Analysis Nitrogen mood
Cabinet keeps it vague after embracing the Remkes report
More than a week after the comprehensive report 'What is possible' by Johan Remkes, the cabinet has come up with an 'embrace' of it. The first reactions from farmers' circles are variable and given everything that has happened, perhaps not unexpected. In addition, the embrace remains quite vague. The cabinet commits itself to the report, but at the same time allows itself to be pinned down to almost nothing concrete.
FDF leader Mark van den Oever was so disappointed about this that he concluded that a few days ago he was 'for the cat…. had driven to the Catshuis'. In a vlog he called for new actions. It was entirely in the Van den Oever style, but the disappointment also seems recognizable to many farmers. The government is taking a first step towards restoring trust, uses nice terms, but also continues to use words that can be interpreted in several ways and that do not oblige to much. Moreover, the agenda remains largely the same.
Patience for a start
Agractie and other parties have more patience with and understanding of the cabinet. After all, a start has to be made somewhere with the restoration of trust, and for that we cannot just fall back on a report by Johan Remkes. Another Minister of LNV has also been appointed, who also has a different position at the Ministry of LNV. Not much has been officially shared about this, but Remkes' report does indicate that the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality was not functioning. Remkes did not make this up, but had not heard this as a complaint from Minister Van der Wal either.
Unequal and sick culture
Adema's predecessor Staghouwer was not only in an unequal position next to or opposite Van der Wal, he also did not have the officials with him. This can have various causes. A good minister shows who is boss and that he or she also stands up to fellow ministers. Staghouwer reportedly struggled with both matters. Another reason may be that there was already a more or less sick culture at the ministry. There are also sounds that point in that direction. In recent weeks, there has been an intensive consultation with several former top officials and administrators to tackle the internal 'mess' at LNV, it is said. With this in mind, it should therefore not come as a surprise if some shifts will take place in the department in the near future. The position of the Minister of LNV has already been strengthened.
Adema won't make it alone
In the meantime, it is important in the coming weeks that the cabinet, and in particular the ministers Adema and Van der Wal, take more concrete steps that inspire confidence in agriculture. As a newcomer, Minister Piet Adema is doing his best to show his good side. He also speaks the language that farmers like to hear: straight forward. At a meeting earlier this week he said loud and clear that in recent years politics has 'cheated' them. Something like that immediately creates expectations that he, Adema, will not do that. But that will be quite a task, because as a loner in a cabinet that has fully participated in that fooling, he will not succeed. This requires allies and they must stand up in the coming period.
Klaas van der Horst
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