“A necessary agricultural agreement for the farmer”

Society is increasingly demanding in the field of climate, nature and the environment, and the tasks land on the farm. Many farmers and horticulturists ask themselves: “What place is there for me in the Netherlands?”

It’s getting closer, for example with the return of the wolf. Should farmers and their livestock pay to give this animal a place in the Netherlands? How do attacks on livestock fit into the animal welfare discussion? The area of ​​agricultural land is also decreasing, while social tasks actually require more space for the agricultural sector.

Nevertheless, the Dutch have had a positive opinion of the agricultural sector for years in a row. They appreciate the good quality and affordability of Dutch products, according to a recent study by Wageningen University and Research.

But the increasing number of regulations puts Dutch products, costs and the position of farmers and horticulturists under considerable pressure. While the public’s attention is often focused on nitrogen, over the past year LTO has focused intensively on the 7th Nitrates Directive action program with our members.

The consultation of the lists for catch crops and winter crops, published last week, causes enormous unrest among farmers. I therefore call on members to react negatively with regard to calendar farming. The future of farms hangs in the balance and the huge stack of political blueprints ignores where our entrepreneurs stand. We are on it.

The demand for a multi-annual agricultural perspective is growing. An agricultural agreement within the scope of our efforts in the field of nitrogen, but also issues in the field of climate and water could be a solution. For the farmyard, it is necessary to have an overview of income and earning capacity, today and by 2035. The first consultations with the new Minister of Agriculture were hopeful. Now the effect.