Military training grounds De Haar near Assen is definitively used as a test for combined use of agricultural land and land for defense. That made State Secretary for Defense Gijs Tuinman (BBB) known yesterday afternoon, during a short meeting, to the affected farmers.
The pilot examines whether the defense can use existing agricultural land for exercises. Any damage would be compensated to the farmer.
The four farmers who, according to the Ministry of Defense, are the most touched by the expansion plans of Defense, were the first to be invited. The Oldenburg, Piel, Ter Braak and Dikboom family could talk to the State Secretary for half an hour yesterday afternoon. Yet with just as many questions and uncertainty they stay as for the conversation with gardener.
For example, the ownership of the agricultural land is a hot issue. “We had to read in the newspaper that the Ministry of Defense wants to buy our land for shared use,” the farmers say. “He never said that in our conversation.”
And that is not what the affected entrepreneurs want. Roelf Oldenburg is very clear about it: “That is not going to happen. Let that pilot sit. That is a no-go.” Albert Piel explains: “If we have less own land, our company and the farm will be worth less. That is not an option.”
The Dikboom family was unhappy about the communication of Wednesday’s meeting. “Again they forgot to invite us. I was able to sink through the ground when I found out,” says Marinus Dikboom.
Defense did not make a good turn with the family. When it became known at the end of May which companies and families would be hit, representatives gave a home visit to victims in the area. Then Dikboom had to read the bad news about the future of his company on the internet.
This time Dikboom switched directly with Mayor Zwiers from the municipality of Midden-Drenthe. “He immediately contacted Defense and asked to solve this once and for all.” In the conversation, the State Secretary made his apologies in the interview for the lack of communication yesterday afternoon.
All farmers thought it was a pleasant conversation with gardener. They are happy that a perspective is offered by starting the test in the hair. “I remain positive, even though it is not always fun,” says Piel. Yet Monique ter Braak and Marinus Dikboom fear false hope. “We keep the feeling that people are being listened to, but it remains politics. We are not going to win this competition,” Dikboom concludes.
It is not yet known when the test with the combined land use starts. There is also no clarity as to whether or not the defense wants to purchase the land for the pilot. RTV Drenthe has asked the Ministry of Defense for more explanation. There has been no answer to that today.