Netherlands

We are to be in The Netherlands for around a week and are being hosted by two Nuffield Scholars, Djuke van der Maat and Henk Smith. Tafi Manjala, another scholar is also joining us for a few days.
Travelling around the country by van adds a new dimension to the trip as we have not had to drive up until this point.
We are based about 1 hour north of Amsterdam for the week and will travel up to three hours to our appointments.

Djuke in her Farm Shop

Some of the highlights were;

Holland VanDijke Semo Seed Co
Co was started in 1914,  based on grass seed, and fodder beet production
Co was purchased by Limagrain  in 1981, and Henk purchase the company in1995, when there was a downturn in the business.
-The company has 30 employees, 6 in the field as agronomy and company representatives, 5 are plant breeders, warehouse space of 13,000 sq meters, and their annual turnover is  € 11 M
There has been a move towards specialised  Green manure and catch crop seed production, as well as grass seed, rape seed, spinach, fodder radish and mustard seed.
-Holland has about 4000 ha in seed production, producing 4000 ton of grass seed, 3000 ton of rape seed, and 1000 ton of catch and green manure seed.
Seed  is exported all over the world.
Henk has found that he has had to increase his return to the grower lately, as poor seasonal production, and increases in cereal production has reduced his grower base.
-Main Challenges to his company.
-Weather is very variable,  effects seed quality and tonnage
-EU unions decisions impact on his production with their regulation on chemicals and land set-asides
- Farmers are given contracts based on either a min price or a set price. He sells perennial rye for around $2kg (euro) and makes about 30 Euros per kg
Europes seed production  is aprox 200000 ton, 80,000 is produced in Denmark, he is trying to break into the danish market
Conpamy values are
Growing a quality seed, good service, Flexibility, and keeping clients informed.
breeding varieties that have resistance to disease, particularly nematodes

German farmers are given 1600 euros per ha to grow corn and rape seed crops. Denmark and France, obligate their farmers to grow a winter crop instead of fallows, to catch nutrients.
Henk sells a Gluten free Oat product, and gets that status by several extra cleaning processes.
Interesting to note that the Company was instrumental in bringing us Pasja, a specialised feed for finishing livestock.

Henk Van Dijke owner of Vandijke Semo

 


The next visit took us by suprise, partly because we drove to Germany without realising we had crosssed the border and partly because of the shear size of the faclities.

Meyer Werft Ship Builders
est in 1795, in Papenburg, Germany, still a family company
Huge development, two dry docks, 2500 employees, two shifts per day, building cruise ships, tankers, livestock carriers, river cruisers.
Using the latest technology and software with computer controlled cutting and welding practices.
Modular construction, working to timelines, with delivery penalties
building some of the worlds largest ocean cruisers and liners, with every conceivable  convenience and luxury.
Ships are floated in their dry docks, and taken down the river with meters to spare at bridges, to the sea.  Large liners, take 3 years to plan, and can be built in 12 months.

More from the Netherlands soon....

Washington DC.

 Washington DC is operating at a different pace to Louisiana, there is no doubt about that. Having some time down south was great to get a feel for the rural America, and has armed us with some questions to put to the presenters we encounter in DC.

First up though some time to check out the city and some history.

Mike, our guide on a three hour bus trip around the historical highlights of the city, is able to give us a blow by blow commentary of the early days of politics in the country's capital.From the assinations to the wars, mike had a story - with only a little creatrive licence l'm sure !

Getting a look at places like The Whitehouse, Capitol Hill, Lincoln Memorial and the many war memorials was a great experience and one that will stay with me forever.
Museums are everywhere and one would need several days to do them justice. The Holocaust Museum alone took 3 hours and that was even rushing it.

Monday though is the start of two days with eleven meetings with nineteen people, on a range of topics from Farm Bill to environment and views on trade.

Had a great morning at the New Zealand Embassy discussing a range of topics, and with the latest Farm Bill proposals having been rejected by the House, gave the scholars an opportunity to get a good understanding of how it actually works and what it means to US. agriculture.
Representatives at the Embassy included;
Jason  Frost   on market access.
Rowena Hume,Trade and Economics.
Terry Meikle, Beef & Lamb NZ.
Dr Chris Parker,  Australian Embassy.
Fiona Hutchinson, Fonterra.

Special thanks to the Embassy for the sausage rolls and the lamingtons ! Beautiful.... even the Aussies in the group were complimentary !

 Day two was spent at the American Farm Bureau with both Senate staff and House staff along with Crop Life, Farm Bureau and Senior Policy staff.
80% of the funding involved in the Farm Bill is actually social security payments and isn't really coupled to agriculture and many would like to see this change but will be a long process.

TPP was discussed at length throughout the two days with a variety of views from the different offices, with the US. looking to take advantage of the TPP to enhance its relationship with Japan. It does seem though that the US. believes they can make the rules rather than be part of the negotiations with the other countries involved.

After a full on day like that it would be good to relax for a bit, but that will be eight hours on a plane to Amsterdam via Heathrow.
Flight is to leave at 10.30 pm but due to local storms,we sit on the tarmac for two hours.
The intention is to write this blog, however 10 minutes into the movie I select, I'm fast asleep for most of the trip.
Being now two hours behind schedule, time is tight in Heathrow with the connection to Amsterdam. Too tight in fact, one of the team is held up at security and doesn't make it onto the flight.
Another 3 hour wait while he catches up and we jump on a train to meet the Netherlands host, Djuke van der Maat and Tafi Manjala, another 2013 NZ Nuffield Scholar who will spend a couple of days with us.