Farmers' consultation: confidence in conversation Remkes is not there

Eight farmers' organizations have no confidence in the nitrogen consultations with the cabinet, led by Johan Remkes. They made this known on Wednesday evening in a short statement after a joint consultation. Bart Kemp, chairman of Agractie, stated that the organizations are back on the same page in terms of content. LTO Nederland will join the consultations with Remkes on behalf of the seven other organizations next Friday to convey the joint message of the organizations.

The exact message will be announced shortly. The consultation between the ten farmers' organizations was necessary, after LTO announced last week that it would join in consultation with Remkes. This led to a great deal of commotion among the other farmers' organizations, which until then had taken the position not to participate. The other seven organizations (Agractie, FDF, DDB, NAV, NMV, NVP and POV) will not do that. "The parties that represent almost the entire agricultural sector have had good consultations. We are on the same page on the content. That means that we work together. Our farmers have no confidence in the consultations directed by the government. LTO will speak with the Cabinet on Friday in good coordination with all parties. The results of the consultation are fed back, discussed and further steps are coordinated," the organizations said in a short statement.

Remkes had invited twenty organizations representing farmers to the meeting. Eleven of these organisations, including LTO, have promised to participate. It has not been disclosed which organizations these are.

Member organizations stay away
In farmers' circles, a distinction is made between member organizations with a substantial following, such as LTO, the FDF and POV, and non-member organizations, which mainly include foundations and whose number is usually small. The first category stays away from Remkes, the second category joins. In the nitrogen consultation, led by discussion leader Johan Remkes, Prime Minister Mark Rutte and ministers Christianne van der Wal (nitrogen), Henk Staghouwer (agriculture) and Mark Harders (water management). 

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