“Women are often the first to notice that the farm is not doing so well”

Hilde Vautmans began her career in local politics but quickly advanced to the national level. Since 2015, she serves in the European Parliament for the liberal Renew Europe group. Between 2011 and 2015, she was also chairwoman of the Open VLD Women (Open VLD is a Belgian liberal party - red.). In her functions, whether local, national or European, she has alway been a fierce supporter of women and agriculture.

WiA: Where does your interest for agriculture come from, M. Vautmans?
Vautmans: "I grew up in the industry. My grandparents had a farm and my father was a cattle dealer. So I grew up among the cows, always being in the stables and in the fields. As a child and teenager, I helped where I could on the farm, going along to buy cows and bulls, cleaning stalls and brushing cows. I even bottle-raised a calf once, which I called Suzy. Farming is in my blood. Where I live now, in beautiful Sint-Truiden (a city in the province of Limburg, Belgium - red.) , I am surrounded by our agriculture. I do look at the sector in a different way now than I used to, I don't just see the work in the yard or in the barn, I see the impact of agriculture in other areas, such as nature, tourism and socio-economics. Without fruit farming, an important part of our region's agricultural sector, there would be remarkably less tourism, the interaction between nature and agriculture would be non-existent, and we would be in serious socioeconomic decline.

WiA: You have been an active member of the European Parliament for almost 10 years, what do you do for the agricultural sector in Europe?
Vautmans: As a member of the Agriculture Committee in the European Parliament, I am engaged daily in defending the interests of our farmers. This is not limited to committee meetings and endless chats in my office; I am also in daily contact with people in the field. Besides MEP, I am also first alderman in Sint-Truiden and responsible for agriculture and fruit growing. This allows me to stay in touch with what's at play un agriculture. Citizens often see politicians as people in an ivory tower. I really want to avoid that, my door is literally open to anyone who needs a chat, wants to share their reflections or pour their heart out. Because of those daily contacts, I know where the bottlenecks are since I hear them firsthand, not through filters of cabinet officials and policy makers. I still think that's the best way to do politics. By engaging with them, I can create policies tailored to our farmers.

Over the past few months, we have seen grim farmprotests all over Europe. In response to these protests, I took immediate action. In collaboration with our farmers, I drew up an action plan with a focus on administrative simplification, a better price for products and competitiveness for our farmers.

Our farmers' policies are decided at all policy levels. Therefore, I also like to facilitate contacts between our farmers and the Flemish or federal level. It is so important that we can solve problems together, so I like to make sure all levels are connected.

Finally, I also want to raise awareness among our citizens, make them understand how important our farmers are to us and thus reduce the gap between farmers and citizens. I am not talking about big media campaigns, but small actions. This is why I made the booklet "Boerentrots" (Farm Pride, red.) in which I highlight farmers from all over Flanders and their fantastic products. I want to encourage people to eat more local products. As an MEP, I am of course committed to my region, which makes sense, but I fully support similar projects in other regions. Local produce is something to be proud of, to enjoy locally, but also to share with other regions. A lot of pears are grown around my hometown. Much of it is destined for export. Following Russia's invasion of Crimea (Ukraine) in 2014 and the resulting sanctions, Russia responded by boycotting our pears. In response to that boycott, I wrote the booklet "Apples and Pears." This booklet includes dishes with our Haspengouw fruit. I hope it can be an inspiration for people to be more creative and eat more fruit.

WIA: Are there specific issues for women in the agricultural sector that you are committed to?
Vautmans: Our women farmers are invaluable, both within the agricultural sector and to the entire economy and community. As a female farmer, you have so many jobs: from taking care of the home to being a mom and an entrepreneur. Women run the farm alongside men, but are also often the first to notice that the farm is not doing so well. Therefore, when working on the European agricultural policy, I always try to make sure that the all voices are heard as representatives of our industry, not just men but women too.

The European Parliament is now calling for recognition of the important role of women in agriculture and rural areas. I emphasized that women often perform invisible tasks that are crucial to the functioning of the farm. I also advocate for greater appreciation and better conditions for women in agriculture, such as improving social status and facilitating access to credit and training. The disparity across Europe in terms of the latter is disappointing actually.

In Belgium, I fought hard for the status of working spouses and their right to a minimum pension. I worked closely with Federal Minister of Agriculture, David Clarinval and our Prime Minister, Alexander De Croo, on this.

Women in agriculture are so strong, this must be translated into European policies that support them and give them opportunities.

WiA: How have the agricultural sector and politics changed in the past 20 years?
Vautmans: Over the past two decades, the agricultural sector and politics have undergone profound changes. We have seen strong technological advances, such as the emergence of precision agriculture and digitization of the sector. These advances not only increased efficiency but also caused the gap between large and small farmers to widen. 

Politically, policy reforms, particularly within the EU's Common Agricultural Policy, have focused on sustainability and market orientation. Further globalization has linked the agricultural sector to global markets, while increasing attention to environmental issues has led to stricter regulations. These stricter regulations guarantee safe food for our citizens, but at the same time we must be careful not to put European farmers out of business by doing so.

Over the past 20 years, demographic changes, such as an aging population and decline in family businesses, have presented an additional challenge that must be taken into account. Many farmers in Europe and beyond do not have direct succession. In turn, start-ups in the sector are having difficulty finding land or the necessary capital. That's really something we need to focus on from a policy standpoint.

In short, the agricultural sector and politics face new challenges and opportunities amid an ever-changing landscape. Our job as policy makers is to make policy for our farmers. Policies that give them opportunities, give them room to innovate and do business, and ensure that everyone who wants to farm can farm.

WiA: How do you see the role of women in agriculture? Has it changed during your career?
Vautmans: The role of women in agriculture is essential. I have always said it, and I will continue to do so. That's why I advocate so hard for their empowerment and recognition.

These past few years, I noticed positive changes. There will be more equality and inclusion. Women who head farms are still in the large minority, with now about 29% of all European farms headed by a woman, but this is on the rise. I also see more and more women actively participating in decision-making processes.

This, of course, is supported in part by the growing recognition of the unique contributions women make to the sector, from managing businesses to promoting sustainable practices to strengthening communities.

That is why I am fighting even harder to strengthen women's rights in agriculture, by providing access to training or financial support for example. To strengthen women in agriculture is to strengthen agriculture as a whole.

We need our strong women if agriculture is to survive.

WiA: When was the last time you were on a farm yourself ?
Vautmans: As I mentioned earlier, I grew up in the industry, and still live among farmers. So I visit farms regularly, both for my job and privately. I try to keep going on visits in my role as a politician. On March 8, International Women's Day, I went to help farmer Anne Schuppen of Velm in the morning to feed her calves. Anne has a wonderful business passed down from mother to daughter. That's two generations of strong women on the farm! I think these are prime opportunities to put the spotlight on our women. If anyone deserves to be celebrated on International Women's Day, it is our amazing women farmers.

WiA: What needs improvement in agriculture, especially in terms of farmers' mental health?
Vautmans: Mental health is something we absolutely need to pay more attention to. Preferably as soon and as concretely as possible. First, better support and access to mental health services. Today, farmers have very often become isolated on their farms. Concerns are not shared but bottled up and there are dramas happening behind farm gates the world knows nothing about. I am glad that Flanders has initiatives like Boeren op een Kruispunt, an organisation that provides support to farmers in need in a way they can understand and manage. There are similar initiatives in other countries in Europe as well. However, I hear these organisations get more and more calls for help and that worries me. I want our farmers to farm without too much worry.

A big part of mental well-being among our farmers is unburdening. Sowing and planting without knowing whether you will make or lose money is part of the profession, but brings a lot of stress. We need to find a way for a better stability if we want to reduce that stress. Farmer(s) should receive fair prices for their products and legal security for loans. For both young farmers and women farmers, it can be harder to take out a loan. That has to change.

I would also like to see some change in our education. Girls are a minority in our agricultural and horticultural schools. We need to make these more attractive and accessible for girls so that they are motivated to pursue an education in agriculture. It's such a beautiful profession, often imparted from a young age. We need to encourage girls to get into agriculture.

Our women are truly strong and I will always let it be known just how strong they are.