Why not calculate with less nitrogen for pigs?

Why is the nitrogen space provided by the subsidy scheme for the remediation of pig farming not counted as a nitrogen reduction measure in livestock farming that will have an effect this year?

That is one of the questions that remain now that the gunpowder fumes from the consultation between the Agricultural Collective and LNV Minister Carola Schouten have lifted on Wednesday 1 April. This is apparent from an NOS radio conversation this morning and correspondence from the various parties involved. Farmers Defense Force declares war on the government, confinement or not.

Enforcing Emergency Nitrogen Act
In the midst of the corona crisis, Schouten says that she has no choice but to continue to enforce measures in livestock farming that will have an effect this year, because she has to enforce the Emergency Act approach to nitrogen that has come into effect and because there is no time to lose because the economy should go back to normal as soon as possible, if the corona crisis diminishes.

Agriculture Collective chairman Aalt Dijkhuizen, however, finds it no longer useful to negotiate if the ministry only seeks arguments against the approach of the Agriculture Collective and does not look for arguments that make the proposals of the Agriculture Collective legally feasible. "Livestock farming is reducing nitrogen emissions every day. It is the only sector and has been doing so since 1990."

Maintain freedom of choice
The Agricultural Collective wants freedom of choice for livestock farmers between feed, manure and/or grazing measures. But the minister says that he must implement the feed measures as described in the Emergency Nitrogen Approach Act. Dijkhuizen: “That is not possible in the middle of the corona crisis. Livestock farmers cannot obtain information on the farm on how best to implement the feed measures. And we don't want to be forced to mere feed measures. Now work on the freedom of choice model so that it can come into effect as soon as possible when the corona crisis subsides.”

External netting is not yet possible
Schouten emphasizes that the cabinet will only allow external netting with livestock farms for the development of industry and housing if sufficient safeguards have been built in for this. The provinces also have to discuss this with the agricultural sector, the minister writes. She disapproves of the fact that the province of Noord-Brabant has bought up nitrogen rights from (already) for sale outside the province of Noord-Brabant on its own initiative. “External netting is not yet possible.”

Logistics Park Moerdijk
The nitrogen rights of 6 livestock farms were bought outside the province of Noord-Brabant, because internal netting for the arrival of the Moerdijk Logistics Park turned out to have insufficient effect (for example, gasless heating). It is beyond the influence of this project to prescribe and monitor other sources such as freight, shipping and rail traffic to emit lower emissions. For the effects that remain after internal netting, only external netting is an option, said deputy Erik Merriënboer of the province of Noord-Brabant last night. This had to be done outside the province of North Brabant because of the location of the Moerdijk on the water. He apologizes for the noise that has arisen.

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