A reportage i made for a Dutch organic grocery store called ‘Marqt’. Marqt’s mission is to sell ethical food that is produced with respect for people, the environment and animals. The reportage supported an article that got into the aspects of policy and farming. Today’s policy makes it harder for farmers to find a successor.

Dick and Berdy had an ecological farm in The Netherlands. Almost 15 years ago they were one of the pioneers that tried to change the way meat is produced and gets distributed. They allowed costumers to pay a part of the pig in advance (crowd funding), when there where enough participants the meat goes directly to the costumer. Berdy and Dick found it important that the costumers knew the origin of their meat. They also made sure that the pigs lived a worthy live. They even won an award for the best ‘mud pool’ in the Netherlands. 

The farm was closed in 2017, because of a new policy it was no longer allowed to have multiple addresses and families to live on the same property. It is common amongst farmers to life together with different generations, but when Dick suffered health issues and his son and successor did not get permission to live with his family in one of the side building on the farm, they had to give up their dream.