Piet Adema (ChristenUnie) has been appointed as the new Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality. His party announced this on Monday. Adema is the successor of party colleague Henk Staghouwer, who resigned at the beginning of September. The 57-year-old Adema was previously deputy of the province of Friesland, acting mayor in Achtkarspelen, Tynaarlo and Borger-Odoorn and party chairman of the ChristenUnie. He is currently a director and supervisor in the entrepreneurial sector.
Also read: The resignation of Minister Staghouwer delays the already complex nitrogen dossier of the cabinet
Adema will be responsible for the nitrogen dossier, among other things. As agriculture minister, he wants to offer farmers in the Netherlands ‘clarity, peace and security about the future’, so that confidence in the government can ‘grow again’. “Agriculture has a future in our country”, says Adema, who realizes that “things have to be done differently”. But according to him, “most livestock farmers, arable farmers, horticulturists and fishermen” know and want that too. He wants to work with them on ‘future-proof agriculture (…), with an eye for nature, climate and water quality’.
ChristenUnie leader Gert-Jan Segers says he has made an “insistent appeal” to Adema to take on the vacant ministerial post. In his response, Segers points to the advice that Johan Remkes issued on Wednesday about the conversations he had with nature and agricultural organizations about the nitrogen crisis: “With the advice from Johan Remkes on the way, it is now important that we do not stand against each other. , but put our shoulders to the wheel together for the agriculture of the future.” He sees in Adema a “firm driver” who, with his experience, is “the right person” to “take on the important challenge” together with the farmers. Adema will be sworn in at Noordeinde Palace on Monday afternoon by King Willem-Alexander.
Resignation Staghouwer
Staghouwer decided to step down of his own accord just after the summer recess, because he did not consider himself “the right person” to “lead the tasks that lie ahead” as Agriculture Minister. He was referring to the nitrogen crisis in the Netherlands. Since Staghouwer’s departure, Carola Schouten (also ChristenUnie) has fulfilled his duties as Agriculture Minister. She did this in addition to her portfolio as Minister for Poverty Policy, Participation and Pensions.
As minister Staghouwer failed to offer the farmers perspective in an uncertain time, as he had hoped. During his reign, the farmers’ protests increased in size and Remkes was appointed as the discussion leader between the various parties in the nitrogen dossier.