News NAV anniversary
Schouten gets wind of neonics
Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) received a lot of wind from NAV chairman Teun de Jong on the 25th anniversary of the Dutch Arable Farming Union (NAV). According to the NAV chairman, politicians should leave the authorization of plant protection products to experts.
De Jong stated this after Schouten discussed integrated crop protection. She argued that she mainly wants to move towards low-risk drugs, and that she wants to commit herself to a change. De Jong responded that the minister should leave the assessment of these resources to experts, and not just raise her hand in parliament.
De Jong: "Politicians don't vote on the authorization of medicines, do they?" He said he wanted to get rid of pigeonholed politics. As an example he mentioned the neonicotinoids issue† Because the product is now banned, more crop protection products will have to be used. He therefore wants Minister Schouten to derogation for neonicotinoids is going to apply.
Consumer position
Schouten and De Jong did agree on many other points. Schouten said she believes consumers should realize that they demand a lot from the farmer. This means that consumers have to pay higher prices for the products. She also mentioned that arable farmers should strengthen their own position, and therefore called for collectives to be strengthened.
Both Schouten and De Jong discussed the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)† Schouten involved the history of the NAV. "The CAP was created to combat food shortages. However, the overproduction still arose, which was the reason for the establishment of the NAV." She believes fair pricing is important. She mentioned that the pressure in the chain is mainly felt at the bottom (at the farmer). Unfair business practices must stop, she argued. She wants more space for farmers to organize themselves, something the NAV responded with pleasure.
Market share producers
De Jong fully agreed with Schouten on this point. He thought it strange that buyers (such as Albert Heijn) are allowed to have a market share of 35%, and that producers are not allowed to have more than 5% share. The minister must intervene as soon as possible, partly by appointing an independent arbitrator.
According to De Jong, the GLB should follow the NAV's guideline: 'enough is better'. The CAP now focuses on income support, but the focus should be more on fair payments from the market. He argued for a better protected European market, with supply control. According to him, everyone wants to sell on the wealthy European market. Agriculture should therefore be kept out of free trade practices.
Anne-Jan Doorn
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