‘Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust’ Wins Agrifood Award

Hugo Bens and Monique van Loon will not tell you that farmers had it better in the past: ‘The working conditions were poor. The work was hard. There was a lot of poverty,’ says Van Loon. But what there also was: a good bond between farmers and citizens. ‘People used to harvest potatoes together, by hand,’ Bens recounts. ‘Citizens knew where their food came from. When you ask older people how it was, a smile appears on their face. Farmers and citizens shared an experience. They understood each other.’

Thirty Participants

‘How wonderful would it be if we could bring back some of that mutual understanding?’ said Van Loon and Bens to each other in 2019. They joined Boert Bewust, a national initiative that started in 2017 aimed at working on the connection between farmers, gardeners, and society in your own region. ‘Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust’ started with ten entrepreneurs, and now thirty farmers are involved. But those who think that Monique and Hugo have been running around tirelessly to recruit more participants are mistaken. ‘A farmer must want to become a participant in Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust, otherwise the party won’t go on,’ Bens says with characteristic down-to-earthness. ‘Because if you are not motivated to seek the connection yourself, it won’t work.’

Concrete Connections

How do you concretely make connections with your environment, with society? Hugo Bens, a poultry farmer by profession, effortlessly rattles off examples: ‘You can, for example, sell products at home, sponsor your local football club, open your business for people to come and see. Or you post a video of what you are doing on your farm in the Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust app group, and we will then share it on social media. But you can also write a Farmers Column about your business, passion, and vision, working together with the weekly magazine De Maas Driehoek. And Monique can support you, as she is a professional writer. In short, there are all kinds of ways.’

Score

How seriously Boert Bewust operates is evident from the Boert Bewust Score that every participating farmer commits to. The more you seek the connection with society, the higher you score. ‘It’s about things you do extra on your farm besides what is legally required,’ says Monique van Loon. ‘All participants work on the image of their business, being careful with climate and energy, and the health of their animals.’ Hugo Bens: ‘But our most important criterion is the relationship with society. Everyones score is independently reviewed every two years. This way, farmers continue to develop and work on their support in society.’

Seen and Heard

Hugo Bens is proud of what ‘Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust’ has achieved: ‘I see that we are seen and heard.’ As an example, he mentions that more and more regional organizations want to collaborate with Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust. The Smaakcentrum makes children and young people aware of healthy and sustainable food choices. The Goei Leven Foundation wants to strengthen the valuable connection between producers and consumers. On Stage is a network for secondary school students that mediates in introductory internships with farmers. Klasseboeren allows students to experience farm life under the motto ‘Learning by experiencing!’ Bens: ‘We also work closely with the tourism organization Visit Land van Cuijk.’ Van Loon: ‘We also have excellent contacts with the municipality and the province. And not unimportantly: we empower the farmers. That gives them energy and a nice network.’

This approach helps to increase support in society Marc Oudenhoven, Deputy (Agricultural Development)

Agrifood Award October

The connection that ‘Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust’ manages to realize aligns perfectly with the mission of the Province of North Brabant, says Deputy Marc Oudenhoven (Agricultural Development). “We are steering towards an agricultural and food system that is smart, circular, valuable, and connected. Therefore, during the Pluk & Oogst Festival, the Agrifood Award for October was awarded to Monique van Loon and Hugo Bens of Land van Cuijk Boert Bewust. It is a brand and a label that stands for openness and transparency. This approach helps to increase support in society. In short, Monique and Hugo fully deserve to receive the Agrifood Award.”