Organic dairy farming demands an answer from Schouten

Organic dairy farmers feel ignored by Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality). Organic dairy farming demands exemption from phosphate rights for the latent space, a so-called negative phosphate surplus. However, that request has not been answered to date.

Of the approximately 18.000 dairy farms in the Netherlands, approximately 450 are certified organic. This group has alluded to an exemption from phosphate rights for the latent space for some time now. The motivation is that organic dairy farming does not see itself as the cause of the phosphate surplus. Organic dairy farmers are also useless derogation, because an organic farmer is not allowed to spread more than 170 kilos of nitrogen per hectare in any case.

Organic dairy farming also claims to lead the way with themes such as: circular agriculture, animal welfare and nature inclusive. According to Sybrand Bouma, dairy farmer in Grouw (Friesland) and spokesperson for the organic sector, this should not be slowed down by the phosphate legislation.

Schouten doesn't answer
To reinforce their positions, the organic dairy farmers have united in the so-called SOS group. The group has submitted a direct request to Schouten for exemption from the latent hold. The purchase of phosphate rights would mean bankruptcy for a number of organic dairy farmers. Bouma estimates that about 15 dairy farmers are currently in financially difficult waters. "It mainly concerns the dairy farmers who switched around the reference date (2 July 2015)."

Schouten has not yet responded directly to the request for exemption, which the SOS group submitted this spring. However, Schouten in the Letter to parliament of May 16 let it be known that there will be no exception for organic dairy farming. The fact that Schouten answered the request 'indirectly' angers the SOS group. All the more because the Environment Department of the European Commission in Brussels (the same committee that granted the derogation) is in favor of an exception for organic dairy farmers.

Organic fertilizer shortage
According to Bouma, organic arable farmers are also experiencing the consequences of the phosphate reduction plan. Due to the shrunk organic dairy herd, there is now less organic manure available; there is even a shortage. This shows the division between the conventional and the organic fertilizer market, because this spring there has been an oversupply of common (pig) manure.

Bouma also has a manure shortage. Based on the reference date, he was allocated phosphate rights for approximately 130 cows; in terms of soil, he could still grow with 40 cows. Similar situations apply to other organic dairy farmers. According to Bouma, an exemption for phosphate rights for the latent space does not take up much phosphate space on the whole. "We would like to make that clear to the minister."

Walk to right
The SOS group claims that it is legally justifiable to exempt organic dairy farmers from the phosphate plan. This is because they can be defined as a group through the so-called SKAL certification. If there is no response from Schouten in the short term, the SOS group may go to court. The group also alludes to public campaigns when they are not heard.

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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