LTO concludes nitrogen pact with nature organizations

LTO Nederland has drawn up a nitrogen plan with the nature organizations Natuurmonumenten and Natuur & Milieu and the business organizations VNO-NCW and Bouwend Nederland. It voorstel, which aims at an area-oriented approach, is more ambitious than the current Nitrogen Act. "We challenge the government to accelerate the reduction of nitrogen emissions," LTO said in a briefing to members.

The proposal will be submitted to the political parties for inclusion in the cabinet formation. According to LTO, the nitrogen plan offers farmers a future, nature is strengthened and it creates space for new economic developments. The makers in the plan call the area-oriented approach 'essential'. "After all, the nitrogen situation differs per area and can therefore only be solved locally, whereby relevant players, such as farmers and nature managers in the area, participate instead of being imposed from above."

LTO is also counting on more support for this plan among agricultural entrepreneurs, as can be read in the proposal 'A sustainable balance.'  Whether this is the case remains to be seen. When asked, John Spithoven, chairman of the Nitrogen Claim Foundation, will let you know whether LTO has been authorized to speak on behalf of all Dutch farmers and horticulturists. Farmers Defense Force is also questioning LTO's mandate. 

More ambitious plan
According to the makers, the nitrogen plan is more ambitious than the current nitrogen law, which was passed in the Senate last winter. Where the Nitrogen Act provides for a reduction of nitrogen emissions by 26% in 2030, the 6 organizations aim for a reduction of 40% (117 mol) in that year. Of these 117 moles, 20 moles are for agriculture, 20 moles for industry and 20 moles for construction. The remaining 117 mol is then for nature restoration, the organizations write.

This requires €1,7 billion annually, or a total of €15,3 billion. This amount will be invested in broad innovation in agriculture, the voluntary relocation of peak loaders and the voluntary buy-out of quitters. The released lands are used for the extensification of the 'permanent' farms, the organizations report. Other measures include the conversion to nature-inclusive agriculture, compensation for agricultural nature management and more robust nature.

According to Sjaak van der Tak, chairman of LTO Nederland, if politicians adopt this proposal, this will create clarity for all agricultural entrepreneurs. According to him, they therefore receive sufficient funding to achieve the goals Van der Tak in a video message to members† For example, the plan aims to reserve €6 billion for broad innovations at agricultural companies, €5 billion for the voluntary relocation or buy-out of peak loaders and an extra €3 billion for agri-environmental management.

Legal shelf life unclear
It is not yet clear whether the plan is legally tenable. The organizations propose to the outgoing cabinet to review the proposal legally and to request advice from the Council of State and the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (PBL). The plan can then be adjusted if necessary on the basis of the advice of these 2 institutes.

"With possible solutions to the nitrogen problem, profit for one usually means loss for another, as a result of which there has been a lack of broad support to date and the impasse continues with all the consequences for nature and the economy. We want to get out of that and that can be achieved with our approach. nature and the economy both benefit," the organizations said in the statement.

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