How is it possible, a flourishing future for the Dutch farmer? That question was the central question on Monday during a well-attended symposium organized by farmers’ organization ZLTO. Nevertheless, the meeting made it clear that even between the moderate association farmer and the politicians there is a big gulf.
A greener agriculture, a smaller herd, a lower environmental impact. They are all nice objectives, but in a world full of dangers, it is not very strategic to pursue them. In short, that was the message from Rob de Wijk, professor of international relations, to a room full of farmers and administrators in Den Bosch.
De Wijk, much better known for his analyzes of the war in Ukraine, kicked off a well-attended conference of farmers’ organization ZLTO. The association of farmers in the South of the Netherlands wanted to find a way out of the polarization. How is it possible, was the main question.
De Wijk’s answer was clear: continue to produce a lot of food and knowledge. As far as he is concerned, the war in Ukraine shows how vulnerable the global food system is. In addition, it is desirable that the Netherlands is to a considerable extent self-sufficient. But also that we strategically use our knowledge in the field of agriculture. If Russia and China depend on our seed breeding companies and milk powder, the Netherlands can exert more political pressure.
Corn on the mill
De Wijk’s story turned out to be grist to the mill of a majority of the farmers in the room. For once it was not a story regarding how agriculture should shrink because the impact on the environment is too great. But it is precisely a recognition of the importance of a large agricultural sector. “We are in a fertile delta here with every opportunity to produce food,” argued arable farmer Anton Bartelen from Oud-Gastel in West Brabant. “And then we will reduce the number of hectares of agricultural land and we are happy that almost 5 percent of farms stopped last year. While we desperately need those farmers.”
As a southern Dutch branch of the national LTO, ZLTO is certainly not an unwilling protest club. Still, the sentiment in the room was clear. A majority saw De Wijk’s story as confirmation that the Netherlands would benefit from a large and intensive agricultural sector. The main direction in government policy is extensification. Livestock will have to shrink, the environmental impact of agriculture has to be reduced, and the share of organic products has to grow sharply in a short period of time.
Not black and white
Incidentally, the world is not black and white: the cabinet has always indicated that there will also be room for intensive agriculture. And there is a widespread awareness in the ZLTO room that something needs to be done regarding the environmental impact and nitrogen emissions. But through innovation instead of shrinkage. Biological as a solution? Femke Dingemans, director of the Brabant Environmental Federation, is the only one to suggest it in one of the discussion panels. She can’t get her hands together.
Meanwhile, things are going well in Den Bosch. There are no inverted flags here. Everyone – from left to right – can speak nicely. And followingwards there is a consensus that this was finally a constructive conversation regarding the future of agriculture.
But no matter how constructive: the cabinet and a moderate farmers’ club like ZLTO seem to fundamentally disagree regarding one of the most basic choices regarding the future of agriculture. It does not make the job of reaching an agricultural agreement this spring any easier.
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