Farmland

While the wars in Ukraine and Iran continue, the oil price hovers above $100 per barrel, and economists emphasize that 'economic risks lie on the downside,' global industrial activity remains completely unaffected. Particularly in recent months, the mood among industrial entrepreneurs has improved, their order books have grown, and global trade growth is accelerating. How is that possible?

Pressure on rural areas is increasing. New homes are needed, villages want to expand, and old farmsteads are being repurposed. But as soon as new construction gets closer to agricultural land, one question arises more and more frequently: how much space must remain between a home and a plot where crop protection products are used?

The call to stock up on an emergency kit was met with a certain pity by many. As if a backpack with some canned goods and a flashlight would protect us from the complexity of our time: cyber threats, geopolitical tensions, climate disruptions. But anyone who reasons like that misses the point.

Land mobility remains low in the Netherlands, with clear regional differences in supply and trade. Demand for land remains high while transactions remain limited. Read more about land mobility in the Netherlands.

The agricultural land market shows lower trade and slight price pressure in early 2026, while regional differences remain significant. Land sales falter slightly despite a high price level. Read more about land prices and mobility.

The agricultural sector holds 80% of all Dutch agricultural land. The remaining 20% ​​is owned by non-agricultural parties, such as nature and non-profit organizations, and the State. The 2,02 million hectares of land are considerably fragmented, with 280.000 owners. This is reported by the Land Registry.

An extensive article appeared in De Stentor on April 16, 2026, with the headline: 'The soil in this forest is almost as acidic as cola'. Scientists link this observation almost immediately to nitrogen deposition originating from livestock farming. In response to reactions to this article, a forest ranger states that conifers belong in the Netherlands. Both claims are highly debatable.

Slightly more than half of the dairy farmers in our country have fewer than 100 dairy cows. The financial leeway on these farms for major investments in making operations more sustainable is limited. With central biogas plants in the region, these family businesses are better able to make the transition to future-proof operations.

The agricultural sector can contribute to the energy challenge in the Netherlands in the coming years. Companies can also benefit from this themselves. Currently, opportunities lie primarily for larger companies that use manure to produce biogas and convert it into green gas.

The Ten Have family runs a mixed livestock farm in the Achterhoek. The family business, with over 90 dairy cows and around 500 sows, has been producing energy from a mix of manure from all animal categories on the farm since the end of last year.

Interest rates may rise due to geopolitical tensions, while land prices continue to increase despite financially challenging times in arable and dairy farming. How are entrepreneurs anticipating this? Peter Pals, Director of Farmers Funding & Advies, discusses current developments with Wouter Baan.