Schouten: 'Reporting point for pinched farmers'

"There will be a reporting point where farmers can report anonymously that they are being pinched by supermarkets or other buyers of their products", agriculture minister Carola Schouten reports on NPO Radio 1. The reason for this is that Schouten believes it is important that farmers who produce more sustainably are there. also be paid for.

"The farmers are at the bottom of the chain and are the most vulnerable to the parties that pinch them," Schouten said in an interview with NPO Radio 1. Schouten said that it is difficult for farmers to tackle this problem themselves. "If they do, the buyer will soon be done with you." It wants to tackle the market power of large parties.

Minister Schouten was interviewed by NPO Radio 1 in response to the opinion poll 'The Farmer's Stateof Faith. One of the conclusions of this study is that farmers are dissatisfied with their advocates. They want a strong representation of their sector. Almost 80% of farmers declare themselves insufficiently represented to be felt by LTO Nederland.

Appreciation for the sector
Schouten wants to represent the agricultural sector well. She notices a lot of appreciation for Dutch agriculture abroad and wants to disseminate this to Dutch citizens. She therefore wants more respect for what Dutch agriculture has to offer. Schouten wants to help with a long-term vision and constant regulation.

Another conclusion from the survey is that more than 80% of farmers envision a future with more nature-friendly methods. It appears that Minister Schouten's vision is in line with this. Her motto for agriculture is that nature and agriculture belong together.

Less bulk production
The minister declined to answer the question of whether the Netherlands should stop producing for foreign countries. She still sees opportunities for export in flower exports. With regard to the arable sector and livestock farming, she wants less bulk production and more innovation.

Half of the farmers who participated in the survey agree. They believe that agricultural companies should no longer focus on exports, but should opt for 'nature-inclusive' agriculture. This requires 'cooperation' with nature.

Fewer dairy farms
When asked whether there will be fewer dairy farms in the Netherlands in the long term, Schouten answered cautiously; she wouldn't give a clear answer. She said that when it comes to sustainability, one should not only look at the number of animals.

However, she does expect that there will be fewer dairy farms, because it is becoming increasingly difficult to take over farms. She also said that both the larger and smaller companies should continue to exist. "Larger companies can also produce sustainably," she argued.

Anne-Jan Doorn

Anne Jan Doorn is an arable expert at Boerenbusiness. He writes about the various arable farming markets and also focuses on the land and energy market.

aj.doorn@boerenbusiness. Nl

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