Call Leerdammer farmers don't feel heard

Suppliers of Bel Leerdammer do not feel heard and that is why 8 dairy farmers have set up the Suppliers Association Leerdammer Collective (LVLC). The group denounces the company's 'top-down approach' and believes that sustainability requirements are not reflected in the milk price.

Corné Vermaat, chairman of LVLC and dairy farmer in Hei- en Boeicop (Utrecht), emphasizes that he is not an action group. "We want to put Bel Leerdammer on the map by sounding positive criticism. Our goal is to remove dissatisfaction among the suppliers, so that everyone is proud to be part of the cheese maker again." According to Vermaat, this is currently not the case, given that quite a few dairy farmers have switched to other dairy processors in recent years.

Vermaat believes that Bel Leerdammer is a wonderful company with beautiful products. Yet many dairy farmers do not feel at home; moreover, they do not feel heard by the management. The current consultation structure with sounding board groups offers hardly any room for participation. "This needs to change quickly and that's why we started this initiative."

Milk price without reference
One of the points of criticism that the dairy farmers have is the milk price of Bel Leerdammer. In the period between 2010 and 2015, the milk price was based on a number of milk processors, but this reference was not achieved in practice. This resulted in a number of lawsuits. Since 2015, the milk price based on nothing, so that the payout prices cannot be recalculated.

Various sustainability requirements have been imposed over the years, without this being the case here cost-effective premiums facing. What further bothers the group is that the milk price is only announced at the end of the month.

broad support
The LVLC currently consists of 8 board members and was officially founded on November 12, 2018. "At Bel Leerdammer they know about our existence and the dairy farmers are also aware. Now the outside world also knows about it," says Vermaat, who knows that the initiative has the support of many fellow dairy farmers at Bel Leerdammer.

In the months of January and February, 4 meetings are planned in various places in the country, to inventory how many dairy farmers are behind the initiative and to jointly formulate a counter voice. The aim is to form a broad collective and to enter into dialogue with the management of Bel Leerdammer. "In this way we want to bring about changes, so that Bel Leerdammer is back on the map," says Vermaat.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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