Kees van Veen, director of Oogst van Groningen

De Oogst van Groningen officially kicked off on Thursday afternoon, January 22: a fund of €3.2 million for regional short supply chains. Food travels a short distance from farm to plate. “The initiative is a ‘breeding ground’ for innovative ideas that would otherwise never see the light of day,” says director Kees van Veen.

An interview with Kees van Veen in Dagblad van het Noorden.

Hello Kees van Veen, what do you want to achieve with the Oogst van Groningen?

“We want to see new food chains emerge that produce regionally and more sustainably. If more new products are made for and by the people of Groningen, we will have achieved our goal.”

New food chains from the region, what is the point of that?

"Our food system is ruled by a number of large, global markets. They do not supply enough of what we need, cause our landscape to suffer terribly, and put farmers in a difficult position. It is becoming increasingly important for our living environment and health to produce food in a more sustainable way. De Oogst van Groningen is a step in that direction."

Read the full article in Daglad van het Noorden (paywall).