Charities are on the drip of the government and must get political goals in our heads, says Marijn Poels in his documentary 'The good end justifies the means† The way in which farmers are put away plays an important role in the film. Boerenbusiness talks to the maker.
In your film you discuss the intertwining of charities, media and politics. About how subjects continue to end up on the social agenda. Is the reduction of livestock a good example of this?
"Absolutely, nitrogen too. The calculation models are always criticized, but they keep coming back. Farmers are the only profession that has already done so much to reduce ammonia and nitrogen and it continues to go further on farmers, while there are plenty of other branches , such as Schiphol and the construction industry. That makes me suspicious: why choose farmers Where is the border, how much do farmers have to solve?"
At the beginning of the documentary you say: 'What is the plan, the direction? And more importantly: who actually determines that direction?' Did you find out?
"It is the politicians that grant subsidies that determine which requirements you have to meet. If I want to start an anti-climate or barbecue club, it is very difficult to get a subsidy, with an anti-meat club you have a better chance. Who determines that political direction "Then you end up in intertwining where politics is heading in a certain direction and where charity clubs are financially fed to cultivate that narrative. In fact, you create subsidized support. I have major problems with that. Civil servants create a frame of reference for reality from models." People and farmers and nature are disconnected. If the farmer is taken away from his freedom and is disconnected from his responsibility for nature, you get a passionless society and farmers who say: I don't need it anymore."
What was the starting point for making this film?
"I got the question from the Agrifacts Foundation, who said: we have problems with management that appears to be in the field of agriculture at the moment and we always end up with the Postcode Lottery. I found that a very difficult thing, because I also come from the charitable world myself and it is a well-organized network and thought: what's wrong with that? I first ignored it, but kept wondering whether it is the case that charitable clubs push us into a narrative. the Postcode Lottery is the main focus, but along the way I came to realize that it is just a system. Networks have become so entwined that you can no longer speak of democracy where social support can emerge."
The documentary is about interdependence and dependence on the financier, but the film was made with the support of the Agrifacts Foundation, according to the credits. Isn't that contradictory?
"That's a paradox, that's right. Many companies want to finance me with a lot of money. They step in as silent partners and give money, but they have nothing to say in terms of content. Agrifacts paid something like 20 percent and only did what I asked and not the other way around. I don't believe they sent me. At first I thought: isn't it jealousy, are you farmers incapable of developing a club so strong yourself? I've become convinced it's a bigger movement behind which lies power."
What was the most shocking thing you encountered while filming?
"The interdependence. If you look at how Natuurmonumenten works and ultimately competes as Buitenleven Vakanties with Staatsbosbeheer as a charity club in that area. Farmers are also outcompeting and making a revenue model based on the farmer's death. I think that's pretty bad that we let that happen. I am quite shocked by the marketer who works for charities and says that his research shows that citizens do not want farmers to reduce at all."
It also concerns politicians who get jobs at organizations and vice versa. You don't name him, but are you hinting at Greenpeace director Joris Thijssen Greenpeace, who recently joined the House of Representatives for the PvdA?
"There are plenty of examples. The question you can ask is: is that bad? In politics I think that is bad; actually, then you should call yourself an activist. The question is also how independent they are with journalists. is a gray area, it is not necessarily wrong, but it can become very wrong. I have the greatest difficulty with the decoupling of agriculture and nature and that people are presented with Armageddon: if we don't take action, we will all die!"
Climate change is also a real threat, isn't it?
"Climate change is there, we see that in models in 100 years. Then we have to substantiate that very well. Yes, there are models, but I can also show you models of other things. You have to look: how many people will die to climate change. That is not so bad. We can deal with it very well. To what extent is this climate change natural and to what extent man-made. There are so many uncertainties and discussions. The farmer does not feel the responsibility, because he no longer has that "It is so tied to the rules. I believe that farmers are very close to nature and also have the innovative solutions."
What do you hope will stick after people have seen this documentary?
"The message I want to give is: charities should become more transparent and interdependence with politics and media should be reduced. Money from charities should not be used to paralyze things. I hope that people become aware that they themselves also participate of the problem, that you can ask questions and be critical. The biggest question I raise is: is this the direction we want to go or do you think differently?"
The documentary 'The good end justifies the means' can be viewed for free on YouTube.
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This is in response to it Boerenbusiness article:
[url = https: // www.boerenbusiness.nl/agribusiness/article/10891857/earning models-are-made-op-dood-van-boer]'Earning models are made on the death of a farmer'[/url]