Nederlandse Akkerbouw Vakbond (NAV)

About Nederlandse Akkerbouw Vakbond (NAV)

The Nederlandse Akkerbouw Vakbond (NAV) is an independent Dutch trade union and advocacy organization for arable farmers. Founded in 1993, it represents growers’ interests in policy debates, market conditions, and sector regulation, with a clear focus on securing a fair income for arable farms over the short and long term.

NAV positions itself as a sector-specific voice for arable farming, without concessions to other agricultural sectors. It works through a national board, regional structures, and thematic working groups, and it engages with policymakers, industry stakeholders, and the public on issues affecting the arable sector in the Netherlands and the EU.

Core Values

• Fair income: NAV’s central goal is stable farm-gate prices that stay structurally above cost price, with room for an entrepreneurial margin.
• Sector independence: The organization explicitly defends the pure arable-farming interest and presents itself as independent and sectoral.
• Economic and social sustainability: NAV links profitability with socially responsible production, including efficient use of inputs, careful soil stewardship, and reduced harmful emissions.
• Democratic member-driven governance: Positions are shaped through elected boards, regional structures, and member consultation, reflecting a bottom-up organizational culture.

Unique Aspects

• Founded as a response to dissatisfaction with existing representation: NAV was established on 2 June 1993 out of frustration with how arable farmers’ interests were being represented.
• Strong regional and thematic structure: The union combines six regions with thematic working groups, giving it a detailed internal structure for sector advocacy.
• Explicit focus on cost price plus margin: NAV consistently argues for prices that cover full cost price, including labor and capital, plus an entrepreneurial margin.
• Active role in crop-specific and policy dossiers: Its board and working groups cover topics such as potatoes, grains, plant protein, sugar, climate, crop protection, and market and price policy.
• Recent sector collaboration in the potato chain: In 2026, NAV joined with other grower organizations in a functional collaboration to strengthen the position of potato growers in the chain and create a stronger collective voice.