News Manure
Derogation decision will take at least another month
There will be no definitive answer before mid-June about extending the derogation for ammonia standards on grassland, agriculture minister Carola Schouten announced in a letter to parliament. The 'headache file' thus simmers on for a while.
According to Schouten, the Netherlands has already discussed the extension, which she believes is of great importance for dairy farming, several times in Brussels. Discussions were held at official level, while the minister himself spoke with the European Commissioner for the Environment.
Monitoring manure fraud
The Ministry of Agriculture gave a presentation to the Nitrate Committee about the enhanced enforcement strategy regarding manure fraud, a Brussels precondition for any extension. It has also been indicated that if there is a negative trend in water quality as a result of drought, the Netherlands will take additional measures. With this, all formal steps have been taken, writes Schouten.
According to her, it is now up to the European Commission to draw up a draft derogation decision and submit it to the Nitrates Committee. The next time at which the draft decision can be discussed will be in the second half of June 2020. Then the Nitrate Committee will meet again.
'Maladministration'
Both the Dutch Dairy Farmers' Union (NMV) and LTO Dairy Farming denounce the slowness of Brussels policymakers on this important dossier. "The absence of a derogation decision by the Brussels Nitrate Committee is improper management," said Wil Meulenbroeks, chairman of LTO Dairy Farming. recently opposite Boerenbusiness.
Wouter Job
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