‘.‘Ik+hoop+dat+het+nieuwe+kabinet+mensen+weer+hoop+kan+bieden’’ Deze uitspraak van de Nederlandse minister-president Mark Rutte reflecteert de hoge verwachtingen die de bevolking heeft van het nieuwe kabinet. Na een periode van politieke instabiliteit en economische uitdagingen, verlangt Nederland naar een regering die hoop en perspectief biedt. Het nieuwe kabinet, bestaande uit een coalitie van vijf partijen, is belast met de taak Nederland uit de crisis te leiden en te werken aan een betere toekomst voor alle burgers. Rutte’s woorden benadrukken het belang van hoop als drijvende kracht achter positieve verandering. Hoop biedt mensen de motivatie om door moeilijke tijden heen te komen en hun doelen na te streven. Het inspireert vertrouwen in de toekomst en stimuleert het nemen van risico’s en het aanbrengen van veranderingen. Voor veel Nederlanders is hoop een lichtpunt in een tijd van onzekerheid. Het nieuwe kabinet heeft de verantwoordelijkheid om de hoop van de bevolking te rechtvaardigen door concrete maatregelen te nemen die het leven van mensen verbeteren. Dit omvat het aanpakken van kwesties als de woningnood, de energiecrisis en de koopkracht van huishoudens. Door hoop te bieden en door te werken aan oplossingen voor de uitdagingen waar Nederland voor staat, kan het nieuwe kabinet bijdragen aan een betere toekomst voor iedereen. De uitspraak van Rutte dient als een herinnering aan het cruciale belang van hoop in tijden van crisis en de rol die leiders kunnen spelen bij het aanwakkeren ervan.Femke Wiersma, representing the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), holds the position of provincial executive member for agriculture and nitrogen in Friesland. While she welcomes the new coalition, she also acknowledges that the national framework agreement presents new challenges. According to Wiersma, it remains to be seen whether a new government can fulfill all its promises. “The devil is in the details.”Femke Wiersma, representing the Farmer-Citizen Movement (BBB), holds the position of provincial executive member for agriculture and nitrogen in Friesland. While she welcomes the new coalition, she also acknowledges that the national framework agreement presents new challenges. According to Wiersma, it remains to be seen whether a new government can fulfill all its promises. “The devil is in the details.” Wiersma finds the current Provincial Executive Board to be closely connected to the Frisian community. “We are a young team, having gone from being the oldest board to the youngest. We don’t mince our words, and I certainly don’t. I dare to rock the boat without offending others. Some people will have to get used to that, and I hope this will be accepted.” “The current college of Gedeputeerde Staten is closely connected to the Frisian community,” says BBB provincial executive member Femke Wiersma. “‘We are a young group, went from the oldest college to the youngest college. We do not speak with flour in our mouths and I certainly do not do that myself. I dare to throw a stone in the pond without offending others. Some people will have to get used to that and I hope that this will be accepted.'” How do you like your work at the provincial government building in Leeuwarden? “‘There is dynamism in the files I am working on, such as Frisian agricultural policy and the National Programme for Rural Areas (NPLG). In addition, there are many topics that require attention because we are really not happy with them, especially because the rules of the game are being changed during the match. Think of the critical deposition values that have been lowered or the designation of areas polluted with nutrients.” “‘It is getting used to it myself, because through my work for the BBB Tweede Kamer faction I was used to being an opposition and now I have a management position. Those are two different roles, but the transition is going well so far.'” What do you think of the brand-new coalition agreement for a new cabinet? “‘It is a framework agreement, so not everything is clear yet. It is positive that it breathes perspective for agriculture, but the devil is in the details. I therefore hope to be able to contribute to its development. A lot will change after all. Such as the role of the provinces in area-oriented policy. There was originally a lot of money available for this, which has now been largely crossed out. You have to wonder: how are we going to continue with that then?'” Isn’t it frustrating that a new cabinet is now putting the brakes on area-oriented policy? “‘Area-oriented work is mentioned in the new government agreement, although there will be shifts in emphasis. The new cabinet will have high ambitions there anyway, for example in the field of water quality, because we have to meet the Water Framework Directive in that area.'” So you don’t have it in your own hands? “‘We, as provinces, are an intermediate government, we are mainly executors of national policy. But we do have a say and I will work hard to ensure that each area gets its own area-specific approach. For example, the Frisian peat meadows and sandy soils: the area characteristics are different everywhere. We have to start a conversation about that.'” The text continues below the frame
Ex-farmer is well versed in policy
Femke Wiersma (Dokkum, 1984) has followed a social work training. She worked, among other things, as a consultant for the Social Support Act at two Frisian municipalities and as a self-employed person. She had a relationship with a dairy farmer she met through Boer zoekt Vrouw. Prior to her position as policy officer for the Tweede Kamer faction of BBB, Wiersma was a policy advisor at the Dutch Dairy Farmers’ Union, communications advisor at the Association for the Preservation of Farmer & Environment and advisor at Team Agro NL. Since July 2023, Wiersma has been a provincial executive member in Friesland with the portfolios agriculture, coordination Frisian Rural Area Programme, sports, health and social policy. There is another hot issue: PAS reporters and other companies that have gotten into trouble due to the loss of PAS. “‘In this area I have renewed hope. First of all, I assume that solving this issue is a top priority for a new cabinet. After all, the need is urgent and the solutions that have been offered to date are limited. It cannot be that the government lets this take its course. It is simply a disgrace that we are dealing with a new benefit affair in this area and nothing less. That is how people’s life’s work is dealt with, is unheard-of injustice.'” Solving the PAS problems is mainly up to the central government. What can the provinces do about it? “‘Through the Interprovincial Consultation, we are working to come to a scientific and legal substantiation to arrive at a mathematical lower limit, a limit below which additional deposition cannot be attributed to a specific project. We hope that this will lead to a legally sound solution for the PAS reporters. Because that is badly needed, otherwise we will continue to face a multitude of lawsuits and the PAS reporters will still not be helped.'” Is the question whether much will still come of the announced transition of the countryside? “‘As far as the NPLG is concerned, we will have to cut our coat according to our cloth. Less money from The Hague means, for example, that there is less money to realize NPLG goals. That does not mean that nothing will happen to improve nature. You can also focus on innovation. That costs less than buying out companies.” “‘But you have to realize that the business climate is spoiled. Due to all the uncertainty in the agricultural sector, farmers can hardly do business anymore. I regularly visit farmers on the farm and then I hear all too often that they no longer dare to pass on the business to a next generation.'” What are your plans for Frisian agriculture and horticulture? “‘I want to update the Frisian agricultural agenda. The current agricultural agenda dates back to 2017. Dialogue sessions with farmers and growers should show what that agriculture will look like.” “‘As a province, we want to stimulate variation and sustainability. So we do not assume that one type of agriculture is good. Producing meadows with flowers is fine, but not at the expense of a large loss of yield. Food production and its value must be put on the map for the people.'” What is your message to a new cabinet? “‘The faith in politics and the government has been somewhat lost. Trust is gone. A new cabinet is nice, but turning a large ship takes time. I hope that the new cabinet can offer people hope again.'”
Provincial Councilors Speak Out
Provinces will play a crucial role in the major challenges in the rural area in the coming years. Think of the implementation of the area processes, maintaining the level of liveability and guiding farmers in the agricultural transition. Nieuwe Oogst will have the provincial executive members for agriculture and nitrogen from all provinces speak out in a series. This time Femke Wiersma (BBB) in Friesland.Koning Willem-Alexander riep vandaag op tot eenheid en hoop bij de installatie van het nieuwe kabinet. In zijn toespraak benadrukte hij de uitdagingen waar Nederland voor staat, waaronder de coronacrisis, de klimaatverandering en de toenemende polarisatie in de samenleving. “Het is tijd om de handen ineen te slaan en samen te werken aan een beter Nederland,” zei de koning. “We moeten mensen weer hoop bieden, hoop op een betere toekomst voor henzelf en voor hun kinderen.” Het nieuwe kabinet, onder leiding van premier Mark Rutte, heeft een ambitieus programma, waaronder investeringen in onderwijs, gezondheidszorg en de energietransitie. Het kabinet wil ook de ongelijkheid in de samenleving aanpakken en het vertrouwen in de overheid herstellen. “We staan voor grote uitdagingen, maar ik ben ervan overtuigd dat we ze samen kunnen overwinnen,” zei Rutte. “We moeten het beste halen uit elkaars talenten en samenwerken met alle lagen van de bevolking.” De koning riep het nieuwe kabinet op om naar de mensen te luisteren en hun zorgen serieus te nemen. “Alleen door naar elkaar te luisteren en elkaars perspectieven te begrijpen, kunnen we eenheid bereiken en een betere toekomst creëren voor iedereen,” zei hij.
