She is only 26 years old, but knows very well what she wants. Amber Laan is a young farmer from Warder and would like to farm for decades to come. She is also an agricultural advisor, chair of the Hollands Agrarisch Jongeren Contact and writes articles and columns. Reason enough for a nomination for the Woman in the Media Award North Holland. “I didn’t expect this at all as a farmer from Warder.”
It will have escaped no one’s attention that farm life has been turned upside down recently and is threatened by the nitrogen crisis. Amber, the proud owner of 80 dairy cows, is not deterred. “Of course there is a future for the farmers. It can and should be more sustainable, but we don’t have to leave.” According to her, there is still so much to gain in the field of animal feed and technical innovation to tackle nitrogen.
She previously invited the minister of agriculture to her farm. “It’s just a pity that he left afterwards. Must have been me,” she jokes. The new minister has not yet met them, but that will undoubtedly not be long. “I also advise the government on sustainability.”
As a passionate advocate for the agricultural sector, she thinks it is such a shame that farmers are being blamed for the nitrogen problem. “As if we are only the polluters. Look at Schiphol in North Holland. All those planes that come over my country and Tata Steel in IJmuiden.”
fickle
Amber has a lot of contact with young farmers who, just like her, long for certainty and a clear policy. “You can’t run a business on the fickle and you can’t map out a future. If you invest, you do that for many years. You need security.”
She also hears from peers who want to seek refuge abroad. “They are looking at opportunities in Scandinavia or Canada.” She doesn’t have to think about it herself. “It’s beautiful here in Warder. The milk is excellent and my grandpa and grandma started here. I’m not leaving here again.”
A little more about the nomination. “My grandma would be incredibly proud if I win.” By the way, you can vote for Amber. Woman in the Media Award (vidm.nl) and then to the province of North Holland. “It’s very simple,” says Amber. “Just do it.”