The Netherlands has been unnecessarily kept in a nitrogen stranglehold by the government for a year and a half, say Farmers Defense Force (FDF) and Dutch Diarymen Board (DDB). "Because the Agricultural Collective already proposed the only, practically feasible solution in November 2019."
This is what the boards of the organizations write in a news item on the Farmers Defense Force website, as a result of the letter which agriculture minister Carola Schouten sent to the House of Representatives on Tuesday 20 July. In it she announced that the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality has made agreements with several agricultural parties about more grazing, gradually less crude protein in animal feed and the application of manure diluted with water.
"The letter now presented shows that officials and ministers under Rutte III have unnecessarily kept the Netherlands in the nitrogen stranglehold for a year and a half. Agriculture Collective already provided the only, practically feasible solution in November 2019."
A hard condition of the Agricultural Collective was that farmers would be compensated for nitrogen reduction. "In the letter of 20 July, the outgoing minister states that the measures in the field of feed and grazing 'require little or no costs from farmers'. The boards find that 'very short-sighted and also unsubstantiated'. "And even even if it costs little: the efforts of the farmers provide society with space and opportunities."
Additional measures that frustrate feasibility
What the boards mainly miss in the letter is the feasibility of the proposed measures. Many additional measures have been introduced in a year and a half that greatly frustrate practicality in practice, according to the parties, such as: CDM's proposal to ban grazing during drought; the new measure that a pregnant animal may no longer be transported for less than 10% of the pregnancy; the 20/80 scheme (80% grassland mandatory) for derogation farms (water in the manure means more utilization and more protein); and the 20-degree scheme for derogation farms.
The parties report: "Halfway through this season there have been almost no days when it was possible to drive below 20 degrees." The provinces and water boards have also increasingly imposed irrigation bans, according to the organizations.
'Agro parties have no mandate'
The boards believe that the aforementioned agricultural parties (LTO, NAJK, Biohuis, BoerenNatuur and Netwerk GRONdig, Nevedi and Cumela) cannot speak on behalf of the sector. "The majority of the parties it has appointed have no member dairy farmers and therefore no mandate."
The organizations conclude with: "The Agricultural Collective offered the solution in November 2019 and will also be necessary in 2021."
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