Additional substantiation of feed measure rejected

The Nitrogen Claim and STAF foundations continue to insist that information is being withheld, even after an explanation of the minister's animal feed measure, in response to parliamentary questions. Schouten also continues to disagree with the KNMvD about the livestock feed measure.

On Wednesday 12 August, the Ministry of LNV plans to provide the nitrogen claim and STAF foundations with an explanation of the substantiation of the ministerial animal feed measure. This is happening at the request of the judge, after the foundations decided to withdraw the case on 30 July during the hearing of the summary proceedings.

Series of parliamentary questions answered
The court is of the opinion that the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality is not withholding any documents. This is apparent from the answers to parliamentary questions by LNV Minister Carola Schouten, which were published last night.

After the summary proceedings of July 30, PVV, FvD, CDA, VVD and SGP asked a large number of parliamentary questions, in which they wondered whether it is true that the substantiation of the animal feed measure depends on one official who is on vacation. The minister denies that.

New documents
The answers to parliamentary questions contain two appendices that provide new insight into the full substantiation of the ministerial feed measure, namely the document: 'Explanation of the animal feed measure' and the document 'Insight into 75% percentile values ​​Crude Protein Content ration dairy herd, broken down into farm classes with supplement'. They are dated 28 July and, according to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, they were also available during the hearing of the summary proceedings on 30 July.

These two documents show that the maximum percentage of crude protein used in the ministerial feed measure for each of the 9 farm categories is based on the spread in average crude protein percentages in the rations. This spread is based on calculations with Kringloopwijzer.

Per category, depending on soil type and milk production per hectare within that (extensive, intensive and average), it is assumed that 25% of the farms that score the least can meet the results that the other 75% of the farms appear to be able to achieve.

Eliminating the worst quarter of businesses in each of the nine business categories yields a nitrogen reduction that is maintainable, controllable, and delivers the desired minimum amount needed this year to provide space for development for the construction industry.  

The answers to the parliamentary questions show that the ministry based the threshold value of 15,5% crude protein on the advice of Wageningen University when determining the exception scheme. 
(WUR) and international literature. The minister also refers to a memorandum from the Agricultural Collective which would indicate that the feasibility of this protein percentage is also taken seriously by the agricultural advocacy groups themselves.

Foundations still lack information
The STAF and Nitrogen Claim foundations say in a press release that they are still missing important information in the stack of documents published last night, which the ministry has so far refused to provide. According to the judge's ruling in the interim injunction, the ministry is not withholding any information.

The foundations maintain their objection that the division into 9 different company categories is not well substantiated and that it remains a mystery how the ministry has arrived at protein limits in compound feed (raw materials). They say it is not reproducible. The foundations also want the minister to demonstrate that the lower limit of 15,5% crude protein in the total ration poses no risks to animal health.

Vets and new calculation
About these animal health risks, the minister writes in a letter to the House of Representatives that she has not yet drawn any conclusions from the discussions with the veterinarians, who are represented by the KNMvD. No agreement has been reached so far. At the end of August, the minister will inform the House of Representatives what decision she will take about the animal health risks of the animal feed measure. At that time, it will also announce the results of the PBL calculation on the nitrogen-reducing effect of the alternative measures, which were put forward by agricultural representatives in June.

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