Not bigger, but better farmers

On Tuesday evening, the Agriculture Innovation Campus presented 5 farmers from Brabant who did not expand their business but broadened it. They earn their money in a, for them, new market. She received a loud round of applause at the end. A reaction that farmers in Brabant have not heard for a long time. 

De Agriculture Innovation Campus, founded by the province of North Brabant, is now 1 year old. The campus is intended to offer an alternative to farmers who cannot or do not want to keep up with the trend of scaling up. They now guide about 25 farmers on their way to a different, new revenue model. And 5 of them presented themselves on Tuesday evening in Eindhoven.

Search for alternatives
Brabant wants to help farmers find an alternative business strategy for scaling up. Often business growth is not possible because a larger company does not suit the entrepreneur, he does not have a successor or he does not have the space or money to scale up the company. Alternative business strategy is stop or broaden. 

Opt for widening
Farmers who opt for broadening are pig farmers Marcel and Meriam Berkvens. She started it pate cafe. Wendy and Frens van Oirschot deliver some of their milk to a local ice cream parlor. Kees Scheepens set up its own meat brand and organized its own sales channel for its pork and beef. She and 2 other farmers presented their dishes to about 60 invited guests. The aim was to set an example for other farmers and to bring them into contact with citizens.

Sprouting
deputy for agriculture Anne-Marie Spierings describes these initiatives as the seeds of new revenue models. She sees more and more emerging in Brabant. The common thread is that these farmers are able to reconnect with society. A development that is desperately needed in Brabant, with its yawning gap between farmers and citizens. The 5 farmers who have chosen to expand, come into positive contact with citizens with their products. They have had fun in their company again. That is probably the biggest gain yet. 

Room for scaling up
Does Brabant want to go all the way back to the era of Ot and Sien? Should all farmers start making cheese, ice cream and pâté and focus on niche and regional markets? "No," says Spierings. She outlines a sharp division in agriculture between farmers who opt for scaling up or broadening their business.

Despite the fact that the province encourages alternatives for scaling up, it does not close its eyes to the need and necessity for scaling up in agriculture. Because for the first time in years, farmers in Brabant are again allowed to build larger than 1,5 hectares of building blocks, provided they produce more sustainably and environmentally and animal-friendly than the national standard.

Brabant drew up its own standard, a points system called the Brabantse Carefulness Score (BZV). By letting go of the building block standard that has been used for years, the province recognizes that investments in sustainability must be earned back. This simply requires a larger scale. 

Applaus
The 5 farmers who served their products on Tuesday evening came into direct positive contact with citizens. They have taken pleasure in their company again. That is probably the biggest gain yet. After the dinner, the 60 attendees thanked them with laud applause and cheers. The farmers were beaming and proud. A new situation that has not occurred in years in a province that houses twice as many livestock as people.

Anne-Marie Spierings can be heard on Thursday 30 November on the National Economic Agriculture Congress in Bunnik (Utrecht), organized by Boerenbusiness† Subscribers can enter for free. Sign up here.

Esther de Snoo

Chief editor Boerenbusiness. Nl

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