Thank a Farmer Day this year more relevant than ever

Monday, October 12, 2020 is Thank a Farmer Day. Good timing, after the United Nations World Food Program was awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. It shows once again that the availability of food in many places in this world is far from self-evident.

On Thank a Farmer Day, an initiative of Farmer Conscious, citizens and consumers are made aware that the food and drink they consume on a daily basis cannot be taken for granted. Farmers and horticulturists work hard on this every day, defying the challenges of the market, the weather and – certainly in recent years – politics. It is therefore only right to consider for a day that the shelves in the supermarket are not empty and that there are always fries, sandwiches, meat and chicken fillet for sale at the snack bar or shawarma tent around the corner.

Complicated force field
Just like, for example, beer, cheese, meal salads, pasta, organic products and vegetarian dishes all have their origin on a farm. The average Dutch person undoubtedly does not always think about it, although the sympathy for the farmers' protest of more than a year ago among the population was extremely high. Although this is not always felt by the farmer in the enormous politically complicated field of influences, including interest groups of all kinds, these polls proved that the support for agriculture and horticulture among ordinary Dutch people is large.

The Netherlands has been living in the luxury of a country without war for more than 75 years. Our country owes this exceptionally long period of peace, prosperity and freedom to its own innovative agriculture and horticulture. Tensions are rising in many parts of the world due to a lack of food or arguing about its distribution. This often results in war. Just think: the World Food Program helped nearly 100 million people in 88 (!) countries last year.  

Food security instrument of peace
The program Nobel Committee motivates the award by saying, among other things, that the program "plays a key role in making food security an instrument of peace. It has made a strong contribution to mobilizing UN member states to combat the use of hunger as a weapon of war and conflict ." The World Food Program said the award was "a powerful reminder to the world that peace and no hunger go hand in hand."

In addition, due to the current corona pandemic, many more people are suffering from hunger worldwide. Something that the Dutch have hardly noticed in this corona crisis due to the strong agricultural chain. From that point of view, the hoarding of toilet paper in many Western countries in the early months of the crisis was quite shocking and also significant. The corona crisis has made it clear that you should not cut corners on critical necessities such as food and medicines. There is no better advice than stock.

Example for the world
That is why it is also wise to be extra careful with Dutch agriculture and horticulture during this period. Strikingly enough, this does not seem to be the case, because the political and social forces that were already cutting the agricultural sector's chair before the corona crisis, are still continuing to do so in the midst of the crisis. The World Food Program is awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and in this global crisis, world hunger is increasing. The world-famous British film-maker David Attenborough recently referred to Dutch agriculture and horticulture as the prime example of food production in the world.

Nevertheless, party programs for the coming parliamentary elections, for example, include a halving of the Dutch livestock. Farmland must make way for housing, distribution centers and nature recreation. Where food security in the world is coming under further pressure, there is a risk that food production will be artificially cut in the Netherlands. In view of the above, a rather selfish thought. That is why the goal behind Thank a Farmer Day is more relevant than ever: to create awareness among consumers of the importance of always having food available and the important role that farmers play in this.

Dutch farmers and horticulturists are willing to change in order to adapt and improve their production methods to the wishes of society. But like the call At the end of last week, 9 agricultural representatives in the nitrogen dossier also made it clear: they would also like to participate in the discussion and be able to participate in decision-making about these changes. And - just like any other entrepreneur in any other industry - can recoup the investments they make for these changes. Whether this political will is there, which Rabobank does indicate, however, remains to be seen.

As Boerenbusiness On this Thank a Farmer Day we traditionally make a small gesture: all our information - such as articles, videos and quotations - are available for everyone to view today, free of charge. A digital pat on the back that we as a team hope you as farmers, horticulturists and other participants in the agricultural chain will make good use of. Good luck with business and making food available to this world.

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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