Surprised about regulation for a healthier calf chain

The minister reports this a letter to the House of Representatives. The veal calf sector reacted with surprise to the letter. Especially because a scheme has been announced, but it is not yet in place, says chairman Wim Thus of LTO veal calf farming. VanDrie and sector organizations have also responded with surprise. Normally, departments also spar with the business community about new projects or schemes, but in this case that did not happen, various parties from the business community report. "In this case, the scheme is being developed internally," Thus says.

So he knows nothing about a revenue model, the environment and animal welfare effects. The veal sector knew that the ministry wanted to continue with plans to change the veal sector. Last year, the ministry developed scenarios for this, in which calves first have to stay on dairy farms for much longer. There was and is still little enthusiasm for this from the dairy farming industry. 

Staghouwer says he wants to stimulate system innovation and innovation. He wants to investigate to what extent a system change can contribute to 'an integrated solution' of animal health and welfare problems. “If such adjustments are effective, feasible, affordable and scalable, they could potentially complement previously discussed and new management measures in the future,” the minister's letter states. The minister has not yet become much more specific, not even about when the scheme will be presented.

Staghouwer states that €10 million is available from the rural development program for the scheme. This raises the question for the veal farming industry what will happen to the other funds that have been promised to the veal farming industry to modernize. €6 million had been promised six times in recent years. According to Thus, €10 million of this has not yet been made available.