'I assume support for the Agricultural Agreement'

Minister of LNV Piet Adema assumes that there will soon be an Agricultural Agreement that can also be supported by the agricultural supporters of LTO. He said this this afternoon (Tuesday 23 May) in the House of Representatives.

If it comes to a negotiation result, LTO wants to present it to its members first. GroenLinks Member of Parliament Laura Bromet asked Adema in the House what he will do if the LTO members reject the Agricultural Agreement. "We will look at that, but that depends entirely on where there is still a problem," says Adema. But he actually does not expect any problems afterwards: "We assume that LTO is well connected with the grassroots (...) I can tell from the way of negotiation that they know very well what is going on in the agricultural grassroots, because they are so sharp their negotiations will. I assume that we will soon have an agreement that can also be supported by supporters."

Cabinet is also working on an alternative
The minister does not want to comment on where there are still bottlenecks and does not want to send draft documents to parliament. He does indicate that the cabinet is also working out plans for if an agreement is not reached, in line with Remkes' advice. "Of course we are working that out. So if the agreement does not come about, we can come up with a package of plans fairly quickly (...) That must first be discussed in the House and then it will lead to legislation." He quickly adds: "If that agreement does not come about. If that agreement does come, and we still assume that, then it can still lead to laws, but on the basis of agreements that we have made with the agricultural sector." An Agriculture Agreement will also be discussed by the House, Adema indicates.

LTO deadline June 21
LTO foreman Sjaak van der Tak presented the microphone of NPO Radio 1 yesterday a deadline of June 21 for an agricultural agreement. "If the calculations of the PBL, the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency, come back, that is our deadline. Then we actually expect a final proposal." If not, 'then it's done', says Van der Tak. Adema does not want to name a date. "I've always said that support is more important than when we close it. If it takes a few weeks longer, then so be it."

Linda van Eekeres

Linda van Eekeres is co-writing editor-in-chief. She mainly focuses on macro-economic developments and the influence of politics on the agricultural sector.

l.vaneekeres@boerenbusiness. Nl

© DCA Market Intelligence. This market information is subject to copyright. It is not permitted to reproduce, distribute, disseminate or make the content available to third parties for compensation, in any form, without the express written permission of DCA Market Intelligence.