News Nitrogen
Dairy farming agreement in principle finalized
A group of 6 dairy farming organisations, led by NMV chairman Henk Bleker, has reached an outline agreement with Minister Piet Adema on a dairy farming partial agreement. This as part of a larger Agricultural Agreement.
Documents about this came into the hands of Boerenbusiness. Bleker confirms the content of this and the Thursday morning conversation with the minister.
The draft agreement aims for a reduction of the dairy herd by 15-20% in 2035, which will also cost 2,5 to 3 billion kilos of milk. Subsequently, the size of the dairy herd will continue to be closely monitored and limited where necessary. However, there will be no LU standard per hectare, says the NMV chairman.
Dairy farming must also embark on a voluntary, but also irreversible process to have the company and land certified periodically and thus also screened for compliance with certain water quality standards. A measurement and monitoring system must be set up for this. There will also be a kind of substance balance. Anyone who does not participate misses out on a 20% discount on the application standards, is not eligible for wider use of artificial fertilizer substitutes and the like and does not participate in the BES pilot.
The approach is that farmland will keep the destination agricultural, with the exception of another 34.000 hectares for the National Nature Network and an unknown area for housing, business parks and infrastructure. Land that is bought up through purchase schemes and the like should strengthen the agricultural structure and area plans. Area committees give binding advice on the use of vacant land. These committees also direct any other design processes. The plan also means that at least 200.000 hectares of the national Nature Network will be shared in agricultural use and that management will be reimbursed for the long term. There will be no grounds with mandatory restrictions or anything like that.
NMV director Gerrit van Schaick and Agriculture Table chairman Chris Kalden were also present at the meeting between Bleker and Adema. Bleker and Van Schaick consulted on behalf of LTO, the NMV, the Biohuis, Grondig, the NAJK and, according to them, also Agractie, but Agractie chairman Bart Kemp denies the latter. The NZO is not involved from the processing industry.
There are still a number of 'loose ends' in the agreement in principle. These included the use of artificial fertilizer substitutes, which Brussels still has to approve, manure sales and a number of legal matters that need to be worked out in more detail regarding agricultural land and control. The whole idea of shrinking the dairy herd will also require some discussion. No further rules have been agreed for organic dairy farming.
The plan is to continue working on a final text for the partial agreement next week, says Bleker.
Klaas van der Horst
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