'Letter from FrieslandCampina is a good move'

Dairy farmers have different business situations. In this series, a number of them explain how they view the elaboration of current legislation and regulations, and how they intend to deal with this in their business operations in the coming years. This time the word is given to dairy farmer and RFC member councilor Jochem van der Starre (37) from Slootdorp.

How is your company doing in terms of size and growth plans?
"In partnership with my wife, I run a company where we keep 165 dairy cows and 90 young cattle. We are supplying about 1,7 million kilos of milk to the factory this year. The company includes 62 hectares of grass, 22 hectares of maize, 14 hectares of sugar beet and 5 hectares of alfalfa. In exchange for maize land, I rent 5 hectares for potatoes and 10 hectares for tulips."

"Within our study group, I recently started doing some calculations and came to the conclusion that, within my phosphate reference, there is not much room for extra cattle in the coming year. The share of young stock could possibly be reduced a bit in 2018, in favor of some extra cows. However, due to the number of young cattle, that was not possible this year."

Were you surprised by the letter from FrieslandCampina (RFC), in which they warn to keep their ambitions as dairy farmers under control?
"I was a bit surprised, to the extent that I did not know that this letter would come. We were not informed as Members' Council members, but that does not matter. We also urge the Members' Council to be transparent. I also mentioned earlier that it is a good thing to point out to colleagues to calculate correctly, because I had come to the conclusion within the study group that more milking is not appropriate. And that is the same conclusion I hear from many colleagues. However, the survey shows a great ambition among the members of RFC to milk more."

So you think sending the letter is a good move?
"Absolutely. I think it is justified and I am happy with it. The aim is to prevent a standstill, such as last year. FrieslandCampina is doing its best to process and valorise all milk, the Council of Members also insists on this. However, , it is logical that everyone has an interest in the spread of the milk to be supplied to the factory. Now that there are signs that this may be going slightly wrong, it is good to warn in good time. Last year, when a standstill was Lessons have now been learned from that lesson.Not as a member of the Members' Council, but simply as a dairy farmer, I think it is very positive that the alarm is sounded in good time.
Theoretically, this can play again next year, that's right. It is too early to say whether other instruments are therefore needed within the factory to control the delivery. That is something to discuss calmly and thoroughly next year."

Members' council members of RFC are sometimes called 'yes-men', does that affect you?
"Of course I also hear and read that we are sometimes called 'yes-men' towards the board and management. That is not nice. But that is precisely why I would like to contact people if they have questions and I call on them to to come to the members' meetings. Members can always call me or address me in the other way. I especially invite them to do so. After the letter was published, however, that has not happened yet. As a farmer we have a wonderful profession and we deliver a beautiful factory. I think we should connect and not magnify the differences. As members of the council we do our very best and our colleagues can expect the same from us."

How do you think your own company will be in 5 years' time within the phosphate rights system?
"That is very difficult to say. Things have also turned out differently at the company in recent years than I thought 5 years ago. There is still space in the barn. There are now 165 dairy cows and 190 can be accommodated. Those places have been built. to be used. It is therefore realistic to expect that this will be the case in 5 years. But that also depends on the price of phosphate rights."

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