LTO left the meeting last night. LTO North chairman Dirk Bruins was involved in the negotiations from the start, second to foreman Sjaak van der Tak. The fact that other parties have now also exited is a risk, according to Bruins. “Because it is now back to the cabinet,” he says.
Bioboer Oosterhof also believes that the agricultural agreement is long overdue. “Everyone is currently lagging behind again. I’ve been working on making my farm organic since 2014, completely in the direction of what the government wants us to do. If other farmers who still farm conventionally, still have to do that now , then that becomes quite difficult. That is actually too late, because you are so many years later. And then there may be another problem.”
In addition, uncertainty also plays a part. “I still don’t know whether I will still have cows or caravans here next year,” says Oosterhof. “Because it is not clear to me whether I can continue to farm in this way or whether more adjustments are needed. With the agricultural agreement, a lot of uncertainty would be removed.”
Because there will be no agricultural agreement, the cabinet will now take measures itself. Agriculture minister Adema says that the cabinet does not automatically do what was agreed in the draft agreement. Bruins: “If they then make very unwise decisions and continue with the current policy, then I don’t know what will happen. Then you run the risk that farmers will go on strike again.”
This is not yet discussed among farmers, explains Bruins. “We are absolutely not looking for that. First there must be peace in the tent. I hope that the cabinet will think very carefully and, above all, sensibly about what they are going to do now. We will wait for that first.”
Like LTO Noord, Het Drents Landschap now also focuses on the province. It has to be, says Van der Meer. “We now keep going in circles, but we have to break that circle. The province is sitting back and waiting for the cabinet. That is worrying because nature is doing very badly. The ball is now back in the province of Drenthe: they have to to work.”