Interview Elaine Vedder
'Investing for generation, not just one cabinet term'
Eline Vedder (41) is a farmer's wife on a dairy farm in Ruinerwold, board member of LTO and member of the Provincial Council of Drenthe. And she is number 23 on the CDA list for the elections to the House of Representatives. CDA MP Jaco Geurts makes an appeal on Twitter for her to vote in parliament, so that she can become the agricultural spokesperson for her party. Boerenbusiness spoke to this newcomer.
You are a mechanical engineer, farmer and politician. Interesting combination…
"I am a farmer's granddaughter, my grandfather was a farmer in the Noordoostpolder. I worked as a mechanical engineer at Unilever. I married a dairy farmer and started doing more and more on the farm. I also followed a year of training in dairy farming management. About 6 years ago I started administrative and political work, prompted by social opinions about and regulations in our sector. I think something about that and then I say something about it. That's how I started campaigning."
A few years ago, you made an impression with a public speech at a meeting with the then State Secretary Martijn van Dam about phosphate rights. How much activist is there in you and how much can you compromise, as is often the reality in political life?
"I now also make compromises in my work as a Member of Parliament. Campaigning is always about creating awareness. The political conversation only starts when The Hague is also aware of a problem. That is how I now experience it in the States and that is precisely where I can play a role in The Hague. Such as with the Nitrogen Act. I immediately see the impact that has for the sector, that it is not just an average piece. What I think is very important is that The Hague must stop agriculture every time problem. Often the debate is quite polarized, which annoys me. You can see the spirit of farmers going out, the resilience. That worries me. Farmers with a lack of successors or who no longer see the perspective. It is important that politicians recognize that and politicians see what their role is. I sometimes really do not understand that parties on the one hand want the profession to rise above themselves and on the other hand kick it into the ground. I stand for more compassion."
What do you hope to achieve for farmers in the House of Representatives?
"Over the next 4 years, closing the growing gap between market and society will in any case be the biggest challenge. That starts with earning capacity. You can ask a lot of farmers, but if they cannot bear that… It is a task, because we farmers need. If you look at the ACM, it focuses far too much on the interests of the consumer. A change of direction is needed, a major turn. We have also included the establishment of new chain cooperatives in the election programme. government should also play an additional role in income problems, not only borrowing money more easily, but also a transition fund."
You want to expand the investment credit conversion fund with a risk and transition fund. Is that for every farmer who wants to become more sustainable or for switching from conventional to organic? "Organic is certainly part of it, but you shouldn't narrow it down to that. There are a lot of other forms of sustainability. Such a fund is for innovations that you want to roll out, but farmers can't afford it financially. You need space to finish. and then to be allowed to go at your own pace. There is little margin when you see that family incomes are already under pressure. Farmers and ranchers want to, but are held back by the knowledge that the family farm cannot bear such risks. That I also experience myself in person."
You yourself contributed to the election program of the CDA. What is the most important point for you?
"A point that is very important: CDA wants to move from means regulations to target measures. There is now hardly any room for professionalism. I especially want to propagate that an entrepreneur must be able to give substance to how he or she works towards the set goals. That is possible. at barn level, but you can also think of management measures. You cannot squeeze everyone into the same mold. Farmers invest for a generation, not for one cabinet term. There is a need for long-term goals. And then not what color your floor should be, but what your emissions can be. So we want a massive change in the way we legislate. Now we'd rather check off checklists instead of seeing which emissions targets you've met."
If you leave the resources to the agricultural entrepreneur himself, how can you guarantee that the emission reduction targets will be achieved?
"Much more with modern techniques and models. Steering and monitoring. As a farmer, I know what the space is. There is a diversity of circumstances and soil between different companies. The sector itself has been asking for it for a long time: just tell us where we are going, so that we can go there in a straight line. Now we are drawing a slalom and we do not know whether we will achieve the goals."
Is a voluntary stop scheme sufficient to limit nitrogen emissions, so that they come within the limits of the Climate Agreement?
"For the CDA, forced termination is not an option. Then the government should come up with a better, smarter scheme. Suppose a company is located right next to a Natura2000 area and wants to move. Further away is someone without a successor who wants to discontinue his company. At the moment it is impossible under current regulations to link those companies. What was referred to in the media as a 'professional ban' in the purchase arrangement. That is not smart. That has to be done better."
The CDA has 18 to 21 seats in the polls. You are at number 23 and so you probably need preferential votes. How do you approach campaigning in times of corona?
"The search is on for everyone because of corona. What I do is draw attention to politics through social media and speak out. As a board member of LTO and Member of Parliament, I can also express my passion, but I would love a parliamentary seat."
Linda van Eekeres
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