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Farming insider: René Vermue, Netherlands

About René

Born and raised on his family´s farm, René Vermue developed a passion for farming at a very early age. Having gained a degree in agriculture, he now lives with his wife Carolien and their three children Merel, Jasper and Thijs on the farm his family have owned for generations in the Dutch village of Arendskerke. When he´s not out and about in the fields, he likes to expend his energy on a mountain bike or out hunting.

Farm facts

Family-owned: since 1911. The farm is located in Zeeland province

Farm size: 50 hectares

Cultivated crops: Sugar beet, sweetcorn, onions, grass seed, catch crops

Features Buildings and cultivation dating back more than 1,000 years

Tradition Every year the farm begins its onion harvest on René Vermue´s birthday, June 22. The variety cultivated is Troy.

Team spirit and reliability are hugely important in both my personal life and my working life – be it with colleagues, employees, or other farmers.
René Vermue, Arendskerke

Question time

Why did you decide to become a farmer – and can you picture yourself doing anything?

The way of life, this feeling of freedom – I would never have wanted to do anything else, and the fact that we produce foodstuffs as a result of it all makes it the ideal combination. Sitting in an office for 40 hours a week wouldn't suit me at all. Being a farmer is my way of life, my passion.

What do you associate with independence?

Independence means a great deal to me. With all the state-imposed rules and regulations, it's not as simple as it used to be, but we can choose which crops we want to grow and can sell to anyone who is interested. I’m able to use my time as I see fit, doing what I want when I want. That's what independence and freedom are all about!

How important are respect and appreciation for you, both in your personal and your working life?

Having respect for one another is a value that's hugely important to me – but that also includes having respect for plants and the foodstuffs we produce from them. An appreciation of what we do and our wholeness with nature!

How do you approach innovations and new technologies?

I'm very interested in them. I go to study group meetings, attend exhibitions and field days, and apply the theory in practice where and when I can. I'm always thinking about new and creative solutions.

Paving the way. For a fruitful tomorrow.

Farm life is often characterized by family cohesion and traditions that have grown over decades. Around the world, many generations live and work on farms under one roof, and at some point the question of farm succession comes up. Our new Farmer Portraits focus on this generational change that many farmers are facing. Young and old alike - we visited farmers on their farms to have them tell us about their stories, their challenges and their hopes.

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Todd, Jared and Cole Vis, USA

“My wish for the future of the family farm is that it will still be run well in the fifth, sixth, and seventh generation.”

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Arco Van Triest, Netherlands

“This farm has been running since 1900, and now my children are here.“

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Adem Biçici, Turkey

“When I go out into the fields with my grandson, I see myself reflected in his curiosity.“

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Brian Ryberg, USA

“I think the feeling of being part of something greater has always been important to me.“

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Šandor Sabo junior, Croatia

“Whatever problems we are facing, we solve them together. For me, family is all about cohesion.“

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Atila Sabo, Croatia

“Every morning, my brother and I agree what we want to do during the day, what our duties are. So we share the work and have passed on this structure to our children in the same way.“

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Carla, Fábio and José Rossato, Brazil

“I never had any doubts; I never wanted to be anything but a farmer.”

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Dimitar Vukudinov, Bulgaria

”Working with your own father means that you always have a wiser man with you to support you and look up to.”

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Rodolfo Cura, Argentina

“The farm is everything to me. Working in agriculture is the greatest way to do what I love. For me, the farm means freedom.”

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Heidi Verschelde, Belgium

"I think the next generation is showing a keen sense for the importance of nature."

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Ievhenii Bondarchuk, Ukraine

"If you want to be a farmer, you can’t learn that in an institute. It’s something you have to be born with."

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Luigi Torri, Italy

“I hope my sons will pass on the love and respect for the earth and all the values I taught them.”

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Paweł Strzemiecki, Poland

“This love of farming, of the farming tradition, goes back generations in our family.”

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Emma F., UK

“It would be great if one day the sixth or seventh generation of our family runs the farm.“

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Peter Carlisle, UK

“Teamwork is the most important thing on our farm. Everyone does a little bit of everything. If we weren't a team, our business wouldn't be as successful as it is today.“

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Henning & Arne Beecken, Germany

“The feeling of wanting to continue the work on the farm has grown day by day since childhood.“

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Emanuele Bortoli, Italy

“Reliability and respect form the foundation for how we deal with one another. These are values I`ve always held in high esteem.“

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Francis Bapst, Switzerland

“For me, the most important values are respect for nature, understanding our consumers and food production.”

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Toni & Daniel Peterhans, Switzerland

”Spirit and passion are what leads to success, whether it's in farming or on the football pitch.”

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Riccardo Casarotto, Italy

”Independence is a dream that we should all cultivate and pursue. Dreams are there to come true and to help you progress.”

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Stephan Jansen, Belgium

”I look forward to waking up every day and being able to work with nature.”

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Gizem Anar, Turkey

”People should love what they do, and I love farming. I enjoy looking after animals, plants and nature and try to feel connected to them!.”

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Adrian Knuchel, Switzerland

”For me, team spirit means being able to live and work together. It means ongoing exchange, taking each other, mutual ideas and suggestions seriously.”

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Gürkan Ilhan, Turkey

”People who work in agriculture, cultivating crops, rearing livestock and working on the land, accumulate positive memories day after day.”

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René Vermue, Netherlands

”Team spirit and reliability are hugely important in both my personal life and my working life – be it with colleagues, employees, or in dealings with other farmers.”

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Henrick Dieckmann, Germany

”For me, it´s important to be sustainable and healthy in what we produce.”

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