LTO: 'Derogation also causes problems for arable farming'

The phasing out of the derogation from Brussels and the new requirements that come with it, also put arable farming and open field vegetable cultivation in an unworkable situation. This is stated in a press release by the Arable Farming and Open Field Vegetables department of LTO Nederland. 

The derogation will be phased out in the coming years, from a nitrogen application standard from animal manure of 250 kilos per hectare to 170 kilos per hectare in 2026 for meadow farms that meet the conditions. Not only will the derogation disappear, but there will be general conditions that will also hit arable farming hard. Yesterday (September 5) Henk Staghouwer sent a letter to the House of Representatives about this, in retrospect his last achievement as agriculture minister. 

Buffer strips of 3 meters
In particular, lowering nitrogen application standards and making buffer strips of 3 meters mandatory will have a significant agricultural and financial impact, says the department of LTO. "Fertiliser substitutes have completely disappeared from the picture and crop derogation as a responsible alternative is still out of the question. In addition, it is now completely unclear how the sector should act on both the 1^e APN as the CAP and now also the derogation decision. Entrepreneurs are expected to adapt their business operations, while the policy has not yet been determined and the time frame is very short. This while building plans have already been made, contracts have been signed, the first winter grain has been sown and cooperation agreements have been signed."

2023 transition year
According to LTO, it is inevitable that 2023 will be a transition year. "A year in which, as far as we are concerned, we will sit down with LNV to develop a good perspective, a year in which we will really work on improving water quality through the Customized Approach and in which we will know where we stand before the summer of 2023" , says Tineke de Vries, chair of the Arable Farming and Open Field Vegetables department at LTO Nederland.

Linda van Eekeres

Linda van Eekeres is co-writing editor-in-chief. She mainly focuses on macro-economic developments and the influence of politics on the agricultural sector.

l.vaneekeres@boerenbusiness. Nl

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