Antoon Kanis, student Economics and Policy
D66, 8th place, lives in Wageningen
Why?
The Provincial Council interests me more than the Municipal Council because it deals with more spatial planning issues. The province has a lot of say in agriculture and you can make a difference through decisions on licences and on regulations regarding businesses in nature areas, for example, or your neighbour expanding his pig farm.
What?
I’m a farmer’s son: I grew up on a dairy farm. That’s why I like to work on agriculture. If I am not elected – and I’ve got the most uncertain place, according to the polls – I would like to sit on a committee. Then you are allowed to be party spokesperson on a committee.
Aim?
I want to stand up for innovative agriculture, with the aim of making Gelderland a pioneer in the field of agricultural innovation. There are limits to growth. In order to keep up their incomes, some farmers work on upscaling and others introduce innovations to create added value and higher yields. People with new ideas need as few rules as possible getting in the way, and they need loans.
For Wageningen?
My candidacy shows that students want to make a contribution to society as well. It can make a difference that I know what is going on here, and that the line to the Provincial Council is getting shorter. But the main thing is that Wageningen and WUR should carry on their efforts to develop good, innovative ideas.
Photo: Guy Ackermans