b'season. While these seasons meant constant change during thethe farming and countryside virus quite early in life. Describing it year, not only in terms of weather but also with regards to thetoday as deeply rooted is probably a fitting picture. I observed organization of work on the farm and in the family, you also havewhat my father did and talked about, heard and saw what gen-this natural and ever-returning rhythm of growing and harvest- erations before had done: improving soil, managing water and ing. Maybe that is one explanation for the stability I always feltestablishing woodlands. To me, it has always felt more a natural surrounding me, despite all the political, economic and societaldevelopment rather than a conscious choice to see myself as changes that today seem so clear and present when historianspart of a continuity, to feel and take a personal responsibil-look back and reflect on the 70s and 80s of the last century. Theity for preserving, further developing and, one day, passing on other, for sure, being my family. My parents, my two youngerwhat was entrusted to me by my ancestors. What then was sisters, but also the many relatives that all lived nearby and ofa conscious and logical decision was to study agriculture at whom again many were either farming themselves or had closeGttingen University, a decision much supported by my parents links to agriculture. who always stressed the need to learn as much as you can in whatever area of choice, not only to truly understand and build ES: Society and school education has changed a lot overup expertise but foremost to broaden your horizon and, conse-the past decades. What do you think it is that childrenquently, open up wide opportunities. nowadays are missing compared to the old days as regards knowledge or at least awareness of foodES: How did you take an interest in the EU policy production? bubble?GvE: I dont think it is only the children. The lack of exposure toGvE: I have always been interested in history and politics. At practical farming, lack of understanding its importance for socie- school, these were my favorite subjects. And I had good teachers ties and its manifold challenges, all that is already very broadlywho motivated me to read beyond the regular curriculum and present in most of our European societies. For decades, therelook at the socio-economic background of historical and politi-has been a continuous growth of our urban population while thecal developments. This usually led to quite combative debates number of people involved in farming has shrunk dramatically.as we favored quite different authors and, consequently, theo-What you dont see and dont experience, you dont understand.ries and conclusions. I wasand actually still amfascinated And makes it much easier to decide to ignore or even oppose.by Friedrich August von Hayeks piece on Law, Legislation, and Many people never actually see practical farming happen aroundLiberty, by Locke, Hobbes and Rousseau and their writings about them. If the one cow children know is the pink one of the choco- the natural order and the social contract of free individuals. All late advertisements that apparently lives healthily forever, happilythat probably explains a bit why in my later studies I specialized grazes meadows full of flowers and never produces a bad smell,on agricultural politics, law and economics.thats probably one part of the explanation of the growing divide in our modern societies. The way farming is often portrayed,ES: But thats still quite far away from where you are not least by the food industry, doesnt match reality. And whentoday, isnt it?people realize that, there is a certain feeling of disappointment,GvE: True. Honestly, I never imagined, let alone planned, to end even betrayal, and consequently a lasting lack of trust. up in Brussels. Actually, at the time, I rather saw myself some-where in the Ministry for Agriculture in Bonn or in my region, ES: Garlich, lets imagine you could teach a class full ofin Hannover. But then I did my final thesis on the EUsor the children. What would you tell them?EECs at the timestructural policies and measures in agricul-GvE: Not sure I would make a good teacher. But I think takingture, starting with Sicco Mansholt and stretching to the reforms kids to farms is probably the best way to start growing thatof the 1980s. I did interviews with people at the Directorate for awareness, making them curious about where our foods comeAgriculture in Brussels and was pointed to the possibility of a from, how and by whom they are produced, from milk to potatotraineeship with the Commission. Well, thats how it started. I and from steak to lettuce, and how difficult and sometimesgot hooked. I worked for the Commission, then for a regional unpredictable that actually is. I know that there are initiativesoffice, specialized further in European political and administrative and programs like this ongoing. But I also know of cases wheresciences with a Master program at the College of Europe, and children werent allowed to go because their parents despisedfinally worked at the European Parliament for a number of years. modern farming and didnt want this view to be challengedTo me, the logical next step was to work with rather than within through school education. I think that shows how difficult itthe institutions. And when I was offered the chance to establish actually is to start building up a new relationship, based on morea new Brussels office for the European seed sector, that was practical knowledge and consequently better understanding. an almost ideal opportunity to combine my EU expertise with my agricultural background and experience. And to truly build ES: How do you think your early years have influencedsomething new and leave my mark on it. When I started, there your further career choices?were still four different EU level organizations, and a loose group GvE: Without realizing it at the time, of course, I probably gotof vegetable companies, all with very different structures, ideas OCTOBER 2019SEEDWORLD.COM /73'