D66 member De Groot has finally ended up in the canal belt

The fact that D66 is calling on Monday to quickly halve the Dutch livestock is not unusual in itself, since the party has never shown much compassion for Dutch agriculture and horticulture. That MP Tjeerd de Groot, who knows the sector from scratch with his past activities, is the figurehead of this wish remains striking. 

The nitrogen dossier has caused the temperature to rise high in the Binnenhof after the abolition of the Nitrogen Approach Program (PAS). It also flawlessly exposes the contrast between urban and rural areas in our country. To make it possible to build houses, roads and other projects again, livestock farming, as the largest 'nitrogen polluter', has to believe it. Randstad parties such as GroenLinks and D66 do not want to wait for the advice of a committee led by Johan Remkes, which will come up with recommendations to deal with the nitrogen problem.

This Monday, September 9, the two parties launched an offensive against livestock farming, by separately coming up with plans and buy-out schemes to force the reduction of Dutch livestock. Then you can continue building houses in order to make the green area in the Netherlands even smaller. D66 kicked things off with the announcement that the herd must be halved as a matter of urgency.

Lobbyist for the dairy
It is striking that it is precisely MP Tjeerd de Groot who is D66's messenger for this appeal. After all, before his installation as a Member of Parliament, De Groot earned his living from the agricultural sector in various positions for 20 years. First employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, later as director of the Dutch Dairy Organization (NZO). In this latter role he was in fact the lobbyist for the Dutch dairy industry. 

You do not expect populist calls for drastic shrinkage with the aim of building extra houses in the Randstad from such a person with sound knowledge of the agricultural sector. However, it turns out that when you change jobs, your views can suddenly change drastically. Although it is striking that D66 completely ignores dairy farming in its plan. Can you see the hand of the former dairy promoter here?

Lying in nitrogen
In the Netherlands, 50 million fewer chickens and 6 million pigs should preferably disappear as soon as possible. Because agriculture is responsible for 70% of Dutch nitrogen emissions, claims De Groot. The reaction of the organization of pig farmers and poultry farmers that D66 lies about the nitrogen figures (an estimated 20% of the nitrogen that ends up in nature reserves comes from agriculture) is clear.

You can criticize the fact that the Dutch agricultural sector is adapting too slowly to the so-called wishes of society. De Groot made no secret of this when he was appointed as a member of parliament. But to make it clear to farmers in this way that their existence is apparently so insignificant and unimportant for BV Nederland that you can disappear immediately - ignoring the further consequences for the chain - is indecent to say the least.

'De Groot and some of his relatives have made it a habit for some time to blame rural people for the environmental impact of their own lavish lifestyle.' The pig and poultry organizations place De Groot exactly where he has ended up after 20 years of being active in agriculture: in the ring of canals where D66 traditionally thrives as a political party.

Eric the Thrush

Eric is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. As a descendant of an arable family, farmer's blood flows through Eric's veins. He considers himself a generalist, but with a preference for economics, trends, markets and marketing.

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