Farmers want to go green, but support is lacking

Dutch farmers and horticulturalists are fully committed to building a sustainable food system and a healthy living environment. Cleaner air, improved water quality, and nature conservation are high on their agenda. However, to make significant progress, support from politicians and supply chain partners is essential. This became abundantly clear during the recent debate in the Dutch House of Representatives on crop protection.

Broad support, but little action

The debate on November 27 revealed strong political backing for initiatives such as the Crop Protection Implementation Program and the clean water plan from LTO and NAJK. Yet, actual financial and policy support from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature, and Food Quality remains absent. According to Ron Mulders, portfolio holder for Healthy Plants at LTO, this is a missed opportunity. “The sector is working with conviction to achieve sustainability, but it cannot do so without government assistance,” he explained.

National rules versus European standards

LTO is urging the minister to join forces with supply chain partners and provide the necessary support for the sector’s sustainability efforts. This includes making financial resources available for sector initiatives and addressing the so-called "national add-ons" to European regulations. Without this support, Dutch farmers risk falling behind unnecessarily.

Mulders’ statement concludes a series of calls to action that LTO shared in the run-up to the debate. These appeals can be found on the organization’s communication channels. The next move lies with The Hague, where concrete action is eagerly awaited.

Lto.nl