I see that in a move reminiscent of the Minister for Hardship sketch featured in Hall’s Pictorial Weekly, the Dutch have filled their farm minister vacancy with their minister for poverty.

Outgoing ag minister Henk Staghouwer threw in the towel this week, conceding that he was the “wrong man for the job” in his resignation announcement.

As Minister for Poverty Carola Schouten temporarily fills the gap while a successor is found, I am sure farmers will be wondering if her brief is a warning of times to come.

Staghouwer was due to present further plans on tightening up nitrates rules in the Netherlands as its derogation comes under ever-increasing scrutiny from Brussels.

He also spent the summer under huge pressure to slash ammonia emissions coming from farms.

Farmer readers of a younger generation to that of The Dealer not yet familiar with misery of Hall’s sketches could soon find themselves on a steep learning curve if, like the Netherlands, our own derogation comes under pressure.

One wonders if a farm poverty portfolio will be added to the positions up for grabs in Ag House in December’s Cabinet shakeup.