The VVD (People's Party for Freedom and Democracy) is preparing for a robust attack on Minister Wiersma's manure policy, according to sources in The Hague. A manure debate will begin late in the afternoon. A motion of no confidence is expected. The argument is that water quality is not being adequately safeguarded. If the motion were to pass, the interests surrounding Infrastructure and Water Management would prevail, and a minister would resign. A Nitrate Action Program and derogation request would also be submitted too late, leading to a European formal notice, creating chaos.
Several agricultural organizations, including Agractie, the Dutch Dairy Farmers' Union (NMV), and the dairy sector, want to prevent such a scenario and propose, in a last-ditch effort, to come up with concrete ideas to satisfy the European Commission's demands, ensuring sufficient improvement in environmental impact for a new derogation. Ireland, after all, also received one. One or more motions on this matter are expected to be voted on this afternoon.
This should also bring political parties in The Hague to their senses, so that another minister isn't sent home over political wrangling. They believe that would only lead to chaos. It would also prevent a minister in a new cabinet from immediately running into serious trouble. Judging by the reports, LTO Nederland (Dutch Federation of Agriculture and Horticulture) is largely staying out of the picture.
If Minister Wiersma stays on, she will have to work hard in the coming days to send the eighth Nitrate Action Program, including the derogation request, to Brussels. However, there are bumps in the road. Last week, a dispute flared up between the Ministries of Infrastructure and Water Management (I&W) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LVVN), with the latter insisting on stricter standards than required by European regulations. The latter also wants to impose stricter water standards on more land than the LVVN wants.
Organizations like Agractie and NMV are advocating for narrowing buffer strips on clay and peat and revising the current NV areas (currently designated as focus areas). In addition, a political motion is being prepared to make the derogation a free choice at the farm level, combined with various concrete emission reduction measures, such as spraying slats in barns (30% reduction in emissions), setting the maximum urea number at 20, and capping the grassland standard at 2,5 livestock units.
LTO Nederland is less specific and clear. The organization maintains that goal-oriented management is the solution.