Léon Enting is the new chairman of the Drents Agricultural Youth Kontakt (DAJK). The 31-year-old farmer from Grolloo takes over from Tom ten Kate.
The Dajk represents the interests of young farmers and gardeners in Drenthe. In addition to his work at the dairy farm that he runs with his father, Enging is an advisor in the field of manure and minerals. He has been active within the organization for a long time. He was previously a board member and chairman of AJK Rolde.
Enting thinks it is important that young farmers have a strong voice in the province. “In addition to LTO, that there is for the adult farmers, we are especially for the young farmers. Good representation is desperately needed,” he says. “I feel responsible for picking up that baton within the board now, now that the old chairman has stopped.”
According to Enting, the position of young farmers is extra challenging. “In the end we are all farmers, but as a young farmer you have to look even further. You are faced with the choice: I am going to take over the company or not? You think of the future over 20, 30 years, while the older generation sometimes goes more towards reducing. We often also look at certain things with a fresher look.”
According to Enting, major changes in the course of the Dajk do not have to come. “We were already on the right line and I want to hold it. Dajk is not only about cosiness, but also about advocacy. We are sitting a lot with the province of Drenthe around the table to get the best out for young farmers and we want to keep doing that.”
The dairy farmer, who holds 85 cows in partnership with his father and has been living on the farm for two years, will focus primarily on visibility and advocacy in the coming period. “The first thing I’m going to make people find me as a new point of contact for the DAJK. In addition, I just continue with the lobby.”
In principle, enting could be chairman until his 35th year of life, but the farmer does not want to look ahead: “For the next two years I am chairman, and then we will look further.”