POV breaks with Schouten, LTO threatens, dairy worried

The Producers Organization for Pig Farming (POV) has suspended consultations with the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality due to the new nitrogen policy. LTO Nederland also threatens to do this and the Dutch dairy sector declares to be concerned about the effect of the nitrogen measures.

The interest groups report this separately in statements. The pig farming sector is completely fed up with the fact that on the eve of a collectively agreed stop scheme, pig farmers are being confronted with 'new regulations and ill-considered measures' in nitrogen. "And what will it be tomorrow? Particulate matter? Greenhouse gases?" POV chair Linda Jansen says that her supporters are more than tired of it. “An integrated approach to environmental policy is hard to find. We will not be robbed.”

According to Jansen, it "doesn't make sense to talk any longer with a government that sets up separate regulations for each individual substance." The POV only wants to sit down with Minister Schouten again for a discussion if she receives recognition for "the enormous contribution that pig farming has already made to ammonia reduction and the sector is rewarded for all its efforts instead of being robbed. take steps to arrive at a robust policy, based on facts and measurements, and the sector wants room for the implementation of its Vitalization Pig Farming Action Plan, which was set up together with the ministry and chain parties."

Turning the tide
Where the POV, in which LTO Pig farming is represented, is therefore breaking with Minister Schouten for the time being, the umbrella organization LTO Nederland does not want to go that far yet. LTO states in a statement that it will not resign yet, because the organization 'sees it as its task and responsibility to try to turn the tide through politics and ministries.' The organization does denounce the current state of affairs in nitrogen measures, without, incidentally, questioning the entire nitrogen policy.

For example, LTO strongly opposes the taking of animal and phosphate rights in the event of external netting and the deletion of the latent space. According to the organization, that is 'unacceptable'. This has far-reaching consequences for the investments already made, the current operational management and the further development into future-proof companies that make an important contribution to sustainability and reduction of emissions, LTO reports.

LTO issues ultimatum
The organization also believes that there should be more figures, research and full transparency about nitrogen deposition for a 'fair area-oriented approach' for Natura 2000 areas. LTO calls Schouten's decision to install more measuring points a step forward.

LTO Netherlands has issued an ultimatum of 1 November 2019. If the Ministry of Agriculture has not adjusted its nitrogen policy and has incorporated the input from the interest groups in its policy, LTO threatens to pull the plug from the consultations.

Livestock ranching threatens
The collective Dutch dairy sector is also extremely concerned in a letter about the elaboration of the nitrogen policy. Like LTO, organizations in the dairy sector fear the effect of taking phosphate rights with external netting. "There will then be no more development space for dairy farmers to invest in making the sector more sustainable, partly with a view to climate agreements and circular agriculture." 

The dairy sector is also suspicious of the arrangement that other parties outside agriculture can buy unlimited nitrogen space in agriculture. 'In this free market mechanism, parties with the greatest financial scope will be the winner, resulting in an exodus of the livestock sectors and indirectly the countryside.' The dairy sector has come to the conclusion that the nitrogen policy shows that 'apparently there is no longer any room or perspective in this country for dynamic, sustainable and innovative dairy farming.' 

Confrontation after actions
The confrontation that the interest groups are now seeking with the Ministry of Agriculture cannot be seen in isolation from the massive protests by farmers in the Netherlands, with the demonstration by Agractie and Farmers Defense Force on 1 October on the Malieveld as the provisional high point. These organizations are very critical of the advocacy of LTO and its affiliated organizations.

For example, Agractie has asked the ministry to be recognized as an official representative. Both Farmers Defense Force and Agractie have independently announced new actions, starting again on October 16 in The Hague.

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