Feed-manure contract not an alternative to soil

Feed-manure contracts cannot be used to reduce dairy cattle phosphate surplus. Carola Schouten, Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), made this known in a letter to the House of Representatives on Thursday 21 December.

During the discussion of the Land-Based Dairy Farming Act, an amendment was passed to apply feed manure contracts in the system of 'Responsible growth of dairy farming'.

They don't count
The amendment was intended to regulate that the manure, which is regionally sold to an arable farmer within a radius of 20 kilometers, is not included in the calculation of the dairy cattle phosphate surplus. The condition here is that the feed from this soil is also used by the dairy farmer, which contributes to a closed cycle. Schouten has now said that the feed-manure contracts do not count towards reducing the surplus.

Land-relatedness in danger
A report from Wageningen University shows that the sector can grow by an average of 26% by concluding feed-manure contracts. Regionally, this can rise to 60% to 80%. The report also indicates that the combination of the Soil-Based Growth Act and the admission of feed-manure contracts hardly contribute to making dairy farming more land-based.

The feasibility of the plan is also a problem. For example, there is no proper assurance of the quantity of feed supplied and the declaration of parcels in the Combined Statement therefore becomes a difficult element in enforcement.

Land-based growth of dairy farming
The aim of the Land-Based Dairy Farming Growth Act is to curb growth in dairy farming. A dairy farm that has a surplus has to absorb some of this growth with extra land.

The aim of the Land-Based Dairy Farming Growth Act is to curb growth in dairy farming. A dairy farm that has a surplus has to absorb some of this growth with extra land.

With a surplus of 20 to 50 kilos of phosphate per hectare, 25% of the surplus must be collected with extra soil, the rest must be processed. With a surplus of 50 kilos or more, extra soil is needed for 50% of the surplus.

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