News Agricultural debate Agriculture
Everyone agrees: farmers should earn more
Dutch farmers and horticulturists have to earn more to be able to respond adequately to the challenges of food production. European borders must also be closed for cheaper food produced to lower standards. In an agricultural debate between politicians, critics and agricultural advocates, remarkably enough, almost everyone agreed on this.
Opinions differ widely on the way to achieve a better earning model for the farmer. The so-called Farmer & Directors debate in Amsterdam was organized on Friday by Agractie to discuss the future of Dutch agriculture. Five pairs were placed opposite each other who were allowed to discuss with each other on the basis of 5 statement. For example, Mark van den Oever, chairman of Farmers Defense Force (FDF) was allowed to cross swords with Johan Vollenbroek, the foreman of Mobilization for the Environment (MOB). Jan-Cees Vogelaar, chairman of the Mesdag Dairy Fund Foundation, also faced D1 MP Tjeerd de Groot.
Do not produce nor import
Hennie de Haan, chairman of the Dutch Poultry Farmers' Union (NVP) and CDA MP Jaco Geurts were allowed to start off with the statement: the border must be closed for food that does not meet our requirements. De Haan was clear about that. "We are not allowed to import what we are not allowed to produce here". She points to the cheap poultry meat and battery eggs that are still coming into the EU. "An uneven playing field for Dutch farmers and consumers is being fooled", referring to the battery eggs that are processed in food products.
Jaco Geurts acknowledges that the controls in the EU are not watertight. "Battery cages can still enter the EU. It can be a small percentage, but still too much. The controls in Rotterdam are strict, but then they will come through Antwerp or Bremen. I am also concerned about the American chlorinated chickens that can enter the EU via the United Kingdom after Brexit."
Geurts suggests making agreements with supermarkets to get more Dutch poultry meat prominently on the shelves, as is currently happening with pork. De Haan does not believe in that. "Such agreements are difficult to check, every cheap product will find its way into the chain. The policy simply has to be more decisive and the consumer must have more clarity about which product he is buying."
Don't get stuck in the past
While De Haan and Geurts soon appeared to agree in broad terms, the confrontation between MOB leader Vollenbroek and FDF chairman Mark van den Oever promised more fireworks. The debate certainly became sharper, but it didn't really crackle. They were given the following proposition: in the Netherlands there is no more room for even more nature.
Vollenbroek pointed out that 13% of the Dutch surface is now a Natura 2000 area, which also includes the IJsselmeer and the Wadden Sea Region. "This puts us below the European average. The EU is even aiming for a percentage of 30%. So we have to move towards more and more robust nature."
Van den Oever has an appropriate solution for this: "Polder quickly into the Markermeer and turn it into a beautiful nature reserve. There should be more nature in the west of the country." Because the leader of FDF sees the desire for more nature primarily as a Randstad urge. "In the west it is nothing but concrete and asphalt. In the east, however, it is still plenty of green."
Europe must hold up its own pants
According to Vollenbroek, the agricultural sector must be "completely overhauled". He also wants to get rid of cheap imports outside the EU. "Europe must hold up its own pants. The Netherlands must return to fully land-based agriculture and partly circular agriculture. And the prices for farmers must rise. That is where the solution lies."
Van den Oever agrees with this better price for farmers and an export ban from outside the EU. He believes that technological solutions in particular can help agriculture to achieve environmental measures. Certainly if the farmer gets more value for his product there. Van den Oever has full confidence in the Farmers Friendly concept that FDF wants to set up together with the supermarket umbrella organization CBL. This should guarantee the participating farmers a surcharge on their product.
Finally, Vollenbroek dismissed the agricultural sector with a warning. And that's that the nitrogen law is just the beginning. "The climate laws that advocate a 2% reduction in CO50 emissions within 10 years will have a much greater impact on agriculture and horticulture. The sector should really realize that and not linger in the past."
Farmers in uncertainty for too long
In the next debate, Laura Bromet, member of parliament for GroenLinks, also referred to the challenge of the climate law. "The CO2 emissions must be reduced by half, but I notice that farmers really have no idea what is coming at them. Farmers have been in uncertainty for too long. Clarity needs to be made."
Bromet entered into a conclave with Bart Kemp, chairman of Agractie, about animal welfare with the statement: Animals are doing well in the Netherlands. Stop projecting human experience onto the animal. Kemp especially pointed to rules such as compulsory grazing, which do not always please the animals. "We can sometimes meet the basic conditions of health, rest and well-being for animals much better indoors than outdoors. Livestock farmers sense this and know it better."
Bromet was given the space to avoid this discussion and to react immediately with stables where the 'animals are crammed together.' In the discussion that followed, Kemp was able to implicitly elicit that GroenLinks does not think mega stables (or comfort stables, as Kemp used to say) is bad by definition. "I want to get rid of the frame that mega stalls are bad and small stalls are always good. You see farms where animals are having a great time, but you also have companies where animals are less fortunate. The Netherlands must distinguish itself in quality and want to be a leader in animal welfare. "
To achieve this, the farmer must also receive a higher price for his product and cheap imports from outside the EU must be curbed, says Bromet. According to her, food can become more expensive if, on the other hand, the cabinet ensures that food is affordable for every Dutch person. For example, by increasing benefits. "A higher price in the store does not have to go through the farmyard."
cost 3 globes
The highlight of the afternoon was the debate between D66 MP Tjeerd de Groot and Jan-Cees Vogelaar, chairman of the Mesdag Dairy Fund Foundation. They had the proposition: Fewer animals in the Netherlands? The world demands more than less food. Although firm language was occasionally spoken, especially by Vogelaar, it was a discussion without the tension of sitting on the edge of your seat.
Vogelaar mainly measured De Groot on his in-depth knowledge of the food chain. Many people do not know their own food chain. For example, he countered an argument by De Groot in which he stated that one third of the available agricultural land goes to animal feed. By limiting this in favor of human consumption, there is a profit, says De Groot. "I completely agree, Tjeerd", Vogelaar responded, "and that is exactly what we are already doing in the Netherlands. Residual flows from human consumption go to livestock farming, such as soy meal."
De Groot called Vogelaar's motivation that the current agricultural system works well 'complete nonsense'. According to him, half of the animal feed is recycled, because it concerns residual flows. "Soy and maize are grown for the other half. That is not too sustainable and must mean a shrinkage of the livestock. We have to move to a livestock that produces as much fertilizer as vegetable cultivation needs."
What man eats does not come back
Vogelaar reacted strongly with "the cycle is a farce. You yourself are the hole in the cycle. What people eat does not come back. Agriculture is always intervening in the ecosystem, what you get out of it you have to bring back. That's why we talk about balanced fertilization, not about recycling."
According to De Groot, Dutch agriculture can still play a significant role in agricultural production after the transition he envisages. "There is certainly still enough production, for which the farmer has to get a higher price. It is a myth that we have to feed the world's population."
De Groot calls the package of €6 billion that agriculture minister Schouten has reserved for the transition of agriculture on the nitrogen dossier 'unprecedented'. "A lot is being invested in agriculture. We can just be proud of that. But this is still a first step." Vogelaar calls it a drama. He points to research by the Agrifacts Foundation, which shows that Dutch agriculture already meets the 2030 standards according to European calculation models. "At all Natura2000 areas. And now the PAS detectors are out in the cold and banks are withdrawing the financing."
With an example of the type of milk De Groot buys in the supermarket (his answer: the most expensive), Vogelaar wanted to make it clear that the price or the brand does not always reflect the sustainability of a product. "The citizen wants everything, but the consumer makes other choices. That will destroy the farmer."
Confused consumer
To conclude, Joris Lohman, co-founder of Foodhub, discussed the proposition with VVD MP Helma Lodders: a different food system? That means a higher price for the consumer. According to Lohman, it is too easy to demand a higher price from the consumer. That is not to the advantage of the farmer. "Because a higher price from the consumer never reaches the farmer 1-on-1."
In addition, consumers are also confused by all the different images they receive about sustainability, making it difficult to consciously make sustainable purchases in the supermarket. "Putting accountability on the consumer is not the most important step." Lodders emphasizes that the honest story must be told. "Is an organic potato better than conventionally grown? That is not an option for me. We also have to call supermarkets to account for clear communication."
According to Lohman, a better earning capacity for the farmer must be paramount in making food policy more sustainable. "With that you can bring about changes. I notice that everyone in this debate agrees. "But we are somehow opposed to each other. He sees the solution in improving the socio-economic position of the farmer." Exactly the thought of Sicco Mansholt at the time."
The Netherlands must be at the forefront of innovation in this respect, but not only in terms of intensifying production and/or lowering the cost price. "But especially in quality. Politicians must lay down fewer rules, but above all create preconditions where entrepreneurs are challenged to comply with them."
Eric the Thrush
© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.