'Nature organizations collect half of farmers' support'

Nature organizations Brabants Landschap and Natuurmonumenten have received several million euros in EU agricultural subsidies in recent years. That tax money from Brussels was actually intended as income support for tenant farmers. This reports Follow the Money.

The conservationists, who are also lessees, stipulated in 2015 that farmers who lease natural land should transfer half of the EU subsidies. Brabants Landschap has received €4 million in EU agricultural subsidies in 1,5 years, reports Follow the Money.

Natuurmonumenten does not keep track of how much EU money it has received via tenants, but based on data from Natuurmonumenten, Follow the Money calculated that it must be at least €1,3 million per year. "That could be," said Natuurmonumenten about that calculation. 

Transfer half of subsidies
The practice is permitted in a liberalized lease contract – although the Arnhem Lease Chamber decided at the end of 2018 that payment rights accrue to the lessee. The tenants themselves have agreed to the condition that they must transfer half of the subsidy. But farmers who spoke to Follow the Money said they saw no real choice. "If you protest too much, you just won't get the ground," says Dries van Rozen of tenants' union BLHB.

Natuurmonumenten defends the practice. "We cannot justify to our members and to nature for not renting out in line with the market. The market wants to pay for this." Brabants Landschap states that tenant and lessor both benefit from this method.

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