A minister must act decisively as soon as possible. Provincial administrator Elies Lemkes-Straver announced this in response to the departure of Agriculture Minister Henk Staghouwer. The minister announced his departure earlier Monday evening.
Lemkes, who has Nature and Agriculture in her portfolio, states that the administrative contact with Staghouwer has always been good. “He was a good listener and showed an interest in the Brabant approach. For him personally it is of course difficult to make this decision. It is crucial for us that this post is filled as soon as possible by a minister with decisiveness, because the need for concreteness and clarity for the sector is great.”
Staghouwer is the first minister of the fourth Rutte cabinet to leave. The king has now granted the resignation. Minister Carola Schouten (Poverty Policy) will temporarily take over Staghouwer’s duties. Schouten, who comes from Waardhuizen, is just like Staghouwer from the ChristenUnie. She was also Minister of Agriculture in the previous cabinet.
Staghouwer had been bad at the House of Representatives for some time. When the much-discussed ‘nitrogen map’ was published, the minister did not come up with concrete measures to give farmers perspective for the future. This Monday, Staghouwer announced that the proposals, which the House had demanded for Budget Day, are taking longer. Staghouwer wanted to wait for the nitrogen talks between farmers and cabinet led by VVD celebrity Johan Remkes. Moreover, he had bad news for the farmers in Brabant, who will be subject to stricter manure rules.
“I’m not the right person anymore.”
According to the minister, agriculture is facing a huge turnaround with the nitrogen targets. “I asked myself the question: am I the right person as Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality to lead the tasks that lie ahead? Last weekend I came to the conclusion that I am not that person,” he said. butcher.
“I wish my successor, together with the dedicated employees, every success,” added the minister. He didn’t want to answer questions. Although there had been doubts about Staghouwer at the Binnenhof for some time, his resignation on Monday was unexpected.
“It surprises me, I didn’t expect this.”
Mark van den Oever of Farmers Defense Force spoke to the Minister of Agriculture last week during the nitrogen consultation with mediator Johan Remkes. “It surprises me that he has left, I did not see that coming.” The leader of the farmers’ action group seems disappointed with Staghouwer’s resignation. “He came across to me as a friendly and interested man. A windfall compared to Prime Minister Rutte and nitrogen minister Van der Wal.”
“Could be much worse, as long as it doesn’t become Tjeerd de Groot.”
Marije van Velthoven from Leende, who recently had a visit from Staghouwer, was also surprised. “I don’t think he saw a good way out.” According to the 21-year-old farmer’s wife, the minister who has since resigned had ended up in ‘an impossible situation’. Partly through her own fault, she thinks. De Leendse also believes that he should have offered more perspective and could have anticipated the problem of the manure rules better.
She wonders whether the departure will have major consequences for the discussions that have been going on for weeks between Remkes, farmers and farmers’ organizations about nitrogen policy. Marije van Velthoven: “That would be possible if a minister comes up with other ideas. It could also be much worse than Staghouwer. As long as it doesn’t become Tjeerd de Groot (D66).”
Wim Bens, the chairman of the Southern Agricultural and Horticultural Organization (ZLTO), could not be reached for comment.
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