During the protest at the provincial government in Den Bosch, Agriculture deputy Elies Lemkes-Straver entered into discussions with several farmers. She invited them to look together at how the nitrogen targets can be achieved in the coming period. “We want to give young farmers a future.”
It was an emotional meeting on the packed square in front of the provincial government house, which was guarded by the riot police all afternoon. The farmers called on Lemkes-Straver to start the conversation in The Hague. She explained that that is not an option. “The government has made these decisions, we have to meet those goals in a good way.”
And the deputy hopes that this will succeed together with the farmers. “We are organizing table discussions in the regions where we will soon have to work and we will have individual discussions at the kitchen table to also hear the personal situations.”
“You have no idea how we feel.”
Lemkes-Straver’s answers could not count on everyone’s approval. “You have no idea how we feel”, one of the farmers calls out to her. “It’s only when they want to take your house that you understand.” And the fact that corrections to the original plans are still being made is also causing anger. “When I step out the door, I think carefully about what I’m going to say.”
“That letter caught us all by surprise.”
Nevertheless, the deputy indicates that he also fully understands the emotions. “That letter surprised us all. It is logical that the farmers now have many questions. What will happen to my company now? And what does this mean for my son or daughter, who wants to take over the business later?”
In the coming period it should become clear what the answers to all these questions will be. Lemkes-Straver does not dare to predict whether we can expect actions such as the past few days until then. “I prefer that we just have a conversation. On the other hand, the farmers are allowed to express their emotions to the whole of the Netherlands. Fortunately, things are calm and pleasant here, as we are used to in Brabant.”
