Much is still unclear, but the outgoing cabinet actually had good news for agriculture on Budget Day. 100 million euros will be made available for young farmers and gardeners. The money is intended to help them take over an agricultural and, in particular, sustainable company.
“I don’t know the details yet, but in advance I am happy with this guidance from the ministry.” This is what Teun Vereijken says. The 23-year-old student is vice-chairman of the Brabant Agricultural Youth Contact (BAJK). This organization represents the interests of young farmers, female farmers and gardeners.
In July, the BAJK was still concerned about its own supporters. Due to the fall of the cabinet and the lack of an agricultural agreement, it seemed that young farmers (among others) would be left to fend for themselves. According to Vereijken, the multi-million dollar scheme that the government is now coming up with is an unexpected but necessary boost.
He is not yet ready to take over his father and uncle’s greenhouse horticulture company in Beek en Donk. Vereijken first wants to complete his studies and also assist young farmers and gardeners. One of them is Jamie van ‘t Hoff, who with his girlfriend Mandy van Mersbergen is close to taking over her parents’ dairy farm.
“I am certainly curious about that scheme for young farmers.”
“I heard at the end of the afternoon that this arrangement is coming. I also don’t know the details nor do I know whether I qualify for this, but I am certainly curious about it,” says the 27-year-old farmer from Babyloniënbroek. As a little boy, Van ‘t Hoff was attracted to life on the farm. He has always retained that desire. So strong that he once tried to take over a company. That failed. His parents-in-law’s company is doing well. succeed.
However, don’t expect that takeover to be arranged in a flash. “There’s a lot involved. First and foremost: emotion. Especially with the party that ultimately loses the company. They have often built it up from generation to generation and they now see how someone else is working on it and perhaps giving it a different twist,” says Van ‘t Hoff.
“The goodwill factor plays a major role.”
A business succession cannot leave you at a disadvantage financially either. “As a buyer you not only need patience, but also sufficient money. Furthermore, the goodwill factor often plays a role in such an operation, although as the new owner you do not want to leave the other person empty-handed. That is why it is good to talk about this a lot with each other. We also benefit from having a business coach guide us.”
“We enjoy our cows and our sustainable company.”
The young entrepreneur can hardly wait for the moment when he and his girlfriend, two years his junior, can really call himself the owner of the Mersbergen Van ‘t Hoff dairy farm. The Boeren Broekies, as they call themselves, enjoy caring for their 180 dairy cows every day. And what will appeal to the Minister of Agriculture: “We get a lot of energy from the sustainable way we run our company.”
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