Interview Tjeerd de Groot (D66)
'An agricultural vision must be put on the table'
Tjeerd de Groot (55) has been a member of the House of Representatives for D2017 since 66. He managed to annoy farmers in the past with his statement about halving the livestock population, but he absolutely does not see himself as anti-farmer.
The politician has doubted whether he should stand for election again, but he is going for it again. "It is no less necessary to commit yourself to the restoration of nature, clean water, clean soil and the future of the farmer. That is where my heart lies!"
How do you look back on the agricultural policy of the past government period?
"It's about two elements: nitrogen and prospects for agriculture. If you look at nitrogen you see that there was actually a very respectful proposal from the minister to farmers and provinces, in which provinces have a major role that is much broader than nitrogen and also focuses on water, climate and soil and which gives the provinces the space to work with those involved and farmers to give substance to this in their own way. Those who disagreed with this framed this as a diktat from Den Hague and pretended it was only about nitrogen, which led to a disaster and you now have the situation that nothing has happened, the provincial plans are insufficient and farmers are once again the victims of the bill."
"The second element is prospects for agriculture, a separate minister has even been appointed. That perspective has not gotten off the ground at all. Unfortunately, the minister has not been able to implement the mandate of the coalition agreement of transition to circular construction."
What has happened since the Rutte IV cabinet was installed on January 10, 2022?
"A lot has been set in motion in the field of nitrogen. An ecological authority has been established and the provinces have started working. A lot of hard work has indeed been done, including by the Minister of Agriculture."
What needs to be done differently in the coming cabinet period?
"Then there must be results and certainly a vision on the table. If you come up with an agricultural agreement without having developed a vision yourself, then that is very strange of course. The agricultural agreement was not the start of the agricultural transition, but a way to maintain the current model. While Schouten wrote that the model is not sustainable. It still did not lead to goals agreed with the sector, such as in the field of climate. If you are going to put public money behind it, goals must also be being reached."
The current coalition partners of D66 have backtracked from 2030 as the year that nitrogen emissions must be halved. Why do you still hold on to that?
"We still follow the countless scientific advice that has been given on this point. We do not come up with it ourselves. With political courage it is also feasible."
Do young farmers still have a future in the Netherlands?
"Certainly, but then that perspective will have to be outlined. Now farmers are mainly dependent on others for their revenue model, suppliers, banks, processors. That will really have to change in favor of farmers. Sustainability must pay, you have to organize that as a government Market parties must initiate the transition to circular agriculture. They can then choose between earning in the market with circular agriculture or helping to pay for the environmental damage calculated by the PBL (Planning Bureau for the Living Environment). The principle of: the polluter pays. The proceeds must partly be benefits come to farmers who make the transition to circular agriculture or organic."
You are committed to a quarter of organic agricultural land by 2030, in line with the European Green Deal. Organic already sometimes has to be marketed as conventional. Should demand also be stimulated?
"In any case, the entire area of floriculture can become organic, because there is a lot of discussion about it and concerns among local residents and because it is possible. Furthermore, you will have to ensure that demand is stimulated through the government's purchasing policy. And with mandatory transparency of supermarkets - also for processed products - making it clear which supermarket is following this path and which is not."
Together with fellow MP Joris Thijssen of the PvdA, you have been fiercely vocal in debates against financing by Rabobank and have advocated that the bank should contribute to the transition. Has their policy changed with the appointment of a green director?
"I don't know if the policy has changed, at least the communication. I think that is also very difficult for an individual bank. They have to meet international standards. With the Basel rules, the rating determines how cheap it is to borrow money If they invest in a model that does not yet have an international rating, they take a risk and their rating drops. I understand the position the bank is in, but to this day they continue to invest in a model without a future, which You should also see it as a risk. The return is for private individuals and the costs for society and partly for the farmer's income. It is up to politicians to do something about that."
D66 wants to promote new investment opportunities for farms outside the banks. How should I visualize that?
"You can do this through investments through digital platforms or initiatives such as Herenboeren and the like."
You have considered no longer standing for election, you told Omrop Fryslan. What was the reason for that?
"That you start to doubt: is this the place to work on your ideals, because it is extremely tough, encounters an extraordinary amount of resistance, the images about the approach, the loose handling of the facts."
What made you decide to run again for a new term?
"Because it is simply very necessary. It is no less necessary to commit yourself to the restoration of nature, clean water, clean soil and the future of the farmer. That is where my heart lies!"
So you are not anti-farmer, as is sometimes said?
"That is not true, absolutely not. When I talk to farmers I always notice that people think: I don't quite see it, but at least he has a proposal. You can always take it on the person. when you don't like the content."
Until you became a Member of Parliament in 2017, you were director of the Dutch Dairy Organization for seven years. You are accused of having made a switch from expanding the sector to reducing the livestock herd.
"I also started working at the NZO to make the sector more sustainable and that was partly successful with the Sustainable Dairy project. The assumption was that production could increase and that we would at the same time ensure that sustainability increased, that you could keep that within the environmental conditions, and that was a misconception. I have been committed to making the sector more sustainable throughout my working life, I have never done anything else."
For D66, the meadow bird belongs with every milk…
"That is the discussion about: what is normal? Originally, meadow birds were part of Dutch milk production, just like hedgerows. I think that Dutch dairy farming could be unique in the world. The Netherlands' good image in that area is partly due to this. to thank, although this is not the case in all cases."
D66 now has 24 seats, but is at 5 to 9 seats in the polls. You are at number 10 on the list. Are you aware that you will not be elected?
"No, I'm just going for it. In 2017 I was in 19th place and everyone said that I would not get into Parliament. I never doubted it for a moment."
Linda van Eekeres
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