Agricultural Working Group
The Lânboukundich Wurkferbân (Agricultural Working Group) organises regular meetings, usually at the Fries Landbouwmuseum in Leeuwarden (Goutum), and excursions on agronomic issues of the past and present. The aim of these activities is to share (scientific) knowledge with a wide audience.
The second half of the 20th century saw many changes in agriculture. The number of people earning a living in agriculture has declined. Nevertheless, today agriculture still occupies an important position in terms of employment in Fryslân. Agriculture is also increasingly involved in issues such as spatial planning, environment, nature, landscape and tourism. Issues such as biotechnology and genetic modification touch on ethics. All these topics are covered in the meetings of the Lânboukundich Wurkferbân.
Founding year
1941
Board and contact
Chair: Truus Steenbruggen (e-mail)
Secretary: Frans Ettema
Board members: Jacob Heida, Reinder Schaap, Goffe Jensma, Nynke Dijkstra
Excursion to Veen Innovatie Polder Hegewarren
Sneon 30 maaie 2026
Join us on a cycling excursion through the Frisian peat meadow area! On Saturday 30 May, the Agricultural Working Group, in collaboration with the Frisian Environmental Federation, has organised a visit to the Veen Innovatie Polder Hegewarren in Oudega (Sm.) and you are warmly invited! The Stichting VIP-Hegewarren manages two farming systems in the polder: a nature-based dairy farm and a peatland water management farm. The farms facilitate research and innovation through projects focusing on issues in the peat meadow area. And they’d love to tell you all about it.
Time: 13:00 – 15:00
Location: Hegewarren 15, Oudega / Oudega (Sm)
Admission: Free if you bring your own bike; a hire bike costs €8.
You can register via the Fries Landbouwmuseum
In the media
The meetings or the invited speakers of the Agricultural Working Group are regularly featured in the media.
- “Veenweide was vroeger een zaak van boer en lokale politiek. Nu bemoeit iedereen zich ermee” an interview with Mark Raat in the Leeuwarder Courant. Raat obtained his PhD at the Fryske Akademy and discusses his research in the article following his presentation at the Agricultural Working Group on 20 February 2026. Read the article here
- Ina Koostra Vogel wrote an article in De Veldpost about the meeting on 20 February 2026: “Lessen trekken uit verleden in besluitvorming Veenweidegebied”. Read the article here
- A brief report on the meeting of 16 January 2026 with Frits van der Schans and Kasper van Benthem can be found on the LinkedIn page of the Fries Landbouwmuseum. Read the article here
- Rob van Lint, chair of the CTGB, spoke about their working methods and the tension between the use of agricultural inputs and issues such as food safety, food security and environmental protection. Also present at the debate were: Jan Roelsma (Wetterskip Fryslân) and Nicolette Quaedvlieg (GroentenFruit Huis). The Leeuwarder Courant conducted an interview with Rob van Lint following the meeting. Read the article here
Agenda
In the winter season 2025-2026, the Wurkferbân is organising a series of lectures.
Saturday 30 May 2026 ‘VIP Hegewarren Excursion’
On Saturday 30 May, the Agricultural Working Group, together with the Frisian Environmental Federation, has organised a visit to the Veen Innovatie Polder Hegewarren in Oudega (Sm.) and you are warmly invited! The VIP-Hegewarren Foundation manages two farming systems in the polder: a nature-based dairy farm and a peatland water management farm. The farms facilitate research and innovation through projects focusing on issues in the peat meadow area. And they would love to tell you all about it. You can register via the Friesland Agricultural Museum. The excursion on Saturday 30 May runs from 13:00 to 15:00. Admission is free if you bring your own bike; a hire bike costs €8.
The location is Hegewarren 15, Oudega / Oudega (Sm).
Click here for the full programme of 2025-2026
Earlier in the season:
Friday, 20 February 2026 “The history of the Frisian peat meadow area”
Mark Raat, PhD candidate at the Fryske Akademy, talked about his research into historical decision-making regarding the Frisian peat meadow area (ca. 1600-1970). Geart Benedictus, agricultural representative in the “Bestjoerlik Oerlis Feangreide” also participated in the debate.
Friday 16 January 2026 "Not everything is possible everywhere, according to Johan Remkes" (NL)
Frits van der Schans, senior advisor at the Centre for Agriculture and the Environment (CLM), offered his view on this motto, emphasising what is possible and what this means for the spatial use of agriculture in the northern Netherlands and Fryslân in particular. Also participating in the debate was Kasper van Benthem, dairy farmer in Broek (Joure).
Friday, 28 November 2025 “Myths and facts about plant protection products”
Rob van Lint, chair of the Board for the Authorisation of Plant Protection Products and Biocides (CTGB), discussed their working methods and the tension between the use of these products and issues such as food safety, food security and environmental protection. Also present at the debate were: Jan Roelsma (Wetterskip Fryslân) and Nicolette Quaedvlieg (GroentenFruit Huis).