Innovate or stop? Together at the kitchen table' new coaching program for agricultural entrepreneurs

Many Limburg cattle farmers face various bottlenecks and choices: invest in innovation or stop? To support agricultural entrepreneurs in making a choice, the Province of Limburg and municipalities in Central and Northern Limburg have made a number of independent, committed and professional coaches available. These coaches look one on one with the entrepreneurs how the companies can be helped.

Help for pig farmers

The process focuses among others on pig farmers in Central and Northern Limburg who are considering making use of the warm restructuring scheme. Also companies who have signed up for "stoppers 2020" may enroll in the coaching program.

In response to all the developments in the livestock sector, the national government has opened national schemes that offer opportunities for entrepreneurs in the pig farming sector to stop. In order to support agricultural entrepreneurs in this, the Province of Limburg is making independent, committed and professional coaches available this year, who will sit around the kitchen table, together with the entrepreneurs, to see how their businesses can be helped. "I certainly applaud this initiative," says LLTB board member Mark Tijssen. "A major change of direction within your business is very drastic. Especially when you decide to end your business. There is a lot of pressure on you. It is therefore a good thing that the province is making people and resources available to support these retiring entrepreneurs in the termination process." John Marcellis, chairman of the POV region Limburg, also thinks the coaching trajectory is a good thing: "As POV we are happy that the province is initiating this coaching trajectory."

Earlier this week, Minister Carola Schouten announced that 120 million euros will be made available for pig farmers who want to stop their business. Commissioner Hubert Mackus is pleased that the conditions are now known. In recent months, interested pig farmers who want to stop have already reported. "We couldn't do much with that, until now". One of the conditions is that the retiring pig farmer must be active in the areas where intensive livestock farming takes place. Companies that sign up for the scheme must have dismantled the stables within 14 months. Mackus: "If you have to demolish a barn, there's a chance that you'll still need to raise money, despite the subsidy and the sale of pig rights. We want to look together at whether housing is possible at such a location, for example, or whether solar panels can be installed there.

Real 'bottleneck cases' can expect a visit from the Province of Limburg to persuade them to opt for the scheme after all. "About 10% of Limburg's territory is eligible for the scheme. That means that we need to bring in at least 12 million," said Mackus.

Criteria coaching process