Mesdag Fund demands access to nitrogen calculation

The Mesdag Dairy Fund Foundation believes that there are errors in the model used by the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) to calculate nitrogen emissions. It therefore demands access to the calculation. Since the RIVM does not want to cooperate in this, Mesdagfonds is now taking the body to court.

Jan Cees Vogelaar, the chairman of the Mesdag Dairy Fund Foundation, says that he already asked RIVM for access 1 year ago, but that he still has not been able to see the calculation method. Mesdag Fund says that the RIVM reports that it does not consider it necessary for the scientists to look under the hood. That is why Mesdagfonds now demands access through legal proceedings.

'RIVM makes assumptions'
The allegation that this calculation is incorrect is due to the fact that RIVM makes assumptions when converting air concentrations into nitrogen deposition. The RIVM does the measurement using different tubes in 'Natura 2000 areas'. "In practice, a number of these tubes have been lost or broken. Remarkably, RIVM does include those missing tubes in the calculation."

Based on official observations, the nitrogen concentration shows a slight decrease, according to Vogelaar. The concentration in these lost tubes is included in the calculation based on an assumption. "And then the nitrogen concentration in nature suddenly shows an increase. In our view, something strange is happening with those figures, we want to know what is going on," says Vogelaar. 

RIVM is waiting for steps
The RIVM spokesperson acknowledges that discussions have taken place with the Mesdag Fund. However, he does not officially know anything about legal proceedings. The spokesperson said that he would await any procedural steps.  

Wouter Job

Wouter Baan is editor-in-chief of Boerenbusiness. He also focuses on dairy, pig and meat markets. He also follows (business) developments within agribusiness and interviews CEOs and policymakers.

w.baan@boerenbusiness. Nl

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