Is the LTO for the farmers or not?

I read the interview with you, Sjaak van der Tak, chairman of LTO Nederland (photo). You seem to think that the nitrogen problem is mainly caused by the farmers.

You are in the magazine New harvest do not consider the fact that nitrogen partly consists of the harmful NOx, an unnatural nitrogen caused by the combustion of fossil raw materials, and NH3, or ammonia. This last natural nitrogen belongs in the cycle: poo, air, precipitation, growing plants, eating by the animals and poo again. Measurements of the nature reserves are not known. Just assumptions and assumptions.

So whether the problem is due to eutrophication is a question mark. How can you say that the farmers are to blame? Your solutions are: 1. tackle the farmers who are supposedly peak loaders. They must become more sustainable, 2. the other farmers must extensify and 3. stop. The result is a significantly lower food production.

Food of the highest standards
It seems as if Van der Tak has forgotten that the farmers provide food for many millions of people every day. And yes, also for people who live outside our national borders. From where alone 40% of the total nitrogen measured in our country comes from. Our farmers here produce the food that meets the highest standards in the world. Farmers away in one of the most fertile deltas in the world, as a result: no more food. Then in the future we will have to import our food from abroad, where very different - lower - standards apply to food production.

It is not for nothing that all kinds of dignitaries, from all corners of the world, travel to our most fertile delta. To see with their own eyes how our farmers can produce so much sustainably and effectively in such a small area. The consequences of your view are that every hectare of land that disappears here leads to 10 hectares of land being taken from nature abroad to compensate for this loss of production.

Politics is sweeping its way clean, but worldwide this leads to an environmental disaster. Can foreign countries fill this gap in food production? I doubt it. Europe certainly not, because Frans Timmermans, with his Green Deal and farm-to-table plans, is going the extra mile to reduce food production throughout Europe.

How many active members does LTO have?
I have more and more doubts about how many active members LTO actually represents. Sjaak van der Tak says he regrets that Farmers Defense Force (FDF) is damaging the image of farmers. FDF now represents a large group of farmers. Only FDF stands up for the farmers and finds it incomprehensible that the farmer is being chased out of the Netherlands. Only sometimes in a somewhat blunt tone.

You also say that it is foolish not to talk to each other. During the first farmers' demonstrations, all farmers' organizations agreed. If you don't want to talk further, leave the unit: you, Van der Tak. Nowhere do you mention the solutions from California, which are now rolling out across America. This must be an example for our government and you. The FDF has even organized a day about this with involved speakers from America to explain this here. The entire Dutch politicians were invited, but only two people were present: JA21 and BBB. The solution to the nitrogen problem was certainly not of interest to you and the MPs.

Shockingly low confidence
A recent survey among farmers showed that only 2% of Dutch livestock farmers had more or less confidence in politics. 98% not at all. This is terrifying. It is logical that the farmers should stop. They are called major environmental vandals and animal abusers, while they do their best to produce our daily food with the least possible environmental impact and as animal-friendly as possible.

Do you realize what will happen if the farmers do not deliver their products for a week? So that the shelves in the shops are empty, in order to show citizens what significance the farmer has for our society.

working together
There are several options for reducing that part of the nitrogen emissions for which farmers are held responsible. But then the government should do it together with our farmers and not against them. Because then there will only be losers. This also applies to you, Mr Van der Tak. You must work together with the other farmers' organisations, because your support among the farmers is getting smaller and smaller as a result of your policy.

Jaap Major
Low Zuthem

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