Are we demanding too much from farmers? | Conversations With Young Farmers

Gerben is a young arable farmer from the province of Noord-Brabant in The Netherlands, and Sarah is the Senior Advisor Food & Agriculture at WWF NL (World Wide Fund for Nature). They sit down to have a conversation around the role of farmers and environmental organisations towards sustainable food production. They share their thoughts from the tension surrounding the nitrogen crisis and policy in the Netherlands, the failure of government, unrealistic demands, and what is needed to help farmers move forward towards sustainable production methods.

Conversations With Young Farmers is a FoodUnfolded Miniseries that features conversations between young Dutch farmers and different voices on the subject of sustainable agriculture. Why is it so important to have these conversations? Because understanding one another is the first step towards solutions for a better food system that supports everyone.

Directed, Produced and Editor: Jane Alice Liu
Camera Operator & Colourist: Marcel Ijzerman
Supporting Crew: Michiel Stapel
Sound Mixer: Henk-Jelle de Groot

Special thanks to Gerben, Sarah, Nina, Marcel Kwant, Boom Family, and WWF NL

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Timestamps
00:00 Why Gerben became a farmer
1:04 Why Sarah became an environmentalist
1:48 Switching from dairy to agriculture
2:15 Agree or disagree: farmers are responsible for reducing their environmental impact
3:44 Expectation vs reality
4:45 The failure of Dutch government and policy
5:50 What do farmers need to be able to say "I can move forward"?
6:59 Aiming for systematic change
7:38 Nitrogen crisis & policy: challenges and tension
9:08 Changing the way people talk to and about farmers
10:08 Give room to farmers to move forward
10:50 The role of consumers and supermarkets
10:46 Reward farmers for sustainable work
12:34 Change will not happen overnight
13:28 The role of environmental organisations
13:45 Can agriculture and conservation co-exist?
15:51 Credits

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