News Candidate presidents
Revolution at LTO? This is what Haanstra and Vogelaar want
Jaap Haanstra and Jan-Cees Vogelaar, who have publicly run for the presidency of LTO Nederland, want to radically reform the agricultural and horticultural organization under their leadership. They have launched a 10-point plan, in which the 'farmer and horticulturist should be put back in charge'.
Vogelaar and Haanstra want the members to have a much more direct influence on the vision, content and policy of the agricultural and horticultural organisation. To this end, they also argue for elected and not for nominated directors, as is now the case. The chairman of LTO Nederland must also be able to be directly elected by the members in the future.
According to the duo, the directors within LTO should be much closer to the members. "There is a crisis in advocacy, a breach of trust," said Vogelaar, referring to his experiences in recent months at the farmer's protests. "There is a huge gap in what administrators think and how members feel about it."
The interests of farmers and horticulturists must come first, the duo emphasizes. The advocacy of interests must be pure, Vogelaar indicated at the presentation of their plans in Nijkerk. "At LTO, the interests of farmers and horticulturists do not always come first. LTO, for example, has an advisory leg, which receives money from the ministry to carry out research and assignments. Then you have a double hat as a director. That has to get out."
A strong agricultural and horticultural lobby
As chairmen of LTO, the duo want to play a pioneering role in uniting the current fragmented advocacy of agricultural interests. They argue for 1 strong farmers' and horticulturists' lobby. Haanstra and Vogelaar point out that a large part of the current interest representatives arose out of dissatisfaction with LTO's policy.
According to the duo, all organizations do not necessarily have to merge into LTO, but they welcome intensive cooperation. Vogelaar alludes, among other things, to a new-style Agricultural Collective, in which LTO Netherlands can form the core. LTO as an organization also needs to be overhauled, because Vogelaar and Haanstra strive for a flat and efficient farmers' organisation. "We want to serve farmers and horticulturists. They should be proud of their sector and that they can be proud of their interests."
In the negotiations with the authorities and in particular the Ministry of Agriculture, Vogelaar and Haanstra apply the principle "Consult where possible, give in if necessary." This is a different point of departure from the current LTO, which is often seen as an organization of consultation and consensus and therefore rarely uses the action weapon.
It is important that these are facts and not assumptions. Vogelaar points there, for example, to the nitrogen and feed measures that Carola Schouten has delegated. "If we can't talk facts, then figure it out. Then we'll stay away.
Support among members is crucial
After the announcement, Vogelaar and Haanstra will write the letter of application to LTO Nederland and gauge support for their candidacy in the agricultural sector. For that have they have created a special website† "We won't do it without support among the members", Haanstra and Vogelaar say in an exclusive interview with Boerenbusiness.nl know. Haanstra also called on possible other candidates to make themselves known. "Nothing is more beautiful than members have something to choose from."
The ultimate candidate chairman will be nominated by the board of LTO Nederland to the members' council in November. This is preceded by an extensive application procedure.
Eric the Thrush
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