Background Nitrogen
Nitrogen plan: great anger and avalanche of lawsuits
The nitrogen measures announced by Christianne van der Wal, Minister of Nature and Nitrogen, on behalf of the cabinet today (June 10), have sparked a wave of angry reactions from the agricultural organizations she would like to talk to. LTO Netherlands, Dutch Dairy Farmers Union, POV, Agraction, Farmers Defense Force, all of them react furiously and grimly. Only a number of smaller organizations from the 'alternative' corner show any understanding.
Aggraction has a large national demonstration promulgated on June 22. It is expected that many other farmers' organizations will join in. Although Van der Wal says she wants to talk to the farmers, they don't exactly see her intentions as an invitation. Rather as an insult. What also resonates in the responses is that no perspective is offered, although Minister Henk Staghouwer of Agriculture has written a perspective memorandum. The frustration among the farmers is so great that in the evening they visit Minister Van der Wal in front of the house protested with tractors† The minister spoke to the farmers in an extremely grim and emotional conversation, with the farmers symbolically offering her a letter of resignation.
Division of the Netherlands
Lubbert van Dellen, commercial director at Accon AVM, sees Minister Van der Wal creating a divide in the agricultural Netherlands. On the one hand, an area where nitrogen emissions must be reduced by 70% or more and where that is only allowed by 'stopping, shrinking or moving'. Those who are allowed to pass must be 'nature-inclusive'. On the other hand, there is a part where agriculture is allowed a little more and where innovation and emission reduction through technical means is also allowed. "A reduction of 70% or more must take place in the Veluwe, in the Peel (Gelderland and Brabant) and also in a strip of the Veluwe in the direction of South Friesland via Overijssel and Drenthe, so almost nothing is allowed. Outside, including the Randstad , where the nitrogen problems are also very large, it is less strict," Van Dellen analyzes.
Staghouwer's letter (49 pages) mainly focuses on how agriculture in those other areas must also change, including land-based dairy farming and stables with limited emissions and other changes in manure policy. It is also remarkable that, where agriculture is not allowed to apply technical measures in many places, the industry is completely given the space to do so." The map presented by Van der Wal is very familiar to Van Dellen. It is almost identical to a nature goal card from 2021, but with different colors.
Can 'landscape soil?
John Spithoven, chairman of the Nitrogen Claim Foundation, sees various legal weaknesses in Van der Wal's letter. He finds the proposed introduction of landscape land striking, an idea that was once put forward by CDA Member of Parliament Derk Boswijk. According to Spithoven, this is not even possible under European law. Van Dellen also sees this point. Both expect that the further elaboration of Van der Wal's plans will lead to an avalanche of lawsuits, which will make it difficult for government policy to make progress. Van Dellen also wonders whether the announced buyout policy will be implemented in the provinces or whether it will be thrown in the towel if massive resistance is expected.
Klaas van der Horst
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