Background Manure
Strict manure rules affect livestock farmers and arable farmers
Arable farmers and dairy farmers must comply with a number of cultivation requirements of the European Commission this year. Such as earlier sowing of catch crops, wider manure-free and crop protection-free buffer strips and stricter manure application standards in a large part of the country.
This is necessary to maintain a transitional derogation for the Netherlands up to and including 2025. Minister Piet Adema of LNV writes this in a letter to the House of Representatives. He had indicated at the end of December that the soup should be eaten a little less hot as far as he was concerned, but the European environment commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius opposed this. He is particularly concerned about Dutch water quality. The figures he has on this do not reassure him. He therefore put the knife to Adema's throat: either stricter measures immediately, or no transitional derogation at all.
Arable crops
Adema therefore saw no choice but to opt for the first option, he writes to the House of Representatives. This threatens to hit hard for arable crops in particular. A catch crop must be sown before 1 October, except for winter crops. Those who fail to comply will face sanctions. Adema is looking at how to ease the pain for this year's cultivation plans.
In addition, wider buffer strips must be maintained along waterways, strips where fertilizers and crop protection may not be applied. Adema wants to quickly clarify this through the so-called Environmental Management Activities Regulation. The regulation will take effect on 1 March. For the longer term, the minister is aiming for uniform buffer strips for manure, crop protection and CAP. The minister wants to clarify this before 1 January next year.
Nutrient-polluted
As a final measure, nutrient-polluted (NV) areas will be set up as of this year. Here the water quality is particularly at stake and the derogation is being phased out more quickly. There, the nitrogen application standards must be reduced by an additional 2025% by 20. These areas will be determined as of 1 January next year and include the regions Sand South, Central and the loess area. For this year, three areas at water board level have been designated as NV. This concerns the North Holland Noorderkwartier, Delfland and Brabantse Delta.
42% of the agricultural area
According to the minister, this involves 42% of the Dutch agricultural area. A lower derogation regime will apply there, an obligation to sow a catch crop and grassland may not just be torn up.
The measures have provoked anger and protest among agricultural organisations. The House of Representatives also has questions. The issue would also be discussed today at the main table consultation on an agricultural agreement, the parties report. LTO Netherlands already protested on Friday. Agractie also made it clear that it was very unpleasantly surprised.
Klaas van der Horst
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