Interview Gijsbrecht Gunter
'Need more space for collaboration'
In the run-up to the European parliamentary elections on Thursday 23 May, Boerenbusiness daily 6 agricultural questions for people with a vision on European agricultural policy. Today it is Gijsbrecht Gunter, chairman of the Holland Onion Association and candidate for MEP for ChristenUnie-SGP.
In addition to his role in the agricultural sector (Holland Onion Association, Uireka, Yara and Monie Nieuwdorp), Gijsbrecht Gunter (40) also has a political cap on. He is a councilor in the municipality of Borsele and also a member of the SGP agricultural platform that feeds The Hague and Brussels with information. In these elections, Gunter is in 10th place for ChristenUnie-SGP, an unelectable place.
He thinks it is important to emphasize the importance of 'Europe' in this way. "In many areas it is extremely important that we work together at European level. For example, think of security, terrorism and trade. At the same time, each Member State must remain sovereign and be able to make its own policy. Hence our slogan 'Cooperation yes, superstate no'."
Do you want more or less European agricultural policy for the Dutch farmer?
"We must assume that the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will be continued and that includes a hefty budget. However, that must be accompanied by fewer rules. Brussels meddles too much with the details. determined, but each country must retain the right to interpret this itself, as the local practice (type of soil, the type of crop that is grown, etc.) is different in each Member State."
"I also think that the CAP budget should be used more effectively, avoiding leveling off. We do not want to transfer the money we raise in the west of Europe to the east. For example, there is a significant difference in land prices between Member States, which must be reflected in the income support that farmers receive; otherwise you put pressure on their competitive position."
If we look at the Common Agricultural Policy, should there be a hectare premium or not?
"The best thing is if the farmer can obtain his income from the market, but that is not yet the case. In the long term we must reduce income support, but for the time being it is still indispensable. We must, however, remain critical about the spending of the CAP budget and ensure that the money actually ends up on the farmyard. Nowadays, financial resources remain with large cooperatives and partnerships or in bureaucratic, official circuits. The aim must be: to strengthen the position of the farmer. If he has to give up productive land or green measures there must be compensation for that.”
Looking at the implementation of the chain report by Cees Veerman: how do you achieve a 'level playing field' in the European Union?
"To create a level playing field in the chain and between different Member States, it is important that there is more room for cooperation. With a few hundred hectares you are a large farmer in the Netherlands, while huge cooperatives have been set up in Eastern Europe ( often with support from the European Union). The size says something about the power you can exercise in the chain. If this is only possible here with cooperation, but that is not legally possible, then relaxation of the competition rules is necessary. It is a task for Europe to give primary producers more leeway, and I say that as a politician."
Is the Brussels power with regard to the authorization of plant protection products too great?
"I don't think so. It is mainly important that we avoid mixing politics and science. In Europe, we know the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as a scientific committee that assesses the active substances in plant protection products. It is important that they do their work substantively. can continue to perform well, without being influenced by emotions."
"Conversely, it is important that politicians do not pretend to be scientists. The glyphosate issue is an example of this. EFSA makes certain conclusions, but politics still chooses a different route. It is important that everyone performs their own role and not on each other's In addition, it cannot be the case that we have 1 regulation for plant protection products in Europe and that the authorizations within the different Member States are different. That causes an uneven playing field."
What should be made a spearhead in Brussels agricultural policy?
"A better revenue model for the farmer, so that he can continue to invest. This is also related to the compensation for the maintenance of the landscape. Innovation should also be a spearhead. Take the admission of new breeding techniques. As SGP, we are not in favor of cross-species breeding. When it comes to GMO, we are slowing down, but a technique such as CRISPR-Cas should be given space. This allows us to promote yields and produce better food. This is necessary, because there are still almost 800 million people are starving in the world. There should be more appreciation for the way food is made."
Which myth about the European Parliament is not correct in your view?
"That the European Parliament does not matter. It is often said 'they drank a glass, took a pee and everything remained as it was', but that is not the case. Many things are decided in Europe. Looking at our agricultural interests, our export position and knowledge that we can deposit worldwide, it is important that the Dutch MEPs work together and leave their mark. Brussels is closer than you think."
Jeanette Pennings
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