Moving from the Netherlands to Canada & the United States (18)

[@wernerfleischer4436]

Hi Piet, I came to this country in 1962 as a refugee from east Germany with 100 $ and 20 words of English. The smartest ding i ever did.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

I imagine that was an unforgettable experience. I'm glad you made it here!

[@saskdutchkid]

Very good explanation!! 👍🏻👍🏻 keep the videos coming!

[@evelienevandenouweland6719]

Hey my family immigrated to Canada in 2002. Probably the same age as you guys would have been My family started a chicken farm and milking goat farm here. I am now married to dairy farmer in Ontario. We enjoy your channel!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thanks for watching!

[@littledude5311]

We lived in the Netherlands in the mid 80’s. Enjoyed the 3 years we had there. The Dutch are hard working, determined people. Your parents reflect this.

[@NextLevelFarmerDotCom]

I am glad you came to the United States. It is a blessing that you share so many helpful insights on managing a dairy operation. You are the first immigrant to the United States in the last 20 years that I have run across who has expressed a desire to be a citizen of the United States of America and has had a lump in their throat saying how important it was to them to be a part of America.

[@briancathell9988]

That’s an awesome story brother! Goes to show, anything is possible with hard work and determination. Thanks for sharing

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thanks for watching!

[@uhohspagettioh97531]

Glad to have you here! Nice farm

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@michaelcaputo3648]

Thanks Piet it's nice to hear your family history!

[@Fem1989]

Nice video Piet! You and your familie made big steps! 🐄.. greeting from a dairy farmer in holland

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@TexasSteelDoors]

Hallo Piet , I was born in south holland in 1985 and came to Texas in 1996 spend my life doing carpentry and construction but as of last year January we are doing soil injection with high nutrient mud/sludge in the same manner as you guys do with manure pumping …love the videos

[@mishingraceag]

Great info. At the 10min mark, you talk about your uncle still farming in Canada, it would be nice to compare numbers between their Canadian dairy and your american dairy.

[@rothfarms]

The people don’t know how great the US is! Awesome story! Mine came in 1886 😊🎉❤

[@johnleden1909]

Welcome to the USA! They should have rolled out the red carpet for you and all your family. So good to have you here!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you, we're happy to be here!

[@donaldfoltz4649]

Very interesting and glad you decided to try the U S, hope it continues to work well for you and your family.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@margaretporkolab7166]

What a wonderful venture you had throughout your years. I found it amazing on how the government is in the lives of people in the diary industry. As Canadian I welcome you to Canada but now I have to say sorry to see you go. Best wishes to your venture. I was a mix farmer but didn't have much to deal with dairy. We did have a milk cows which was Guernsey and a Jersey plus a Holstein cross. I do mess that fresh milk and butter. Not to mention ice cream.

[@markam306]

You and your family are making great Americans. Glad you came.

[@paduvonGhendt]

That has been an adventure! Thanks for sharing! Love it!

[@stevenmens5479]

Thank you for the great video and answering questions! I'm glad it worked out so well for your family! Congrats with the citizenship! Living the dream! I wanted to immigrate to Canada since I was a kid. I experienced a lot of the challenges you have to overcome as a new immigrant in the past 8 months. After watching your video I now realise that it's challenging for everyone making that change. As long as you keep your eyes on your goals it seems to work out pretty good so far. I'm thinking about the States as well but those farms looked a bit overwhelming to me at first sight, but getting used to that is getting better with time. Thanks for another inspiring video! Keep up the good work!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

There are a lot of challenges, but also many opportunities! I hope things work out good for you. Thanks for watching!

[@harmenting4831]

Wij zijn in 1998 geïmmigreerd van Drenthe naar Winkler Manitoba ongeveer 4 uurtjes noord van jullie. Wij zijn hier als varkens boer gekomen. Had niet eerder jouw KZbin channel gezien. Heel interessant hoe jullie daar bezig zijn. Mooie boerderij 👍 als ik in de buurt kom zou ik graag een lekker stuk kaas bij jullie willen kopen.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Dank je wel! Dat is niet ver van ons vandaan! Je bent welkom om en keer langs te komen.

[@davidkimmel4216]

Thank you for sharing your family with us. Congratulations on being a US Citizen. Love have You and Your family being part of our Wonderful Country. 🎊 Thank You 👍

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@sparhawkable]

Welcome! Glad you are here farming.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@patrickaherne3598]

Great story. Folks have no idea how hard and how expensive it is to come to America the legal way.

[@colinhepworth7920]

Your right! I moved to the USA from England and it's not just the money, although that is bad enough but the amount of paperwork, interviews and the time involved, not months but years, Piet said it was about 12 years for him, I'm about 5 years in so far!

[@marckemp1667]

nice videos, interesting to watch from the Netherlands. as a farmer's son also completed an internship in Albera. attracts me to look beyond staying in the Netherlands. Cool to see how you farmers in a completely different country / regulations

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thanks for watching!

[@DLKHAY]

someone else asked and you answered my question, i am 35 miles east of edmonton

[@jillesboer]

Nice story, video Piet

[@johnnydale6515]

We would love to have guys like you in South Africa/ Western Cape ,best of luck to you and your family in the USA .

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@gethinjones1348]

Interesting video Piet!, just found your channel so looking forward to more videos! 👍🏻

[@bhoola123]

Wow, thanks for sharing all that interesting information with your followers. Great to have you hear in United States. I am an immigrant too, married to an American, now have two beautiful teenagers. I was in Dan Hag, Netherlands in 1991, also visited Noter Dame as well. Have a friend there.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thanks for watching!

[@jamesryan9206]

Very interesting first time I ever heard the process. Thank you

[@cynthiaclouse4596]

Thanks again!❤

[@welike2film4you]

I too have heard of Dutch dairy emigration and find it fascinating that some people can just up and move farms. Here in Norway the bond between the family farm and the family is in most cases so strong I could not foresee that. Anyways, I know about a few Dutch immigrants running dairy farms here. Though they have most likely downsized from their original farms, now milking 30-60 cows. Do you or your parents know of others who moved to Scandinavia instead of US/CA?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

It was tough for my parents to sell the family farm, but they saw it as the only way to give future generations the chance to farm. I don't know any personally, but some immigrated to Denmark instead of going overseas.

[@corgraveland4874]

Thanks Piet, informative video with lots of detail. What a journey by you family from the NL, via Canada finally to the US !

[@johndeere5494]

Just found your channel. Cool videos. Nice big farm. Love seeing all the infrastructure and how your land lays out. Everything and anything about your farm. Keep them coming

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@MarylandDroneMedia]

Amazing story!

[@AgroMaxxxYouTube]

Greetings from Poland

[@martinprochaska870]

Great story!

[@HansHerrijgers]

Mooi om te zien ! Hellegatweg.

[@jimzoesch5799]

Nice video and great information. Thanks for sharing.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@warehouseman6325]

Awesome. Congratulations

[@calpeters2818]

Another excellent video with great history of your family, their move to Canada and then to USA.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@rollandschmidt8770]

Great to hear your background..very interesting 👍 Being a new viewer..how many cows do have? Keep up the good work. Very informative.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you! We are milking 1600 cows, in total we have 3000 cows, heifers and calves on the farm.

[@bryanhubner9848]

Great story and accomplishments for you and your family. Congratulations on your citizenship. Maybe it’s in another video as I’m new to your channel but is your wife from the U.S? Not important just curious. Thanks for your time to prepare and share this.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you! Yes my wife is from the US.

[@jameslesliejr.5636]

Great story ! 👍

[@patrickburgmeier7902]

Piet my brother in law is from Utrecht Netherlands. It's a small world. He still travels home 3 or 4 times a year for his employer. He works for a turkey equipment company call Novateck here in Central Minnesota. God bless PS have you thought of putting in a digester for your manure, to make bio gas to run a generator that makes electricity to sell on the power grid?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

That's something we are looking into, but no immediate plans.

[@WayneBrown-YYC]

Great Videos & Story - Enjoying Your content - another Video You mentioned explaining more of the barns on a tour - Drone shots were Great - could You screen shot one of the drone videos and label the barns etc - kind of a little map to follow along -all the Best

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you! That's a good idea.

[@colinhepworth7920]

I'm enjoying watching the video's, Also, congratulations on becoming a US citizen! I moved here from England a few years ago where I still have a small farm my son manages. At the moment I am a permeant resident here, happily married to a US citizen and living in Wisconsin near the farm my wife inherited (which we rent out). As I am in my mid-sixties, I may not become a US citizen, I don't need to tell you about the costs! but we'll see. Looking at the drone footage of your farm I can see your Dutch heritage, the farm is so clean, tidy and organized it is a credit to you, that is the one thing I noticed on many flights between Teesside, UK and Schiphol is how tidy and cared for the Netherlands is, it's a very nice country and great people. You mentioned tours of your farm, some time it would be interesting to join one of them, but when it's warmer than it is at the moment!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you for watching! I appreciate the comment, we take a lot of pride in keeping the farm clean and tidy.

[@thomasforbes8904]

Just found your video and it's very interesting I'm from Ireland

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@yurizhivago4848]

Out of curiosity in which Province did you farm in Canada? I am in Manitoba. Quebec has a lot of dairy but the Prairie provinces are a lot more beef cows. There are only 38 million of us in a HUGE country so we tend to specialize our areas a lot. I remember hearing some horror stories of milk overproduction in the US years ago and they had to dump it on the ground or use it for pigs so I imagine there are Pros and Cons to it. Canada is pretty conservative in everything we do and not as much free market as the US which has Pros and Cons but it is what it is.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We were in Alberta, near Edmonton. Each system has its pros and cons, the quota system can be difficult for a farm to manage at times and ties up a large amount of capital but the pay price is very consistent.

[@yurizhivago4848]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 Yeah I admire how large farmers and ranchers can manage the huge input costs for seed/fuel etc and financing their equipment. I imagine the quota system means if you are short of milk you have to buy it from another source just like fulfilling a grain contract or pay a large penalty. Check out Mike Mitchell farms on You Tube if you want to see a huge Saskatchewan grain farm. They just bought a 670 hp Fendt and run 4 huge 82 foot Bourgault air seeders and seed carts. They had a 1000 head feed lot years ago also. BIG time farming. You operation is huge also and I admire your success.

[@beltedcowz]

Welcome to the USA good to Jane you here

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@didibrant7326]

Do you think many of the 3000 Dutch farmers who had to give up their farms this past year may be moving to the US also. Wish some visboeren would come too and prepare some good herring. Yes, former Hagenaares ( or ...in?) . Immigrant from 1959. BTW, in 1969 it was so easy, quick, and costless to become a citizen. Congrats on yours.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

I would expect some to relocate to other countries. Thank you!

[@fossiing6092]

Hi Piet How do you handle the price fluctuation. Here in Germany it is still a huge problem for smaller - mid size firms after the quota disappeared? Thanks for sharing the history of the farm/family

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

There are a few different options we have to reduce risk, ill discuss this in Sundays video.

[@oghuzkhan5117]

In Netherlands majority of dairy farmers has english reygrass. For example: 75 hectar of land ...that would be 50 hectar of reygrass and 25 hectar of maise

[@hansgrehoner9847]

in the 90th a lot of dutch farmers immigrated to eastern germany.

[@Michael-8903]

Piet you should get in touch with Zach johnson aka Millennial farmer. He is going to do a road trip and visit other farmers

[@rgw3629]

Very good history on your family. And congratulations on becoming a US citizen👍🏻

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you!

[@erwinraaben55]

Great history lesson :D

[@tedferry408]

Thanks for store on coming to the USA.

[@BRPFan]

Awesome video! I am a Canadian and was wondering why you moved but yes the quanta is very pricy for sure! I live 3 hours North of you in South Central Manitoba. Which Province did you live in? Looking forward to watching more of your videos, I just found your channel. All the best!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thank you! We lived in Alberta, about 45 minutes Southwest of Edmonton.

[@BRPFan]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 Oh right on! It’s a nice area! I have family living in Edmonton and some in small towns South and North of Edmonton.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Yes, it is a nice area.

[@ronaldwang8119]

You must have had pockets full of dollars when you were making all of these moves. When I watch your videos ,I see a beautiful dairy, nice equipment, nice land ect. As a seasoned dairyman myself I know firsthand what this costs. The average viewer has no idea of the millions of dollars they are looking at and what it takes to operate this business. Maybe in future videos you can talk about some of these topics.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We were able to sell our farms in the Netherlands and Canada when we moved each time and reinvest the proceeds into building our new farms. We haven't had any outside investors, but we do work closely with our local bank.

[@jimzoesch5799]

Welcome to America.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Thanks!

[@hayman1971]

there is still some quota's in parts of the USA. Parts of Illinois for sure!

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Some processors have implemented a type of supply management system here as well.

[@boerauke]

nice explanation!. Where did u live in the Netherlands?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We lived in Rijsbergen, it's near the Belgian border.

[@janwoutervannoord4352]

Did you guys live in Calmar Aberta?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Yes we did.

[@ekv9868]

Wat een leuke video kan je nog Nederlands? Groeten uit Friesland

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Dank je wel! Ja wij praten thuis nog Nederlands.

[@DairyfarmMeindertsma]

April 2015 the milk quota disappeared but two months later phosphate quota came back. The government and media like to see us leave, so be happy you guys left and it sure looks like you are.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

It was a risk, but I'm glad we are here now.

[@Michael-8903]

In 2015, quotas in Europe disappeared.

[@ldplitewytransport2881]

Do have any links to lawyer you used to get visas

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We had a lawyer out of Fargo, ND help with our visas. Gokey law was the name I believe.

[@tunintunin3417]

Government is not the solution, government is the problem.

[@jung_landwirt7875]

Hi Mister Bedaf, congratulations to your Citizenship and thanks for your answers. I have some more questions. Are there a lot of taxes to pay if you sell a farm and emigrate to an other Country? For example if you do this in Germany you have to pay round 50 % tax.... thats a lot. My interesset is how much is it in the Netherlands because it sounds like there are a lot of farmers who emigrate with the same reasons as you. Greatings from Bavaria jung_landwirt

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

50% is a lot! There would have been taxes paid when we left the Netherlands and when we left Canada, but I'll have to get back to you on how much that was.

[@jung_landwirt7875]

That is the German tax law. High Taxes and pritty heavy to understand. And it gets allways more worse and not only the tax law.That is the reason that i visited Canada in 2020 as a trainee. By lucky that you are away from europe.

[@tatoo4612]

Can you please tell me how you move to Canada from Nederland

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

What would you like to know in particular?

[@jonym45]

Where did you farm in Canada?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Near Edmonton Alberta.

[@thenortherndairyman2566]

What province is the farm in Canada in, I’m in Manitoba

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We farmed in Alberta, about 45 minutes southwest of Edmonton.

[@thenortherndairyman2566]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 just seen your last comment on other video! Yes makes sense we’re almost in same boat now….

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

@@thenortherndairyman2566 I have enjoyed watching your videos, very interesting seeing how things work with robots!

[@thenortherndairyman2566]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 would you ever consider milking by robots? There’s a dairy milking with 20 robots 2 hrs from me 1100 cows really impressive how they make things flow for a large dairy

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

@@thenortherndairyman2566 we would strongly consider it when our parlor gets to be in need of major upgrades.

[@koryleague8833]

Great story. At first I thought you might be the family that immigrated then when the kid go old enough the dad was gonna be deported because of some loop hole

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

That would not be good!

[@koryleague8833]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 but let me say welcome to America.

[@paul-andregravelle]

Where in Canada?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

In Alberta, about 45 minutes outside of Edmonton.

[@goedbezig3268]

Hoi Piet. Werken je ouders en zus ook nog op het bedrijf

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Ja, mij ouders werken ook nog op de boerderij. Mij zus maakt en verkoopt gelato en goudse kaas van en klein deel van onze melk.

[@goedbezig3268]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 ik ben toch ma klein boerke met me 100koeie aan de melk

[@martindavis9930]

Give me your dairy quota...ed Dutchmen yearning to milk freely...

[@jpp37229]

Can you still speak Dutch? (kan je nog steeds Nederlands praten?)

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Ja, ik praat meestal nog Nederlands met mijn vader en moeder.

[@jpp37229]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 leuk om te horen

[@happyperson3862]

👍🙏👍

[@misterhipster9509]

Really shines a light on how perverted things are @ this time.

[@lesmewis5291]

You should check your own history during the second world war. Your country was nearly starved to death. Canada has managed quotas to assure we are never at the mercy of foreign supply.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

During ww2 the Netherlands was occupied by the nazis. I don't believe a quota system would have had much success in securing the countries food supplies during that time. The Netherlands, Canada and the US are all net exporters of milk products, the Netherlands and the US being among the top milk product exporting countries in the world. I'm just sharing my families personal reasons for moving to the US, not advocating for or against a quota system.

[@ryanciest359]

Is your wife from the United States?

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Yes, she is.

[@rothfarms]

And how do you feel about the alien invasion in America 🇺🇸 when you had to go through 12 years as a productive member of society? You don’t have to respond i probably know that answer. Sad how America is being invaded and destroyed. Where would go next? ❤🎉😊

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

We're not planning on moving anytime soon. Many of those coming to America are looking for a better life for themselves and their families, I can relate to that.

[@kiwifarmer7254]

where did you come from in the netherlands

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

Near the southern border with Belgium, Rijbergen was the town we lived close to.

[@keesrombouts1999]

@@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047 Ok thanks for the reply. But did you mean Rijsbergen which is not far from the Belgium border? I come from Kaatsheuvel (Efteling) which is not too far from there.

[@pietvanbedaf-nddairyfarmer9047]

@@keesrombouts1999 yes Rijsbergen, my mistake