About ten EU politicians, faction staff, and interpreters were updated on the modern management and the current status of Dutch horticultural and agricultural businesses. In the greenhouse horticulture sector, special attention was given to future possibilities in plant breeding; in the Flevopolder, the focus was on the use of fertilizer substitutes; and in the Krimpenerwaard, options for irrigation and rewetting combined with agricultural use were explored.
The working visit was organized at the request of the three Dutch members of that agriculture committee, Annie Schreijer-Pierik (CDA), Jan Huitema (VVD), and Bert-Jan Ruissen (SGP).
The delegation had also requested a meeting with Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality Piet Adema, but due to his busy schedule (the agricultural agreement), he was represented by officials. When asked at the closing press conference why the delegation had not requested a meeting with Nitrogen Minister Van der Wal, chair Lins said that according to EU protocols this is not customary: the agriculture committee talks to officials and politicians from the agriculture ministries, not with other ministers.
Incidentally, Lins and 'host' Bert-Jan Ruissen did not consider it a disaster that the minister had no time, because the working visit was not intended for consultations with policymakers. "We are primarily here to listen," said Lins. He has the impression that Dutch farmers are willing to cooperate in implementing the European Green Deal, but they have concerns about parts of the implementation.
For example, the new eco-subsidies for nature-friendly farm management are considered too restrictive, and, according to Lins, financially also rather meager. He argued that the EU subsidy should not only cover costs but also include a 'reward' element. According to Bert-Jan Ruissen, many farmers find numerous EU measures too mandatory, imposed too much from above.
Chair Lins announced that the Agriculture Committee will take a position next week in Brussels on the controversial nature restoration law. There are EU factions (from EPP and ECR) that reject the bill entirely, and a compromise is being prepared whereby the mandatory nature restoration would only apply within Natura2000 areas.
The EU politicians said afterward that at a modern Dutch fruit grower’s farm they had seen that a lot of use is already made of green, natural crop protectors, but that in cases of 'extreme necessity' the use of chemical agents is still sometimes needed.