News Farmland
Still compensation for decreasing value of peat meadows
The fall in value of agricultural land in peat meadow areas must be compensated. Agriculture Minister Carola Schouten argues for this in a letter to the House of Representatives
The minister responds to the report 'Stop subsidence in peatlands: the Green Heart as an example', published by the Council for the Environment and Infrastructure (RFI). The emission of greenhouse gases must be reduced by, among other things, rewetting the peat.
In the report, the RFI stated that compensation for a possible decrease in value is not necessary, as long as the redevelopment plans are known long enough in advance. The minister shares this view insofar as it concerns investments on which depreciation is incurred, such as buildings and machines. However, according to the minister, this does not apply to agricultural land. Land also retains its value in the long term, provided the destination does not change to, for example, nature. Or that additional conditions are imposed on the use of the current destination, which has significant consequences for the yielding (producing) capacity.
Effects unknown
There is still a great deal of uncertainty about the emission of greenhouse gases in the various peat soils and the effectiveness of the (wetting) measures. More knowledge about this should be gained in the coming years with the National Research Program Greenhouse Gases Veenweide. The research also makes it possible to estimate the effects of rewetting measures on possible depreciation of the land and the associated compensation/compensation.
Jurphaas Lugtenburg
© 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.
