Gerben and Rianne Hartink had a dairy farm with a hundred cows in the rural area of Hall, near the Dutch village of Brummen. Rianne was born and raised there. They are satisfied and can make a living from it. However, the couple decided to sell the farm with 70 hectares in 2022.
“The agricultural policy in the Netherlands offered no point on the horizon to work towards,” says Gerben. “It felt like we were unwanted and not appreciated.”
So, the couple made the significant decision to emigrate to Canada. “We have thought very carefully about this step because it concerns the business in which we have invested a lot of time and energy—our life’s work.”
Doubling
Frits Bennink also notices that more farmers are seeking their fortune abroad. The resident of the hamlet of Pieperij near Balkbrug is the owner of the emigration specialist Interfarms. “It is estimated that 100 to 150 farmers emigrate each year, while there were only about fifty a few years ago. You can definitely say that the number of farmers emigrating annually has doubled.”
The reason? “Emigration comes in waves. Over ten years ago, after the abolition of the milk quota, farmers saw more opportunities for development, but the introduction of phosphate rights led to a new production limitation. Additionally, there are nitrogen problems and the negative perception of how farmers are viewed,” explains Bennink.
What stands out: “It is primarily farmers who are located near a Natura 2000 area,” says Bennink. “They know they will have to relocate in the future. Since the options within our own country are limited and the government is seen as unreliable, they cross the border. They also deal with environmental legislation there, but it is much more understandable.”
Ten years earlier
Departing farmers mainly head to Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada. “These are not emigrations like you see in ‘Ik Vertrek’ (a Dutch television show),” emphasises Bennink. “Leaving on impulse is rare among farmers, even if they are ‘done’ with the Netherlands. They talk to colleagues in the intended country, visit in person, carefully consider the sale of their farm, the transfer of their assets, and the application of tax regulations.”
So did Gerben and Rianne. Over the past two years, they attended an emigration fair, spoke with specialists, traveled to Canada, and met Dutch farmers there. “When asked what they would do differently, they said: leave ten years earlier,” Gerben smiles. “We also intentionally visited regions we were unsure about, purely to see them with our own eyes.” They chose Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada.
“We felt at home there immediately. The government and residents see us as food producers and not as polluters of the environment,” notes Rianne. Gerben adds, “It’s an area with a climate similar to that of the Netherlands. More land is needed to feed the cows, but because the yields are generally higher, we will keep fewer cows—fifty. Hopefully, we will have more time for ourselves in the future.”
Exciting months
That fits with Canada, Bennink knows. Farmers who want to grow go to Germany or Denmark. Options that Gerben and Rianne also considered: “Those are countries with less stringent environmental requirements than in the Netherlands, but still part of the European Union. That doesn’t feel right.” Bennink states, “Farmers who are leaving now are good entrepreneurs. I think politics will realise the mistakes they are making in twenty to thirty years.”