Interview Tim van der Mark
'Don't let suppliers and buyers arrange everything'
The Dutch Agricultural Youth Contact (NAJK) released its vision for the future of pig farming this week. In summary, it means that the sector must look for a balance between animal welfare, a fair revenue model, company size and social support. Boerenbusiness discussed the sector's perspective with Tim van der Mark, daily director of NAJK.
The sketch of the future comes at a time when the entire pig farming sector is under considerable economic pressure. NAJK developed a vision by asking young pig farmers where they want to go with their company, how the company is developing along with it and what the environment will look like. Business successors have clear ambitions and want to make their companies even more sustainable in the field of the environment, climate and animal welfare. For this, however, it is necessary to improve the position in the chain, in order to also achieve a fair distribution of margins for the primary sector. "As NAJK, we have a role in sketching a realistic perspective for young pig farmers. Take matters into your own hands. There is certainly a future for enterprising market-conscious pig farmers."
Does the NAJK notice that there is concern among young pig farmers about the current market situation and the related perspective?
"Yes, it is clear that young pig farmers are even more concerned with their future than young entrepreneurs in other livestock sectors. This is, of course, partly because they work hard on how they can further improve social acceptance, but also because of the difficult economic situation facing the sector. It takes entrepreneurship to map out the right route for yourself and the company in this playing field."
The position in the chain has been a topic of discussion for decades. Can pig farmers, if they choose to produce for the world market, have the illusion that politicians and other companies in the chain are working to improve the revenue model?
"Personally, I think that it is too simplistic to say that we as a primary sector cannot ask anything of our chain partners. Provided that it is indeed primarily the task of the pig farmer as an entrepreneur to develop his revenue model in the chain. The greatest need probably lies with companies in the primary sector, because suppliers and buyers do have the instruments to secure their margins. However, there is also a mutual interest and pig farmers can hardly realize all their own chains. in the triangle of Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam with a very large group of relatively wealthy consumers.There are opportunities for the entire chain that can only be seized together."
The market price for bulk products is always determined by supply and demand, have we become too expensive for this market?
"There are always companies that have a revenue model in this market with a strong focus on cost control. However, we also have to outline a realistic perspective, for many entrepreneurs the cost price for the bulk market is too high. We at NAJK therefore think that the number of companies that produce for this market will shrink further in the coming years.Entrepreneurs will have to focus even more on chain collaboration and distinctiveness, in order to get the right price for the products.This will mean that the sector will probably be smaller is becoming."
The vision also mentions the importance of a level playing field, what is important in this regard?
"For the coming decades, many new measures are planned at European level that should improve animal welfare in particular. These are moments when we have to standardize rules. I don't mean only for livestock farming, but also the creation of an equal playing field in world trade. It cannot be the case that we import product from outside Europe that does not at least meet the requirements that we apply here. Fortunately, as NAJK, we feel that there is clearly political attention for this issue."
What else can the NAJK do to further support young entrepreneurs?
"What we consider important for starting entrepreneurs is the availability of independent information and knowledge. The supply of 'colored' news is abundant and it is sometimes difficult for young people to appreciate everything, you only develop that feeling over time. years. In that sense, we are an independent organization without commercial interests. Young people must be able to make choices based on correct and factual knowledge. In addition, we also want to outline a realistic perspective for young entrepreneurs: the time when a good living could be earned with simply the putting the finishing touches all day in the stable is a thing of the past for many companies. As a pig farmer you are an entrepreneur, use that strength. We are no longer the soloists who are constantly in our stable and have everything arranged by suppliers and customers. Take matters into your own hands and create your own sandwich in this way.That is sometimes experienced as very unusual and often you have to be stubborn for it . Broaden your horizons, see what is happening around you and adjust your revenue model accordingly. That will be a very important issue in the future."
Steve Wissink
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