Alternatives not around
Drag foot ban takes effect January 1, 2019
The ban on the trailing foot injector will officially come into effect on January 1, 2019. That is what agriculture minister Carola Schouten said in a letter to the House of Representatives. This spring there was much to be done about the so-called foot drop ban. It is now coming with a 1 year delay.
With the approaching fertilization season, contractors and livestock farmers on clay and peat soil made themselves at the beginning of this year press on the drag foot ban. It would come into effect on January 1. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO.nl) also had no answer and made matters even more complicated by posting on Twitter a date of February 16 to communicate. This was subsequently hastily withdrawn. Then there was silence.
Clarity
Minister Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) will finally provide clarity on Wednesday 23 May through a letter to Parliament† The ban will come into effect: from 1 January 2019. This has been agreed with the State Secretary for Infrastructure and Water Management. The ban applies to the use of slurry on clay and peat soil.
The trailing foot ban arises from the Agreement on Generic Measures within the framework of the Nitrogen Approach Program (PAS). An exception was made in 2014 for the use of the trailing foot injector in combination with a trailing hose system. This is because water is added to pump the slurry. This has the additional advantage that the ammonia emission is limited.
However, this change was never implemented, as there were no alternatives. The ministry has now approved 3 more alternatives for the reduction of ammonia emissions. These have been included in the concept of the exemption scheme. However, the notification procedure at the European Commission was not ready before 2018. Verifiability is also insufficiently guaranteed. This cannot be judged by eye.
Controllability
In the coming months it should become clear which techniques the sector wants to use, writes Schouten. The ban has therefore been suspended until January 1, 2019. Only the verifiable alternatives will eventually be introduced. The amendment to the Bgm is part of the sixth Nitrates Directive action programme. The subject is expected to be discussed in parliament this autumn.
Niels van der Boom
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