Despite the departure of LTO Nederland, the parties within the Agricultural Collective will continue to work together on the nitrogen dossier. Where possible, it will be examined in the coming period whether cooperation with LTO can be sought.
That is what Linda Janssen, president of the Producers Organization Pig Farming (POV) says. Janssen does note, however, that it is not yet entirely clear within LTO how the permanent cooperation in certain areas or subjects can take shape.
Divide and conquer
Like Farmers Defense Force, the POV regrets that LTO has left the Agricultural Collective, because the collaboration of 13 different interest groups was unique. This cooperation prevented the government from applying the so-called 'divide and rule policy'.
Janssen has regularly consulted with LTO about the imminent split. This split was announced around April 24, around the time of the publication of the letter to parliament about the follow-up to the Emergency Act on the approach to nitrogen. For the POV, which has been an independent part of LTO since 2018 after the merger with the NVV, these discussions have not yielded any new insights. The POV therefore does not change its position regarding the usefulness and necessity of the Agricultural Collective. Chair Linda Janssen is also a member of FDF and sees a connecting role for herself in this.
outstretched hand
Like the POV, Farmers Defense Force also calls on LTO to resume cooperation in its entirety. FDF chairman Mark van den Oever gives them an outstretched hand in a video blog published last Saturday evening. 'Be welcome. Return to the Agricultural Collective as soon as possible," are his excusing words. FDF does say that farmers' interests only benefit from a joint approach instead of standing up for their own organizational interests.
While LTO chairman Marc Calon talked to the press a few times, the chairman of the Agricultural Collective, Aalt Dijkhuizen, let interviews pass by. He only cares about the common farmers' interest and that, according to Dijkhuizen, does not benefit from interviews that jeopardize mutual solidarity.
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