It's a beautiful summer. A summer to remember for farmers. Yes, there was considerable flooding, with disastrous consequences for some farmers. But, how much has grown in most places. The crops look great in many places. And that after 3 dry years and doom stories about climate change, extreme droughts, and so on. If the prices then also cooperate a little, 'The Hague' and the Randstad quickly faded into the background on the farmyard. Were it not for the fact that MOB and the anti-animal farming clubs are not sitting still.
Once again MOB wants to tackle numerous livestock farms in North Brabant because of the nitrogen issue. Dier&Recht launched an aggressive public campaign in the major cities during the recession, using terms such as 'dairy kills' and 'dairy causes serious animal suffering'. Understandable that farmers stand on their hind legs and do not take this. A farmers' action group brought summary proceedings and, to everyone's surprise, part of the campaign was banned by the judge. Apparently there are limits to freedom of expression.
However, it is only one stroke in the big picture. For years now, the agricultural sector has been unable to commit itself and to provide an effective response to all the negativity and framing of parties and individuals who believe that 'everything must be different' or who do not even want any animal farming anymore. As a result, it remains a fringe battle, mostly reactive. The few campaigns that are conducted are often aimed at 1 part of the sector or for a specific purpose and lack the power, size and resources of the whole.
Entangled in own network
It is no different in advocacy. The old farmer's advocate is entangled in his own network of internal interests and financial connections with all kinds of parties. Busy keeping things together and afloat, the new chairman probably won't bring any change. The younger brother of the old party safely follows this pattern. Then there are some dairy clubs that are in a stranglehold and in fact have been powerless for a long time by not even wanting to cooperate internally. Has the right to exist for these clubs not simply expired?
In any case, directors must have the will to work together, and not run away from disagreement. Two new activist groups are working hard to exert their influence. One by mainly responding to emotions, using the old 'us' against 'them' techniques and illustrious war language. The other by broadly connecting with modern communication lines as the nuanced constructive party. Both parties seem to have found their right to exist, but are not going to change the world.
Not everything in a straitjacket
A joint strategy and self-denial are needed. Not only among the gentlemen of administrators like myself, but also among farmers behind the keyboard who (too) often kill and discard every bet with their opinion. Working together does not mean squeezing everything into a straitjacket and having one vision or goal. It does mean recognizing each other and giving each other a place. And use each other's strengths and resources in the collective interest. Even if you don't agree, you don't have to shout it from the rooftops right away in your own partial interest. And without 'old elephants' constantly rearing their heads to assert themselves. Why not, because it destroys the whole thing.
As advocates of farmers' interests, are we ready for the commonality, or should the interests be squandered even longer and the support given away further?
This article is part of the content collaboration between Boerenbusiness en foodlog.
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This is in response to it Boerenbusiness article:
[url = https: // www.boerenbusiness.nl/column/10893886/hoe-boeren-de-belangen-beschijnen]How farmers represent the interests[/url]