News Nitrogen
House of Representatives wants to get rid of 'zoning card' Remkes
The House of Representatives sees no point in Johan Remkes' plan to divide the Netherlands into four different zones in which more or less intensive agriculture may take place, depending on the color of the zone. A majority of Parliament also believes that the nitrogen deadline of 2030 should be 'not dogmatic'.
Yesterday (Tuesday 8 November) a vote was taken on the motions submitted during the debate last Thursday about Remkes' advice. The motion not to develop any further policy based on the zoning map - as presented in Remkes' advice What is possible - was supported by a large majority. Only GroenLinks, Volt, Denk and the PvdA voted against. Incidentally, there is no real 'card' shown in the advice. "In this report, I do not want to go into the question of exactly which areas this would concern. This is a sensitive matter and must be properly researched and decided in normal dialogue with the sector," Remkes writes in his report.
In that advice, he does state that there should be a zoning with four areas. Red areas where highly productive agriculture can take place; orange areas where only nature-inclusive agriculture is possible; and green and yellow areas around and in Natura 2000, in which only very limited organic farming is possible in combination with nature management.
Prevent Farm Hunt
Remkes also advised not to exchange NH3 for NOx. The Chamber is behind this. In the search for scarce nitrogen space, the law of the strongest should not apply, a majority believes, a farm hunt should be avoided. The House believes that the government should take more control and make nitrogen space available for projects via a nitrogen bank.
Research reduction through techniques
The House also wants to investigate how applying the best available techniques at all livestock farms in the Netherlands can contribute to nitrogen reduction and a robust approach. Tjeerd de Groot (D66) proposed this motion, based on Brabant's requirement that by 2024 at the latest all livestock farms (with the exception of nature-inclusive livestock farms) have always applied the best available techniques with the lowest emission factor and that one third of the target can be achieved. through the use of the best available techniques at all livestock farms in the Netherlands.
Emission reduction since 2018
A motion by Caroline van der Plas (BBB) was also supported by a majority. Publishing non-current emission data from 2018 leads to unnecessary additional unrest in the agricultural sector, while in some areas, such as near the Peel, there has been a significant reduction in animal numbers in 2021 compared to 2018. That is why the House wants to see the most recent CBS figures on the emission reduction since 2018, taking barn systems into account.
Write down Rabobank loans
The House also wants the government to look at how part of the agricultural loans - with Rabobank being named as the main financier with an outstanding amount of approximately €39 billion - can be written down 'and use the savings that arise as a result. to the sustainability of agriculture'.
The House also urges the government to come to a joint approach in consultation with neighboring countries, in order to also reduce nitrogen precipitation. She also wants to research the question of whether and how farmers near Natura 2000 areas can be financially supported in adapting their business operations.
Linda van Eekeres
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