'Farm for life?' What about your motivation?

"Dad, what is intrinsic motivation?" I'm in the car with my son. We're on our way to the gym, where I drop him off for his fitness. I explain to him that intrinsic motivation is something that comes from within yourself, how much you want something yourself. For example, your motivation to go to the gym three times a week to recover after your sports injury. Motivation is what drives you to certain behavior. "Ooh, okay." There is silence for a moment.

Meanwhile, my thoughts wander to a customer meeting this week with Martin and Henk, father and son. A smart arable farm, where the takeover has to be financed by the bank. The bank runs little risk and, with some creative thinking, the financing is perfectly feasible. Besides the company, Henk has a good job abroad, which means that he has few private withdrawals. However, the bank is stuck in its Basel IV regulations and cannot simply take son's income with them. Difficult story, but together we will solve it.

In this customer conversation we also came up with motivation. Especially the outside influences. A society that has become detached from food production, a government with policies that have become detached from farming practices, EU policies that are decided far from the farmyard. And also the low reward for the products. A farmer does not have to rely on extrinsic motivation at the moment. Henk reacts lightly, but also deliberately. "The developments that we are now seeing must be continued in the medium term. Agriculture is on the eve of developments that can only bring more perspective: the demand for fairer products, shortening chains, more nature-inclusive agriculture. Opportunities abound and from there the better reward will automatically roll in. The fact that we have to comply with more rules can always be done better and smarter from the perspective of Dutch agriculture." A vision I share with him. Henk's motivation is fine. Martin adds with a very simple comment: "I am a farmer for life, for that I put everything aside and with my 72 years I have seen that there is always a solution."

"What are you thinking about?" I hear next to me. I focus again on my conversation with my son. Oh nothing, I just thought about customers I spoke to this week and are very motivated to make something beautiful out of their company! Passionate entrepreneurs, with a clear vision of the future and who think in terms of possibilities. Being able to work with them motivates me!

Arjan Ausma

Arjan Ausma is senior relationship manager at Farmers Funding & Advice and he is a steward/broker. He also has his own farm.