Analysis Advocacy
Old boys don't pull agriculture smoothly without a farmer
A guideline on behalf of agriculture to the cabinet, whereby in return there would be room for development for farmers, the nitrogen crisis would be solved and several billions would also flow into the agricultural sector. That was the idea behind it now trashed plan from AgriNL.
Basically that was all not such a crazy plan can be heard from various players in agriculture. Tjibbe Joustra, chairman of AgriNL, is also trying to bring that message into the limelight.
Out of nowhere
In the meantime, the plan has stumbled over its launch, as has happened with previous setups in this direction with the cooperation of former minister Cees Veerman (photo) and former FrieslandCampina director Frans Keurentjes. And maybe 's plan will fall too ABD top consultation in this category. A feature of all these plans is that they all come up out of nowhere, without the support of farmers having been credibly tested. Let alone that that support has been acquired. It's about them, but without them and then in the form of heist tactics.
The AgriNL plan was also fatal to the calculations with wrong numbers† The expectations of captains of industry are higher.
No time
Obtaining farmers' support is indeed difficult, especially because of all the divisions between them. In addition, finding support for major changes takes a lot of time. Politicians (often) think that that time is not here, and act accordingly. Maybe that's where the problems start. The government identifies a problem and wants an idea (too) quickly how to solve it.
snack circuit
Experts and old acquaintances are engaged to come up with solutions. Increasingly, these are no longer renowned institutes, but 'consultants' who are remunerated in their own name. Anyone who takes the trouble to do a digital search will find plenty of evidence. This schnabbel circuit also does not increase confidence in the decision-making processes. Because, who do they represent?
Dead end
This week's AgriNL fiasco shows that continuing with the deployment of 'old boys', private scabs and captains of industry, who do not have to feel the pain of the changes themselves, is a dead end. However difficult it may be, without farmers themselves at the table, the resistance remains enormous. Even if the number of farmers in the Netherlands has shrunk enormously.
Klaas van der Horst
© 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.
