Agriculture Collective breakfast with Rutte and Schouten

The Agricultural Collective will consult with Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten next Monday morning (December 16) about solutions in the nitrogen dossier. When asked, Aalt Dijkhuizen, chairman of the Agricultural Collective, said he would like to see 'decisions being made in this consultation.'

The consultation takes place in the form of breakfast. The invitation from the ministers follows a statement from the Agricultural Collective on Sunday. In it, the association of farmers' organizations announced that they felt they were being 'sidelined' by Schouten, because there had been no consultation with the minister for a week. While Schouten did announce the necessary legislation last week and stated in the media that he was still 'in talks with farmers.'

The need is high
Dijkhuizen says that he is happy with the invitation, but would like to add butter to the fish in the consultation. "As the Agricultural Collective, we are certainly not going into the conversation to catch up. We want the cabinet to adopt the solutions we have proposed for the nitrogen impasse. The need is great, the pressure is great."

Rumors are being reported in various media that the cabinet will not come up with a nitrogen plan until the end of January 2020, which also includes the agricultural chapter. A solution before Christmas seems unfeasible, because the four parties within the coalition are far from on the same page. According to the reports, D66 continues to aim for a halving of the livestock, while VVD and CDA do not want agricultural companies to be forced to stop.

Don't simmer too long
Farmers Defense Force is preparing a large-scale action for Wednesday 18 December. This will undoubtedly also be discussed next Monday morning. Aalt Dijkhuizen does not want to know anything about a postponement of the nitrogen measures by 1,5 months. "A plan at the end of January takes far too long. This should not simmer for too long. A solution must be found quickly for agriculture."

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