivators. About innovations, for example.

Innovation shouldn’t become a dirty word, Greenweiss says. This is definitely part of the solution. I hope we put entrepreneurs in the driver’s seat. Nitrogen can be reduced by this. Van Kampen argues that the implementation of innovations must be accelerated. For example, the Lely Sphere can greatly contribute to nitrogen reduction. It is up to the government to ensure that the rules of the game are not changed in the meantime.

Good balance

At the same time, the agricultural sector must also realize that there are more challenges ahead, says the VVD member. Agriculture should not be neglected, but people also want to live and work. It’s about a good balance.

Boswijk believes that the national government should start to deliver, for example by rewarding long-term agricultural nature conservation. Ebbink advocates for better legislation. The law must be enforceable. But the laws are usually getting stricter. Holland would like to be the best boy in the class.

As an example, Ebbink cites the new nitrogen law, according to which the targets set must be met not in 2035, but in 2030. “Then you don’t give enough time and entrepreneurs can’t invest either.”

do not lose hope

Grinwis worries about whether enough young farmers will continue to stand. I talk to a lot of farmers who say maybe their kids shouldn’t take over the farm. They must not lose hope at this time.

However, the latter is sometimes very difficult, according to the stories of farmers Hubrecht Jänsee, Mariej van Velthoven, Anton Partlin and Annemarie de Sister who spoke to the members of Parliament.

Van Veltoven, Dairy Farmer in Linde: “I don’t get a chance to do business. Our company is close to Natura 2000. Because of all the uncertainty I can’t get a loan from the banks. Even before the chance came to me as a young entrepreneur, it really flew.

protected mode

Bartelen sums up what is expected of farmers. “As small farmers we will soon be food makers, energy suppliers and environmental managers.” Advocates for protected farmland status. “It seems as if the farmland in this country is considered unallocated land.”

ZLTO Vice President Joris Becky summed up the discussion well at the end of the day. “As a sector, we are taking on the challenge. We are not shying away from the challenge. We must continue to become more sustainable, but then we must be careful about good farmland and have space to invest. Government policy must move in tandem with what We can do.