The dairy sector is asking outgoing State Secretary Martijn van Dam to delete the young stock number from the 2017 Phosphate Reduction Regulation. They propose that only young stock older than 35 days and not pregnant or that have calved be removed for export, slaughter or death. LTO, NZO, NAJK, NMV, Nevedi and Rabobank make this known in a letter to Van Dam.
In the proposal, the reduction can continue by allowing dairy farms to sell female calves up to the age of 35 days to farms with a Dutch UBN. 'This makes it possible to continue to sell these calves to veal calf farming', the sector organizations write in the letter to Van Dam. Wageningen Economic Research estimates that the extra supply of animals will not cause any disruptions in the export markets.
Young stock
The young stock number will continue to apply to companies that want to sell female animals older than 35 days in the Netherlands (such as for young stock rearing). This adaptation offers dairy farmers the option of rearing young calves on a non-dairy farm.
According to the sector organisations, this method is new for many dairy farmers and will therefore not be widely used as an alternative route. The Wageningen Economic Research therefore estimates that the effect on Dutch phosphate production is limited. The risk would be approximately 17.800 LU. This is compared with the current scheme with young stock numbers.
Most effective
According to the sector organisations, this alternative is the most effective and most in line with the market. Wageningen Economic Research investigates this adjustment and its effects and then makes a comparison with the young stock number.
By eliminating the number of young cattle and coming up with an alternative, the sector parties hope to gain more support among dairy farmers for the reduction scheme.
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