“There is a serious breach of trust,” says LTO North chairman Dirk Bruins. Farmers’ organization LTO left negotiations with the cabinet on an agricultural agreement last night.
Bruins, together with national chairman Sjaak van der Tak, sat down with Minister Adema of Agriculture on behalf of the LTO. The morning after the closed consultation, Bruins speaks of a regrettable decision. “On the advice of Johan Remkes, we started consultations because there was a serious breach of trust between agriculture and politics. But after eight months, we have to conclude that insufficient clarity and perspective is outlined for the agricultural sector. So with pain in the heart, we have to conclude that it will not work.”
According to Bruins, there is an accumulation of regulations that is only increasing. “You should actually aim for specific goals. What we are seeing now is that very general measures are being taken that do not cover the load. These are a lot more expensive, which means that the costs for farmers are also increasing enormously. It is this way no longer feasible for us.”
In addition to LTO, the Dutch Agricultural Youth Contact (NAJK) also left the consultation. NAJK chairman Roy Meijer from Witteveen regrets the course of events. “We are very sorry that LTO has left, but it is up to each party to make a choice in this. Now that LTO has also left, this means that the process of the agricultural agreement has become untenable for us,” says Meijer.
Today, talks will continue about the agricultural agreement. LTO will join those conversations to explain its decision. Bruins is gloomy about a future agreement: “I can hardly imagine the cabinet coming up with an agricultural agreement in which the agricultural sector is not represented. I would find that very unwise.”
Work will continue for LTO. “In the provinces there is still enough work for the agricultural sector, so we have enough files to sink our teeth into.”