'We will sometimes disagree'

Carola Schouten, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), warns the agricultural sector against too much optimism about her person. "I will also make decisions in the coming years that you do not like." She announced this on Thursday 14 December on the members day of LTO Noord.

In the first weeks of her term of office, the minister said she would run into major and many dilemmas. "I don't think I've ever been confronted in a position with a situation in which so many major dilemmas play out. I have to make decisions that I can clearly see are painful for individuals or the entire sector."

Long term vision
During the members' day in Drachten, Schouten expressed his hope that in the coming years, together with the sector, we will develop a long-term vision. The minister says that he understands that this wish is very much alive in a sector where there is so much uncertainty.

The minister was served at her beck and call by regional chairman Trienke Elshof (LTO Noord). She offered a guideline in which it is stated that the Northern Netherlands wants to become a testing ground for sustainable, land-based agriculture. Before the summer of 2018, there must be a jointly supported agricultural agreement, which goals must be achieved by 2030.

Concrete goals
The concrete goals of the Agro agenda have yet to be achieved. One of the aspects that has already been mentioned, however, is tackling farmers who do not want to participate in being green, healthy and valued. How do you realize that? Elshof: "We have to arrange this via the chain parties. Anyone who does not go along will no longer receive financing or permits and/or products are no longer purchased. We will have to be that hard to be able to take steps forward as a sector."

Another aspect is the commitment to biodiversity. Schouten promises that money is available for projects that increase biodiversity. "We have to get rid of the reasoning that nature and farmers are separate from each other. Farmers cannot do without nature and Dutch nature cannot do without farmers. This is because farmers manage 80% of our total surface area in a certain way. and nature is something that is not there and which should not be seen as such. I will work hard for that in the coming years."

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